PA reaches 150 Publishing Declares signatures 

The Publishers Association (PA) has received the 150th signature on the Publishing Declares pledge, launched in 2021 to raise awareness of the sustainability issues facing publishing.

The signatories, which count the Big Four as well as indie presses, make a number of pledges including to join the global climate effort to limit warming to 1.5°C by setting ambitious, measurable targets across their own operations and extended supply chain to achieve net zero by 2050 at the latest.

They also pledge to protect nature and biodiversity, working with supply chain partners that are resource efficient, and to use sustainable materials and processes wherever possible in the content their organisation produces.

Moreover, signatories pledge to “empower our colleagues to become climate literate and support them to bring that knowledge into the work that they do” and “use our expertise, platform and voice to raise awareness and drive positive climate action wherever we can".

Publishing Declares is one of many sustainability projects at the PA, which includes the Carbon Calculator and Materials Matrix, launched in 2022. The full list of signatories so far can be found here, as well as information on how to pledge.

Dan Conway, c.e.o. of the PA, said of reaching the milestone: “We are delighted to have reached 150 signatures on the Publishing Declares pledge. It is promising to see so much support from each corner of the sector.

"As an industry, we must continue to keep conversations around sustainability at the forefront of our operations, and more importantly, turn these conversations into action.

"The Publishers Association is committed to working with our members to build a greener industry for all, and we will continue to invest in tools and services that help drive the sustainability agenda forward, to make this a reality."

Alice Wood, sustainability manager, added: “Publishing Declares’ journey is far from over. It is more important than ever to keep building on what is already in place, to progress towards a greener sector. We invite everyone in the UK book and journal industry, from printers and publishers to booksellers and authors, to join us in this effort.”