Policy Press

Sustainability

Although driven by a desire to be sustainable because it’s the right thing to do, Bristol University Press also believes that the following aims and objectives will: 

  • Support the needs and preferences of our customers, authors and suppliers as they increasingly prefer to do business with a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable organisation.
  • Help to attract and retain the best staff: as employees look for the same commitments to social and environmental responsibility and a positive working environment will benefit our staff. 


Bristol University Press: 

  • Sets objectives for promoting social responsibility, reducing environmental impact and creating a positive working environment through a sustainability strategy.
  • Promotes social responsibility through commitment to our social mission statement, support of fair trade, charities and charitable work.
  • Publishes books on environmental policy and sustainability to push forward debates and contribute to solutions for reducing climate change.
  • Records and monitors our environmental impact.
  • Raises awareness of environmental issues among its staff, authors, customers and suppliers, and actively encourage responsible environmental practice.
  • Reduces our impact by making efficient use of resources including energy and water, minimising waste and increasing recycling and minimising the impact of business travel.
  • Being a ‘green’ publisher, especially minimising the impact of paper usage.
  • Provides a positive working environment for staff.
  • Attains recognition of our commitment to these issues through the University’s Green Impact Awards, and other accreditation, such as through Carbon Footprint and the Green Press Initiative.


To ensure that sustainability is embedded into the organisation: 

  • The Senior Management Team will continue to encourage a range of good practices for social responsibility, environmental sustainability and staff wellbeing. These are included in the strategy document and all staff are encouraged to continue these good practices.   
  • The sustainability strategy feeds into other BUP strategy documents so that aims and objectives will become integral to all aspects of the business. 

Social responsibility 

Bristol University Press aims to help improve social conditions through its publishing activities by influencing research, learning, policy and practice. BUP is a not-for-profit organisation and we publish work to make a difference rather than to make a profit for shareholders. 

Bristol University Press supports fair trade by using fair trade products in the office and supports charities by encouraging and supporting staff in fundraising activities. Also, as part of the University of Bristol, we fully support the aim of the Modern Slavery Act and will do all we can to make sure that our supply chains are free from this practice.

Environmental impact 

We have identified Bristol University Press’ top-five environmental impacts: 

  • Use of paper 
  • The carbon footprint of manufacture 
  • The carbon footprint of the office 
  • Mailing and distribution 
  • Business travel 

We have identified BUP’s top-ten ‘greening’ opportunities to reduce environmental impact:  

  • A move to Print on Demand (PoD) for most products with accurate management of print estimates and print ordering to reduce paper waste.
  • Reducing the impact of paper use in the office by promoting efficient paper use, using recycled paper and promoting paper reuse and recycling.
  • Working with printers who use environmentally sustainable paper sources and inks, and have responsible waste-management policies.
  • Continuing to increase the use of new technologies in publishing and all areas of operations, including eBooks, online journals, POD, electronic submission and management and product data feeds to retailers.
  • Working with suppliers who are committed to environmentally and socially sustainable business practice.
  • Working with University of Bristol Estates Team to improve the energy efficiency of our office and reduce energy consumption in the office by promoting and encouraging more energy-efficient practice.
  • Continuing to increase recycling of the majority of waste in the office.
  • Working with our distributors to minimise wasteful packaging and reduce our carbon footprint when transporting stock to customers.
  • Encouraging use of sustainable transport for business travel and commuting and moving to video conferencing where possible.


Positive working environment
 

Bristol University Press is a supportive organisation in which staff are valued and personal development encouraged; our ethos encourages work–life balance.  

Bristol University aims to provide a positive office space in which to work, with an appropriate working environment and pleasant communal areas.