Business Practices
Paper is a core part of our business, so we are concerned about the future of the world's remaining endangered forests and the impact of paper production. We are dedicated to implementing policies that will support the global preservation of endangered forests and will advance best practices within our company.
Paper Procurement
We have reduced our trim sizes to those that make the best use of paper and allow most efficient manufacturing processes.
We endeavor to maximize the use of papers containing recycled content and papers certified to be from sustainable forests (we give preference to FSC and PEFC certification systems). It is our goal to expand our integration of recycled and certified papers into our paper selections.
We value forest certification, and will uphold the supply chain by verifying and monitoring the chain of custody for our certified papers.
We use the Egmont Paper Rating System* (PDF) as a guide to evaluate the environmental content of the papers we use.
* Egmont is a leading UK publisher with a strong environmental paper policy whose rating system helps evaluate papers containing materials of questionable origin.
Inventory Control
In 2007 we introduced new measures to maintain smart inventory decisions, including effectively monitoring stock in the market place and reprinting only on an as-needed basis.
Our move to a consolidated distribution center based in Indiana allows us to consolidate consumer shipping and minimize our transportation impact.
Sales Catalogues
As of 2006, all of our sales catalogs print on paper that is FSC-certified and at least 10% post-consumer waste.
As of 2008, we removed our backlist titles from our printed catalogs, reducing our page count by 50%.
As of 2008 we began offering our catalogs online in an ongoing effort to greatly reduce our paper catalog printing over the next 3 years.
As of Spring 2009 we began offering our cookbook catalog exclusively online, reducing our paper catalog printing by 15,000 copies annually.
Supplier & Colleague Relationships
We actively communicate our beliefs with our supply-chain partners by providing them with our procurement policies, and by including relevant language in bid solicitations and contract negotiations. We encourage vendors to explore opportunities and to find solutions to meet our criteria. We give preference to suppliers who engage with us in our environmental and social responsibility goals. In recognition of the need to preserve the world's natural resources and protect endangered forests, we encourage other publishers and suppliers to develop similar strategies and policies.
We believe strongly in ethical manufacturing practices and we have resolved to work only with suppliers who support the standards set out in the CARE Process Code for Business Practices (PDF).
