Taylor & Francis publishes first sustainable impact report
Taylor & Francis has released its first sustainable impact report, Publishing with purpose, outlining the publisher’s progress across sustainability, accessibility, equity, and community engagement initiatives.
The report details efforts to reduce the company’s environmental footprint, expand equitable access to research, support progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and strengthen local community partnerships.
The publisher highlighted a series of measures aimed at decarbonisation and waste reduction within its operations. According to the report, the company has achieved a 35% reduction in print supply chain emissions since 2019. More than 90% of journal titles are now mailed using plastic-free packaging, compared with 60% in 2021.
The company also stated that 80% of its book titles are now printed on demand, a move it says has helped reduce overproduction and eliminate approximately 100,000 book returns each year.
Supporting sustainable development
The report positions publishing activity as a contributor to global sustainability efforts through the dissemination of research aligned with the SDGs. Taylor & Francis said it has published more than 300,000 articles and 16,000 books focused on SDG-related themes since 2020, with more than one-third of its annual publishing output addressing at least one SDG.
The publisher also reported that 28,930 Taylor & Francis articles have been cited in policy documents produced by entities including the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization. In addition, the proportion of SDG-related research published open access has increased from 19% in 2019 to 35%.
Expanding access and participation
The report outlines a number of initiatives designed to improve access to research and educational materials.
Since 2020, Taylor & Francis said it has delivered £17 million in value through access programmes, including free eBook access for more than 90,000 visually impaired students and low-cost subscriptions to institutions in 120 countries through the Research4Life programme.
The publisher also highlighted the 15-year anniversary of its STAR programme, which provides free access to journal articles for independent researchers and professionals in low-income countries.
To support participation in scholarly publishing, Taylor & Francis said it has trained 70,000 researchers in publishing and peer review since 2020, while waiving or discounting 18,000 article processing charges for researchers in low-income countries. The company added that articles authored by researchers from low-income countries increased by 33% between 2020 and 2025.
Community engagement
The report also details community-focused initiatives involving Taylor & Francis employees and partners.
Examples include a collaboration with the National Federation of the Blind of India to provide accessible learning materials for 20,000 visually impaired students, more than 1,300 hours of Chapter One reading sessions delivered for children in the UK and US, and the planting of 3,000 saplings in Bengaluru through the Green Prints programme.
The publisher also reported raising more than £200,000 for local charities through its 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 organisation 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.”