Our Commitment

Cengage prides itself on being a responsible, sustainable and environmentally progressive company. Our commitment to corporate social responsibility includes how we manage operations with regard to the environment, and our engagement with the community.
We constantly strive to identify new technologies, materials and processes that reduce our carbon footprint and have a positive environmental and social impact.

Print

In Australia we work with printers and paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council,  ensuring that we support responsible forest management. Cengage Australia strives to adhere to APCO standards for packaging. For more information on this, you can read our latest annual report here.

In the USA, we encourage paper suppliers to maximize the use of paper containing only wood fibers that are certified as sustainably produced - from the growing and cutting of trees, all the way through paper production. We work to reduce the amount of wood pulp, virgin fibers and other materials that go into each sheet of paper used, while specially designed printing presses also reduce the amount of scrap paper produced per book. We participate in lean manufacturing with a print-on-demand program. Printers recycle scrap paper and other materials produced as part of the printing process, and the use of centralised inking systems with some printers has significantly reduced ink spillage and waste.

Digital

Increasing our use of digital sampling and digital product reduces reliance on printed books and worldwide transport. Use of electronic files has significantly reduced the use of paper, ink and fuel throughout the publishing process.

Distribution

In Australia, our distribution partner, Toll helps us maintain focus on green solutions. The Cengage Learning Distribution Center (CLDC) in Kentucky, USA is considered state-of-the-art. As one of the most environmentally progressive distribution centers in the world, other companies send representatives to the CLDC to study the facility and take environmentally friendly best practices back to their own workplaces. Initiatives at the CLDC include the use of energy-efficient products such as lighting, packaging and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) equipment.

Recycling

In the Cengage Australia offices, our CLEAN team drives recycling initiatives that include batteries, mobile phones, computer parts and copier toner, as well as paper and plastics, and waste reduction. 

People

One of the ways that Cengage promotes social responsibility is by supporting staff in their efforts to raise awareness and funds for charity. Our staff enjoy fundraising for causes they care about, and the company often matches donations. Textbooks are donated to charitable organisations when possible, to support access to education for disadvantaged students here in Australia and in developing countries.