Environmental Policy Statement

Environmental Policy

“At Hearst UK, we are taking a purpose-driven approach to sustainability. As a company built on storytelling and connection, we have a real responsibility to set a positive example in tackling today’s environmental challenges.” Katie Vanneck-Smith, CEO, Hearst UK
 

Hearst UK is a leading publisher of print and digital magazine brands, committed to promoting sustainable attitudes and behaviours. In 2022, Hearst UK received the PPA Sustainability Award and the NMA Sustainability Strategy of the Year award. Our Environmental Management System ensures that we focus on the areas where we can make the biggest difference and achieve measurable continual improvement. 

Our commitment is to fulfil all applicable compliance obligations, protect the environment, prevent pollution, and maintain a leadership status in terms of both how we work and the work we do. Since our UK headquarters, House of Hearst, achieved certification to the International Environmental Standard (ISO 14001) in 2018, we have:

  • Established a House of Hearst environmental management steering group, Planet Hearst, to support Hearst Group sustainability ambitions
  • Operated within a BREAAM-certified building and purchased 100% renewable electricity
  • Improved our measurement and monitoring of waste and reduced waste production by 29% per person within a verified zero waste-to-landfill strategy (2024 vs 2019 baseline)
  • Continued to use 100% certified sustainable paper for all our printed magazines, with 100% of our paper suppliers and printers certified to ISO 14001
  • Reduced use of plastic magazine wrap by 100% by switching to paper-based wrapping in 2022
  • Introduced employee climate change and greenwashing training and toolkits across departments
  • Completed a full scope 3 assessment for Hearst UK and committed to SBTi Near-Term target
  • Strengthened our governance structure by forming an Environmental Strategy Committee and appointed sustainability representatives across our editorial division to drive sustainable innovation across the business 

The following 2026 objectives will be implemented through collaboration with industry associations, clients, employees and suppliers. Progress will be measured and monitored against set KPIs and targets. 

  • Validate our strategy for a 65% reduction by 2030 vs 2019 base year for our SBTi commitment. Communicate our reduction strategy and progress to Hearst UK employees through newsletters and All Staff meetings
  • Work closely with Hearst UK’s commercial functions to enhance awareness of our sustainability offerings by continuing to deliver sustainability training to commercial teams and ensuring sustainability credentials are consistently included in core external commercial decks
  • Continue to adjust energy KPIs to reflect changes in our working environment and target further consumption reduction as outlined in our ESOS phase 3 action plan
  • Gain insight on sustainability commitments for all beauty box partners. Work towards assessment of environmental impacts related to all covermounts and beauty boxes
  • Collaborate with magazine supply chain partners to measure and plan for decarbonised products and logistics
  • Use our creative communication skills to deliver evidence-based sustainability content that supports more sustainable consumer choices, with all sustainability-related print content tagged and tracked through Hearst UK’s content management platform, Censhare

This policy will be reviewed on an annual basis by senior management. A copy of the policy will be made available on our public website and communicated to all staff.