Reducing our own impact on the planet

We are fast reducing our direct and indirect emissions with the goal of becoming Net Zero by 2040, with additional ambitious milestones in place for 2025 and 2030. We know we have more work to do. This is why we are sharing our progress and learnings, with our colleagues and our communities, and welcome constructive dialogue and ideas.

Forrest trees with sun beaming towards camera

Report cover image with the word 2023 Accelerating Climate Action

2023 Accelerating Climate Action Report

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What we are doing

Reducing emissions from our business operations

At Elsevier, we have spent more than a decade reducing our carbon impact in areas such as office energy use, business travel, and operations.

Working towards targets verified by the Science Based Targets Initiative opens in new tab/window, we’ve achieved 74% reduction in direct emissions since 2017 (Scope 1 and Scope 2 Location based emissions) and an over 50% reduction in business air travel since 2019. Elsevier’s data has been assured by Ernst and Young. Our Roadmap to Net Zero opens in new tab/window

Our Climate Action Report 2021/2 opens in new tab/window

Our Progress Report 2023 opens in new tab/window

Blue diagram showing: -74% Direct and Location based emissions since 2017

Working with our suppliers and industry

We know we can’t reach net zero alone, so we work with our suppliers and industry peers on initiatives to minimise carbon impact. Our Supplier Carbon Reduction Program empowers our suppliers to work towards reducing carbon emissions by 50% by 2030. More than 70% of our top suppliers have been onboarded.

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Orange bar graph showing stat: 73% of suppliers enrolled in our Supplier Carbon Reduction Program

London Book Fair and Elsevier: Partners in sustainable action

A joint project by RX and Elsevier to put sustainability at the heart of London Book Fair 2023 (LBF), the publishing industry’s annual UK gathering, highlighted the importance of industry collaboration in accelerating climate change awareness and action.

RX and Elsevier are both committed to reducing our direct and indirect carbon emissions with the goal of becoming net zero by 2040, in line with our parent company RELX. We also share a commitment to using our event publishing and platforms to support and drive the SDG agenda by stimulating conversation and collaboration, and educating and influencing the industries we serve. Shortly after I joined the LBF team in September 2022, Rachel pitched the idea of a dedicated sustainability space to provide ideas and inspiration on the topic and highlight the important work being done in collaboration across the book chain - and so the Hub was born.

Gareth Rapley, Director of the LBF.

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