As parts of the world emerge from the devastating Covid-19 pandemic, in-person conferences are cautiously beginning to take place.

The Press is now faced with the challenging – and largely unknown – proposition of returning to physical events at a time when seismic shifts continue to be felt across academic publishing. All areas – including funding, research output, on- and offline content production, its distribution and its consumption – have been affected. Though many of these shifts, alongside the well-documented trajectory towards open access models, were already underway, the pandemic has accelerated them. As we simultaneously seek to reduce our global organisation’s carbon footprint, the rate of transformation demands we make fundamental decisions about how we operate. One such resolution is to significantly reduce the number of printed journal copies at conferences.

Why are we doing this?

The reasons are primarily environmental. As a department of the University of Cambridge, we are committed to reducing our energy-related emissions to zero carbon globally by 2048, with a 70% reduction by 2030. In a recent interview, Global Marketing and Operations Director Jenny Mathias explained how analysis spotlighted the (costly) printing and freight of journals as generating the most carbon.

Moving towards online-only content

Whilst a move to online doesn’t solve the problem of emissions overnight, the approach is less damaging and supports a step-change in how we publish more sustainably. Historically the Press has shipped some 14,000 print copies annually to international conferences, despite the limited tangible reach of these copies and the inability to measure the impact of what is a significant logistical and expensive undertaking.

Research conducted by our Marketing Insights team went on to highlight that though delegates might take a sample copy, there is no evidence to suggest that this action positively impacts either usage or submissions. A good number of those surveyed agreed they might then throw their sample copy away owing to a lack of space in their luggage – but we cannot know for certain how many actually make it onto a shelf, prove their worth, or are simply discarded.

Pointing conference delegates to online content and/or digital journal copies has many advantages; firstly, it leaves a crucial trail, allowing us to measure the (excellent) performance of content on Cambridge Core, but also to tailor what we offer according to what delegates tell us they want to receive.

As a University Press, we are embracing digital technologies like never before, and that includes across all aspects of the marketing mix. We’ve already been creative in plenty of ways, and the numbers speak for themselves. In the wake of the pandemic (and accelerated by Brexit in Europe), usage on Cambridge Core (2020 vs 2019) has increased by 44%; audiences have turned to this space because it offers both personal and institutional access anytime, anywhere – quickly and conveniently; we’re also able to bolt on a range of other useful benefits (such as our Cambridge Core Share functionality, usage metrics and citation tools, or even the ability to access an entire archive), as well as more clearly signpost visitors to the most relevant content.

We can provide all of this in a variety of responsive formats, on any device, without weighing down a suitcase or impacting the environment to the same degree.

As both publishing and the global marketplace continue to change, adapt and recover, we’re committed to developing those new and necessary business models that will see Cambridge truly future-proof the production and marketing of its journals. Alongside our many partners, and by harnessing the expertise of our global teams, we will ensure that research published by Cambridge has even greater real-world impact, at a reduced environmental cost.

Visit our print reduction hub for the latest news, updates and resources