Downingfield became a signatory to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Publishers Compact in 2024.
This Compact is designed to inspire action among publishers. Launched in collaboration with the International Publishers Association, the Compact aims to accelerate progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Signatories aspire to develop sustainable practices and act as champions of the SDGs during the Decade of Action (2020-2030), publishing books and journals that will help inform, develop, and inspire action in that direction.
Signatories to the SDG Publishers Compact commit to:
1. Committing to the SDGs: Stating sustainability policies and targets on our website, including adherence to this Compact; incorporating SDGs and their targets as appropriate.
2. Actively promoting and acquiring content that advocates for themes represented by the SDGs, such as equality, sustainability, justice and safeguarding and strengthening the environment.
3. Annually reporting on progress towards achieving SDGs, sharing data and contribute to benchmarking activities, helping to share best practices and identify gaps that still need to be addressed.
4. Nominating a person who will promote SDG progress, acting as a point of contact and coordinating the SDG themes throughout the organization.
5. Raising awareness and promoting the SDGs among staff to increase awareness of SDG-related policies and goals and encouraging projects that will help achieve the SDGs by 2030.
6. Raising awareness and promoting the SDGs among suppliers, to advocate for SDGs and to collaborate on areas that need innovative actions and solutions.
7. Becoming an advocate to customers and stakeholders by promoting and actively communicating about the SDG agenda through marketing, websites, promotions and projects.
8. Collaborating across cities, countries, and continents with other signatories and organizations to develop, localize and scale projects that will advance progress on the SDGs individually or through their Publishing Association.
9. Dedicating budget and other resources towards accelerating progress for SDG-dedicated projects and promoting SDG principles.
Our pledge focuses on three key goals:
10. Taking action on at least one SDG goal, either as an individual publisher or through your national publishing association and sharing progress annually.
Downingfield’s Commitment
- Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities – At Downingfield Press, we believe in the power of diversity and inclusivity. We are committed to promoting literature that represents voices from all walks of life. Our selection process has always been designed to publish voices that have traditionally gone unheard. We will work to publish books that challenge inequalities and promote understanding among diverse groups. We strive to make sure that every story is heard, every voice is amplified, and every perspective is respected.
- Goal 13: Climate Action – We recognise the urgent need to combat climate change and its impacts. As a responsible publisher, we have always used a paperless operation when editing and producing books, significantly reducing our carbon footprint. We will continue to implement carbon reduction measures in our workflow. We are also expanding our Downingfield Grove tree planting programme. For every 10 books that we sell, we plant a tree, contributing to the reforestation efforts and helping offset carbon emissions. Through our books, we aim to raise awareness about the importance of climate action and inspire our readers to make sustainable choices.
- Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions – We firmly believe in the power of literature to foster peaceful societies and provide access to justice for all. Our publications aim to shed light on the importance of strong institutions at all levels. We strive to publish works that promote peace, justice, and strong institutions, contributing to a more equitable and just world.
By signing the UN SDG Publishers Compact, we join a network of publishers worldwide who are committed to making the Global Goals a reality. But our commitment does not stop at signing the compact. We are actively integrating these goals into our day-to-day operations and our long-term strategy. We are not just publishers; we are advocates for change, champions for equality, and defenders of our planet.