Taylor & Francis has released its first sustainable impact report, Publishing with Purpose, outlining progress in sustainability, equity, and accessibility across its publishing operations. The report highlights reductions in environmental impact, initiatives to expand access to knowledge, and contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The publisher reported a 35% reduction in print supply chain emissions since 2019. More than 90% of journal titles now use plastic‑free mailing, compared with 60% in 2021. In addition, 80% of book titles are printed on demand, reducing overproduction and eliminating approximately 100,000 book returns annually.
Since 2020, Taylor & Francis has published over 300,000 articles and 16,000 books addressing SDG‑related themes. More than one‑third of its annual content engages with at least one SDG. The report noted that 28,930 articles have been cited in policy documents from organizations such as the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization, influencing strategies on poverty, health, and climate change. Open access publishing of SDG research has increased to 35%, up from 19% in 2019.
The publisher reported delivering £17 million in value through access initiatives since 2020. Examples include free eBook access for over 90,000 visually impaired students, low‑cost subscriptions for institutions in 120 countries via Research4Life, and 15 years of support for independent researchers in low‑income countries through the STAR program.
Taylor & Francis also emphasized efforts to support researchers in resource‑constrained regions. Since 2020, more than 70,000 researchers have received training in publishing and peer review. The publisher has waived or discounted 18,000 open access article publishing charges for researchers in low‑income countries, contributing to a 33% increase in articles authored by researchers from these regions between 2020 and 2025.
The report highlighted staff involvement in local communities through fundraising, partnerships, donations, and volunteering. Examples include collaboration with the National Federation of the Blind of India to provide accessible learning materials for 20,000 visually impaired students, over 1,300 hours of Chapter One reading sessions for children in the United States and United Kingdom, planting 3,000 saplings in Bengaluru through the Green Prints program, and raising more than £200,000 for local charities via the Walk the World initiative.
The Publishing with Purpose sustainable impact report is available on the Taylor & Francis website.
Click here to read the original press release.
