Join industry colleagues for an essential speed round of notable projects, initiatives, success stories, and experiments that originated over the past year. Catch up, stay informed, and learn what’s next. Karina Urquhart discusses BIC and the Green Book Alliance. Link to video presentation: https://youtu.be/ZeyvmAid4Pg Presented March 31, 2021 by BookNet Canada with support from the Department of Canadian Heritage.

1. Moving Pieces: Industry Initiatives
Tech Forum, March 2021
BIC and the Green Book Alliance
Karina Urquhart,
Executive Director, BIC
Tech Forum 2021 #TechForum @bic1uk @KarinaLuke

2. Who we are
BIC (Book Industry Communication Ltd) is at the cornerstone
of the book industry, creating standards, delivering
best practice and improving margin.
www.bic.org.uk
Tech Forum 2021 #TechForum @bic1uk @KarinaLuke

3. COVID-19 and the Supply Chain
“The pandemic is one of the most significant disruptions to ever
hit global supply chains. It turned global trade on its head. It
resulted in both supply shocks as governments, businesses and
individuals struggled to procure basic products and materials;
and demand shocks as people stayed home and curtailed their
usual consumption patterns, which had a ripple effect on the
supply side again.”
Jean-Pierre Krause, Global Head of Risk Engineering, Zurich Insurance Group,
March 2021.
Tech Forum 2021 #TechForum @bic1uk @KarinaLuke

4. Rise of the Ethical Consumer
• 81% feel strongly that companies should help improve the
environment
• 73% would change consumption habits to reduce their
environmental impact
• 46% would forgo a brand name in order to buy
environmentally friendly products
Source: Nielsen Global Sustainable Shopper
Tech Forum 2021 #TechForum @bic1uk @KarinaLuke

5. 3 Areas of Focus
• Health of the planet
• Sustainable supply chains: environment, agility and resilience
• The rise of the ethical consumer
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6. BIC is the dedicated book industry supply chain organisation in the UK
and as such, the environment is naturally high on our priorities
for 2021 and beyond.
#bicgreenhub @bic1uk
bic.org.uk/225/BIC-Green-Hub/
b
Tech Forum 2021 #TechForum @bic1uk @KarinaLuke

7. Green Book Supply Chain
• BIC Green Hub:
bic.org.uk/225/BIC-Green-Hub/
• Green BIC Brunch Series
• BIC’s Green Supply Chain Committee
& then…in the summer of 2020…
Tech Forum 2021 #TechForum @bic1uk @KarinaLuke

8. The International Green Book Supply
Chain Alliance was born
Working Towards Book Industry Sustainability
@GreenBkAlliance
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9. What is the GBA?
• Focus
– book industry sustainability
• Goals
– sharing best practice information, environmental news &
research, central resource/portal for global & local
information, global green book supply chain events, Green
Global Book Supply Chain Award & accreditation,
collaborating
• Survey
Tech Forum 2021 #TechForum @bic1uk @KarinaLuke

10. GBA’s First Green Survey
• Survey ran from Nov 2020 – Jan 2021
• 9 countries responded:
– Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong,
Hungary, UK, USA
• Primarily publishers (69.5%)
• 40% from C-suite level
• 90% have or plan to adopt a policy governing sustainability
efforts
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11. GBA’s First Green Survey
Tech Forum 2021 #TechForum @bic1uk @KarinaLuke
26.87%
52.24%
7.46%
13.43%
Asking trading partners about sustainability practices
Don't ask any
Ask some depending on partner
Ask extensively of most or all
Don’t know/prefer not to say

12. GBA’s First Green Survey
Tech Forum 2021 #TechForum @bic1uk @KarinaLuke
11.94%
56.72%
8.96%
22.38%
Do trading partner sustainability practices influence
decision to work with them?
Influences 100%
Somewhat influences
Never influences
Don’t know/prefer not to say

13. GBA’s First Green Survey
• Certification
• Reducing carbon footprint - transportation of books
– 51% printing locally where possible
– 55% making greater use of Print-on-Demand and smaller print runs
• Online or in-person events hosted by the GBA
– 85% expressed interest in attending
• Directory of book industry resources; case studies of
sustainability initiatives; and research results
Tech Forum 2021 #TechForum @bic1uk @KarinaLuke

14. GBA’s First Green Survey
Tech Forum 2021 #TechForum @bic1uk @KarinaLuke
27.94%
35.29%
25.00%
11.77%
Use KPIs/metrics to measure sustainability progress
Yes
No
No, but intend to
Don't know/prefer not to
say/N/A

15. GBA’s Next Steps
• Firm commitments 2021:
– Sustainability events
– Governance: oversight council, soliciting support
– Outreach to industry partners to frame research projects
• On the drawing board:
– Joint event with the IPA - Frankfurt Book Fair
– Share survey results online & address opportunities identified
– Checklists/guidelines - talking with trading partners about
sustainability
– Case studies
Tech Forum 2021 #TechForum @bic1uk @KarinaLuke

16. Thank you for listening
info@bic.org.uk
www.bic.org.uk
www.bic.org.uk/225/BIC-Green-Hub
www.greenbookalliance.org
Tech Forum 2021 #TechForum @bic1uk @KarinaLuke