Ethical Trading and Environmental Awareness
Our print suppliers
OUP's UK Education and Children's Division undertakes to work only with suppliers in China, Singapore & Malaysia who are audited by prelims, an umbrella organisation for publishers who are concerned that their products are ethically produced. This is an international standard for social accountability. The companies involved in 'prelims' work to promote and implement a common, internationally-recognised social accountability standard, to which they themselves and their suppliers must adhere. The standard covers areas including working conditions, health and safety issues, adequate remuneration, working hours, and the prohibition of the use of child or forced labour. Called the CARE Process, it is a standard used by the global toy industry and is managed by their industry body, the International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI).
Our paper purchasing guidelines
The UK Education and Children's Division has adopted the following policy for the purchase of paper:
It does not condone illegal logging of any kind, particularly ancient forests. We will not knowingly use ancient forest fibre anywhere in our supply chain.
Where practical and viable, our preference is for Forest Stewardship Council scheme (FSC), and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC) certified paper, which are both international in scope. In the US and Canada, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the Canadian Standards Association scheme (CSA) are preferred.
It will prioritise the use of paper products made with a high recycled fibre content sourced from post-consumer waste, processed without chlorine where suitable and viable.
Every effort is made to ensure that all the paper purchased by the UK Education and Children's Division comes from certified, legal and well managed sources. Suppliers are required to provide evidence that all logging operations conform to the relevant environmental laws and regulations in their countries of operation.
The UK Education and Children's Division will endeavour to ensure that, where relevant and possible, its employees and customers are able to see our paper procurement policy on the web site