Publishing Scotland Environmental Sustainability Forum

About This Event

Publishing Scotland is running an Environmental Sustainability Forum on 27 October 2026 at the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute, High School Yards, Edinburgh. The half-day event runs from 1pm to 5pm and is also available online. The forum is open to anyone in the Scottish publishing sector who wants to learn about environmental sustainability, from beginners to those already working in this area. Thanks to Creative Scotland funding, the commitment fee is £50 per organisation, with up to three additional colleagues able to attend free. Free tickets are available for freelancers and micro-publishers for whom the fee is a barrier.

The programme includes a keynote from Hilde W. Frydnes, CCO and co-founder of Unfolded (sustainable fashion), offering insights from outside the sector. Dr Cecile Feront, an expert in change agency and leadership for sustainability, will lead a leadership masterclass on embedding sustainability in organisations. A session on Designed for Sustainability examines how design and production choices can reduce a book's carbon footprint. The Unlocking the Supply Chain session, chaired by Zoe Fawcett (Bonnier Books), features speakers from Floris Books, Scottish Mountaineering Press and National Galleries of Scotland. Conversation Cafés provide workshop-style networking opportunities.

The forum addresses the publishing sector's environmental impact, particularly production-related carbon emissions. It offers practical knowledge on sustainable practices, leadership skills for organisational change, and supply chain improvements. Attendees can build connections with others working on sustainability in Scottish publishing and learn from both sector-specific examples and cross-industry insights.

Key Takeaways

• Keynote speaker from sustainable fashion sector offering cross-industry sustainability insights
• Leadership masterclass on embedding sustainability in publishing organisations and teams
• Design and production session focusing on reducing carbon emissions from book manufacturing
• Supply chain panel featuring publishers discussing sustainability progress and practical approaches
• Networking through Conversation Cafés to share perspectives and deepen learning

Who Should Attend

• Publishing professionals at any stage of their sustainability journey
• Sustainability leads in Scottish publishing houses seeking sector-specific knowledge and connections
• Freelancers and micro-publishers interested in environmental practices in book production
• Production and supply chain staff looking to reduce the carbon footprint of their books