Sustainability

Thinking and acting for the planet underpins all our work

Every individual, company and organisation must consider the role they have to play in combating the climate emergency.

As a publisher, our most important role is through the books we publish and their power to change minds and behaviour. Alongside our role as a publisher, it's also vital that we consider how we can innovate and improve to reduce the environmental impact of our own operations.

We are also founding members of Publishing Declares, committing to industry-wide collaboration on climate action.

How we're taking action

To reduce our own environmental impact, from forest to bookshop, we have three key commitments:

Measuring our carbon footprint

As part of the Bertelsmann Group, has a 2030 climate target to reduce absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 50% from a baseline year of 2018.

Our most significant carbon footprint lies in our global value chain, in particular because of the energy intensive production process required to make paper in a paper mill. You can read a detailed breakdown of our carbon footprint here.

Sustainable sourcing

We will ensure 100% of our paper and other core materials are ethically and sustainably sourced.

100% of the paper we use to make our books is Forest Stewardship Council® (C018179) certified – the hallmark of excellence in sustainable paper sourcing.

FSC® is the only wood certification scheme endorsed by WWF, Greenpeace and the Woodland Trust. Certified forests must meet a range of best-in-class standards, ensuring harvested trees are replanted or allowed to regenerate naturally. FSC® also safeguards forest biodiversity and local communities.

Climate awareness and education

We will provide training and resources to colleagues on best sustainable practice to encourage practical action and ensure sustainability feels relevant to every team and department.

We will use the power of our brand, books and authors to amplify the climate emergency and encourage positive behaviour change.

We have a proud history of publishing vital and wide-ranging content in this space, from globally renowned thinkers like Naomi Klein and David Wallace-Wells, to books which help people make practical changes in everyday life. More recently we have established a dedicated environmental publishing imprint with David Attenborough, Witness Books.