The PGN exists to help promote environmental awareness and good practice throughout the publishing industry. Open to anyone, regardless of position or department, across all UK publishing houses big or small, our quarterly information sharing forums support grass roots initiatives. The PGN complements and collaborates with the BA/PA Environmental Action Group (EAG).

Background

The group was established by four members of different publishing houses: Ashley Lodge (Chair), Toby Sawday, Helen Coyle and Beka Cohen in May 2007 in order to help provide environmental information at grass roots level to any executives involved in environmental initiatives within their publishing houses. The first meeting was held in October 2007 and since then membership has increased to include over 30 different publishing houses from the largest to the smallest in the country.

Committee

The committee organise the quarterly events in their spare time on a completely voluntary basis. The current committee consists of:

• Ashley Lodge (Chair)
• Sam Mawson, Egmont
• Jane Hyne, National Gallery
• Gareth Steed, Elsevier

Meetings

Quarterly meetings focus on a particular issue and consist of case studies, best practice sharing, round table discussions and presentations from PGN members and external speakers. At each meeting all members agree the areas they would like covered in the next meeting. A few of the areas that regularly come up for discussion include:

• energy reduction initiatives
• carbon offsetting
• environmental staff engagement
• sustainably managed paper
• print initiatives
• waste management
• supply chain integrity
• packaging
• the impact of digitalisation

Some of the external organisations who have presented to the group include:

• PREPS
• PEFC
• Clays

Membership

Membership is open to all publishing houses in the UK. We ask for a voluntary contribution of £2 from our members for organisational costs, travel and preparation time. Members are required to attend two out of the four meetings per year or send another representative from their publishing house in order to remain on the mailing list.

Further Information

Any requests for further information should be emailed to the Chair, Ashley Lodge, at publishersgreennetwork@hotmail.co.uk