Taylor & Francis reports 35% reduction in supply chain emissions and training of 70,000+ researchers in low-income region

Publisher’s first sustainable impact report showcases positive impact on society and the environment

Taylor & Francis has announced the release of its first sustainable impact report, Publishing with purpose, highlighting its commitment to sustainability, equity, and accessibility in scholarly publishing.

The report showcases the international publisher’s progress in reducing its environmental footprint, advancing equitable access to knowledge, supporting the global journey toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and creating a positive impact on local communities.

The path to net zero

Reaffirming its commitment to decarbonization and waste reduction, Taylor & Francis outlines significant progress in sustainable digital publishing, plastic-free packaging, and optimizing its book supply chain. Key achievements include:

• 35% reduction in print supply chain emissions since 2019.
• Transitioning over 90% of journal titles to plastic-free mailing, up from 60% in 2021.
• Printing 80% of book titles on demand, reducing overproduction and eliminating 100,000 book returns annually.

Championing sustainable development

The report underscores Taylor & Francis’ role in fostering human progress through knowledge by publishing research and ideas that can improve lives. In every publishing portfolio, from education and social justice to science and medicine, a vast range of specialist resources are helping to advance the SDGs and tackle today’s greatest challenges, including:

• Over 300,000 articles and 16,000 books since 2020 focused on the themes of the SDGs, with over 33% of content published each year addressing at least one SDG.
• 28,930 Taylor & Francis articles cited in policy documents by organizations such as the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization, directly influencing strategies to address poverty, health, and climate change.
• 35% of SDG research is now published open access, up from 19% in 2019.

Equity and participation in publishing

With the goal of enhancing access to research, Taylor & Francis outlines a range of initiatives that are bringing down barriers to knowledge, such as income or visual impairment. Since 2020, the publisher has delivered £17 million in value through access initiatives, including:

• Providing free eBook access to over 90,000 visually impaired students.
• Offering low-cost subscriptions to institutions in 120 countries via Research4Life.
• Supporting independent researchers and professionals in low-income countries through 15 years of the STAR program, offering free access to journal articles.

Taylor & Francis also supports researchers in resource-constrained regions to publish their own work, with initiatives such as:

• Training 70,000 researchers in publishing and peer review since 2020.
• Waiving or discounting 18,000 open access article publishing charges for researchers in low-income countries since 2020.
• Achieving a 33% increase in articles by researchers from low-income countries between 2020 and 2025.

Supporting communities

The final section of the impact report illustrates the direct involvement of Taylor & Francis staff in their local communities through fundraising, charity partnerships, donations, and volunteering. Examples highlighted include:

• Collaborating with the National Federation of the Blind of India to provide accessible learning materials for 20,000 visually impaired students.
• Delivering 1,300+ hours of Chapter One reading sessions for children in the UK and USA, improving literacy and confidence.
• Planting 3,000 saplings in Bengaluru through the Green Prints program, fostering environmental stewardship.
• Raising over £200,000 for local charities through the annual Walk the World initiative.

Stuart Blackley, Executive Vice President of Operations at Taylor & Francis, said: “This new report highlights the remarkable progress achieved by colleagues across the organization with a shared commitment to building a sustainable and inclusive future. By reducing our environmental footprint, championing equitable access to knowledge, and supporting the global journey toward the SDGs, we are proud to play a meaningful role in addressing the urgent challenges of our time.”