With its “30/30 Strategy” Hachette Livre is stepping up its decarbonization efforts and committing to an ambitious new carbon trajectory: a 30% reduction in global emissions by 2030

As an industry pioneer in environmental protection with a record of significant results in the field, Hachette Livre has committed to an ambitious trajectory to reduce its carbon footprint.

› Its “30/30 Strategy” is a trailblazing commitment in the publishing industry thanks to its international scope, its inclusion of all three Scopes and its goal of reducing overall emissions tied to its business by 30% by 2030—a 2.5% annual reduction.

›  The “30/30 Strategy” is fully in line with the Lagardère Group’s decarbonization strategy, which is based on the SBTi¹ approach.

› Developed with independent consulting firm Carbone 4, the plan is underpinned by concrete, measurable and trackable initiatives in the areas of overproduction, paper, manufacturing and transportation.

Amid the worsening energy and natural resources crisis, Hachette Livre is pushing ahead and expanding its policies and initiatives to reduce its energy use, carbon footprint and environmental impact. With its “30/30 Strategy”, the Group has become the first in the industry to roll out an ambitious and lasting decarbonization plan underpinned by its efforts to reduce its emissions. With support from Carbone 4 in France since 2009, Hachette Livre has completed the in-depth assessments necessary to precisely identify the sources of its GHG emissions and develop a concrete action plan for reducing the carbon footprint of all of its businesses in France and worldwide. The “30/30 Strategy” is a Group-wide commitment to which each country must contribute while taking the specifics of its business into consideration.

¹ SBTi: Science-Based Targets Initiative

Hachette Livre rolled it outs first environmental initiatives in France in 2009

Over the course of 12 years (2009-2021), Hachette Livre reduced its French emissions by 20%, making the Group an environmental pioneer in the publishing industry. Supported from the beginning by Carbone 4, a benchmark climate change and energy use consulting firm, Hachette Livre was the first publishing company in France to measure and reduce its carbon footprint in all Scopes: 1, 2 and 3. Using the unique expertise and the reliable model it has developed through this process, Hachette Livre has now devised a solid and realistic global action plan.

An ambitious decarbonization plan with global reach that includes all three Scopes and all aspects of the business

Hachette Livre, which was the first French publishing group to measure its Scope 3 emissions, beginning in 2009, is now expanding its efforts to set ambitious targets with its “30/30 Strategy”. This approach is a trailblazing one in the publishing industry—the first to take into consideration all of the Group’s publishing activities in all of its markets for Scopes 1, 2 and 3.

Hachette Livre has committed to reducing its global emissions by nearly 30% by 2030², which works out to a 2.5% annual reduction.

The “30/30 Strategy” sets four priority key areas for progress

As a responsible corporate citizen committed to climate protection, Hachette Livre has structured its environmental initiatives to reduce its major emissions sources. The Group has set bold, quantifiable targets for 2030 : a 30% reduction in the proportion of books that are shredded, a 26% reduction in carbon intensity of paper manufacturing, an 18% reduction in carbon intensity of book printing and binding, and 1% and 1.5% annual reductions in upstream and downstream freight respectively.

All of these measures were developed with input from the independent experts at Carbone 4. The plan’s implementation will be monitored annually, with a focus on both initiatives and impact.

The “30/30 Strategy” is an integral part of the Group’s global strategy for a green transition

To further support its efforts to reduce carbon emissions, the Group engages all of its employees via innovative initiatives (Green Week, Eco-design Week, environmental challenges, etc.) Moreover, all new Group employees will receive awareness-raising environmental protection training.

Last but not least, to improve its overall carbon footprint Hachette Livre has also developed a biodiversity plan and initiatives designed to reduce plastic use and rolled these out alongside its “30/30 Strategy”.

² Compared with 2019

A MORE IN-DEPTH LOOK:

The “30/30 Strategy” outlines several key priority areas for progress at the Group level, each of which will benefit from initiatives targeting Scopes 1, 2 and 3:

› Scopes 1 and 2 cover direct emissions: vehicles and buildings (fossil fuel consumption, electricity, coolant leaks, etc.). They account for 3% of the Group’s total emissions.

› Scope 3 accounts for 97% of the Group’s total emissions: paper manufacturing, printing and binding, upstream and downstream transportation, and end of life of products sold. As such, Scope 3 is the focus of the four key areas for progress because they are the main emissions sources of publishing groups:

• OVERPRODUCTION: An overall 30% reduction in the number of books shredded (returns and stock) in 2030 compared with 2019. This pioneering initiative in the publishing industry demands considerable effort; it will involve:
  • Developing tools to optimize stock visibility throughout the value chain.
  • Using data to enable publishers and sales teams to optimize print runs and reduce returns.
    
• PAPER: A 26% reduction in the carbon intensity of paper production compared with 2019. Hachette Livre has committed to:
  • Ramping up environmental criteria for selecting paper suppliers in invitations to tender.
  • Consistently favoring papermakers with the lowest emissions and establish annual carbon intensity targets.
    
• MANUFACTURING: An 18% reduction in carbon intensity of printing and binding from 2019 to 2030, with most initiatives beginning in 2025. Hachette Livre has committed to:
  • Ramping up environmental criteria for printers and binders in invitations to tender.
  • Consistently favoring printers and binders with the lowest emissions and establish annual carbon intensity targets.
    
• FREIGHT: An annual reduction of 1% for upstream freight and 1.5% for downstream freight between 2023 and 2030. This goal could be amplified via structural changes aimed at replacing air freight with maritime or road freight. To achieve this, the Group will:
  • Challenge suppliers to optimize deliveries.
  • Reduce product volumes.
  • Identify products that could be produced locally.
  • Include environmental performance criteria in calls for proposals.
  • Group international deliveries.

As for Scopes 1 and 2 (3% of the Group’s carbon emissions), the Group’s main initiatives to follow the trajectory and reduce emissions are: a new policy for its fleet of vehicles, swapping heating oil and gas for electricity or biomass, the installation of solar panels, environmentally friendly habit training for employees, and energy use optimization systems. Moreover, Hachette Livre aims to shift to 100% renewable energy use by 2026.

Hachette Livre is a subsidiary of Lagardère SA and the world’s third-largest mainstream publishing group (trade and educational). With revenue of €2,598 million in 2021, it is the market leader in France, number two in the UK, third in Spain and fourth in the US (in trade publishing). Hachette Livre comprises over two hundred imprints which together publish around 16,000 new titles per year in a dozen languages (mainly French, English and Spanish). The group covers all segments of the mainstream publishing market: general fiction, nonfiction, paperbacks, children’s and YA books, illustrated books, travel guides, textbooks, study guides and partworks