Sustainability

Here at MDL

We are committed to promoting a culture of involved responsibility regarding the environmental impacts of our business. We encourage our employees and stakeholders to create better habits and consider the impact of the decisions they make in the workplace.

As a business, we actively pursue projects that encourage a more sustainable future.  To that end, we continually review efficiencies relating to our environmental impact.  Activities here might range from large projects such as LED lighting, solar energy and recycling, to the reduction of plastics used in packaging.  All with a view to reducing the aggregate impact on the environment.

Supporting Literacy and Local Communities

At Macmillan Distribution, we believe books have the power to change lives. Through our partnerships with publishers, we are proud to support initiatives that help improve access to books and encourage a lifelong love of reading.

Working alongside our publishing partners, we support The Children's Book Project, helping to provide new books to children and families who may otherwise have limited access to them.

As part of the National Year of Reading, we have introduced an Employee Book Donation Scheme, enabling colleagues to donate books to charities and community organisations that are meaningful to them. This initiative empowers our employees to support causes close to their hearts while helping to place more books into the hands of people who will benefit from them.

Together, these initiatives reflect our commitment to promoting literacy, supporting local communities and ensuring that books continue to make a positive impact long after they leave our warehouses.

Our Sustainability journey so far

Paper & Packaging

• MDL has reduced the amount of plastic used in packaging materials with our void fill being made from 100% recycled plastic and we continue to trial alternatives to our residual packaging materials.
• Our cardboard boxes and wraps are made of 100% recycled material, are 100% recyclable, and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) accredited.
• Our boxes are not single use and are regularly re-used by Returns for returns.
• MDL has reduced paper consumption in its operations by at least 27% since 2020.

Energy

• MDL's warehouse uses 100% renewable electricity, and as part of Macmillan Publishers global operations, has been carbon neutral since 2017 (Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions).
• MDL's warehouse uses approximately 1.9 million kWh of power each year.  Solar power provided an average of 16% of this consumption for 2024 and 2025.
• In October 2025, we installed a new pallet wrapping system that reduces our reliance on natural gas by approximately 20%.

Waste & Recycling

• MDL is partnered with local recycling businesses and we currently recycle 97% of our waste materials (wood, cardboard, paper, metal, food and plastics) with the remaining 3% being incinerated for power.  Transport related collections from 2025 have been reduced by 62% by baling waste into large palletised bales.
• At Macmillan Distribution, we are committed to finding more sustainable solutions for managing publisher returns.  We are the first UK distributor to partner with World of Books, allowing suitable returned books to re-enter the market and reach new readers, helping to keep books in circulation for longer and reducing avoidable waste.  By extending the life of returned stock and ensuring that books which are no longer suitable for sale are recycled responsibly, we are supporting a more circular publishing supply chain and reducing the environmental impact of our operations.

Deliveries

• MDL's principal parcel carrier, DPD, is an industry leader in environmental policy and carbon reduction. See https://green.dpd.co.uk
• DPD now has 3,933 all-electric vehicles delivering 'green' throughout the UK.
• So far in 2026,  DPD delivered 22,974 parcels to Macmillan customers on all-electric vehicles, which is a saving of 6,341kg of CO_2.  This represents 30.41% of total parcels delivered. We expect this number to continue to increase.
• HVO (Biofuel) utilisation across DPD's entire HGV fleet year to date in 2026 is 95.00% with a saving of 18,976kg tCO2e, compared to use of standard diesel.

Green credentials

• MDL is a member of the BIC Green Supply Chain Committee, which is part of the international Green Book Supply Chain Alliance.  They continue to focus on developing and promoting industry standards and best practice in order to help organisations become more sustainable.
• Supporting Responsible Supply Chains: As environmental legislation continues to evolve, Macmillan Distribution is committed to helping publishers navigate new regulatory requirements.  We are actively preparing for the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) by working with our publishers, customers, suppliers and industry partners to improve supply chain transparency, strengthen due diligence processes and support responsible sourcing of paper and packaging materials.  These initiatives form part of our wider commitment to reducing environmental impact, promoting sustainable resource use and building a resilient, future-ready supply chain.