Gavin Hardy and Yanna Constantinou of Better World Books discuss ways of making your service more sustainable. Presentation given at the CILIPS Autumn Gathering, carnegie Conference Centre (Dunfermline) on the 27th October 2010.

1. 11
Sustainable
Development
Making a difference

2. Who Are Better World Books?
Social Environmental Economic
Triple Bottom Line
Used
Bookseller

3. Sustainable Development
• “The goal of sustainable development is to enable all people
throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and enjoy a
better quality of life, without compromising the quality of life of
future generations”- UK Govt.- “Securing the Future” 2005
What is Sustainable Development?
• A way of tying together Environmental, Economic
and Social aims to build a better future
• An influence on decision and policy making
within business and government
• An acknowledgement of where to improve and a
sustainable plan to achieve it

4. Sustainable Development
• Environmental Dimensions
Four Criteria for Sustainable Development
• Social Dimension
• Management Dimensions
• Economic Dimensions

5. Environmental Dimensions
STRENGTHS
• Recycling- 237 tonnes of books, 14.9 tonnes of Cardboard
• Locally sourced, recycled boxes
• Partnership with EAUC
• Biodegradable shipping bags
• Waste recycling and responsible workforce
WEAKNESSES
• Shipping- inbound and outbound carbon emissions
• Site Energy Consumption
• Could get more reuse out of books before recycling

6. Social Dimensions
STRENGTHS
• Partnership with 3 charities- over £54,000 unrestricted
funding to them. (NLT, READ, NALA)
• Working with half the academic and one third public libraries
in UK and Ireland- over £70,000 back to them
• Donated 10,000 books to charity literacy projects
• Local community connections
WEAKNESSES
• Looking for more literacy partners and projects to help
• More direct involvement with literacy projects and fundraising
• Brooklyn Library- Great American Book Drive

7. Economic Dimensions
STRENGTHS
• Over 160,000 books sold from UK
• 23 full time jobs created in 2 years
• Jobs created for the long-term unemployed (currently 30%)
• First full financial year turnover of £1.1 million
WEAKNESSES
• Still in fledgling stage in UK but looking to be profitable within
first 3 years.
• UK sales website not yet active

8. Management Dimensions
STRENGTHS
• Full consumer transparency (founding B-corporation and
See What You Are Buying Into listed company)
• Inductions in mission and values for Employees into the
triple bottom line mindset (Invest Well, Waste Not; Lead the
Movement; Speak through Action)
• Regular visits/updates from our literacy partners
WEAKNESSES
• Employee engagement with sustainable development
• Encouragement to carry values outside of the workplace

10. Basic Principles
• Audit- Before doing anything you must work out
where you stand
• Assess- Any idea for sustainability must be assessed
both for its impact and how it affects the other
dimensions
• Act- An effective implementation plan is a necessity
• Analyse Results- Must be analysed to see if there
even was an improvement and what further
improvement can be made
AAAAR!!!

11. Useful Links
•Carbon Trust: www.carbontrust.co.uk
•Envirowise SD training: http://envirowise.wrap.org.uk/
•Sustainable Development in UK: http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/
•EU Sustainable Development: http://www.sd-network.eu/
•Calculate your footprint: http://carboncalculator.direct.gov.uk
•IFLA and SD http://www.ifla.org/en/environmental-sustainability-and-libraries
•B-corp: http://www.bcorporation.net/
•SEE scheme: www.seewhatyouarebuyinginto.com
•Queens Award: http://www.queensawardsmagazine.com/
•Our charity partners: www.literacytrust.org.uk - www.nala.ie -
www.readinternational.org.uk - www.eauc.org.uk
•Better World Books: http://www.betterworldbooks.com/info.aspx?f=facts

12. 1212
General Contact Information
• www.BetterWorldBooks.co.uk
• Library@betterworldbooks.co.uk
• Office: 01383 841 437
Yanna Constantinou
• yanna@betterworldbooks.com
Gavin Hardy
• ghardy@betterworldbooks.co.uk