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Living our values Sustainability report

1 Xxxxxxxxx | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx XxxxxxxxxxxxxxLiving our xxxxxxxx values | |Introduction Xxxxxxxxx Walk the talk

The values that Guardian News and Media is founded upon are not merely words in a manifesto, they aim to change the society we live in

his report is called Living social injustices spawned by the onset of the our Values because Guardian industrial revolution, with its prospectus News and Media believes promising to enforce the principles of civil it is important that our and religious liberty, warmly advocate the many stakeholders not cause of reform and be independent of any only understand the core political party. To this original list of causes Tprinciples on which our company is based we would now add the need to respect and but can see also how we manifest them. protect the natural world on which all of Our readers and users feel equally our lives depend and advocate justice and strongly. Our most recent survey of readers fairness in the use of its resources. and users showed that around 95%* believe It is hard to conceive that within the it is important for us to be open in the way lifespan of the Guardian, the planet has we make editorial decisions and operate as been so polluted and degraded that the a business. ability of all species, including human CP Scott, who was editor of the beings, to continue prospering is now Manchester Guardian for an extraordinary seriously at risk. This is why GNM is 57 years, set the bar high in his leading putting so much emphasis on the coverage article celebrating the paper’s centenary in of climate change and other green Contents 1921, when he wrote that our most precious issues by creating the world’s largest possession is our “honesty, cleanness and most experienced team of specialist Introduction [integrity], courage, fairness, and a sense of environmental journalists and setting the Living our values ...... 3 duty to the reader and the community.” ambitious aim as a company of becoming Sustainability vision...... 4 These values are also the essential environmentally regenerative. ingredients of a healthy democracy. Given Values are only truly tested in adversity, Editorial our responsibility is to shed light on and GNM is currently going through the Future of journalism...... 8 governments, organisations and individuals most difficult economic times in memory. Environment site...... 10 when they fail to meet them, it is also Our unique ownership structure becomes Social justice...... 12 incumbent on us to publicly demonstrate even more important during times like Tax investigation...... 14 how we measure up. these, as the Scott Trust is governed by Torture...... 15 This is why we have for the past seven long-term goals while publicly listed media Reader feedback...... 16 years produced this annual, independently companies are under enormous short-term audited social, ethical and environmental stock market pressures. Strategy report, the first media company to do so. This does not mean we are immune, and Business strategy...... 19 Being transparent is even more important like other companies we are having to cut Influence, reach and return...... 20 now, given that trust in many key pillars of costs and staff, although with nothing like our democratic society, such as politics and the severity of some of our competitors. Commercial the media, are currently at such a low ebb. But we never lose sight of the far horizon Commercial strategy...... 22 We are now ready to go a step further, and are continuing to invest in our core Ethical leadership...... 23 becoming one of the only companies in aims of becoming the world’s leading liberal Responsible advertising...... 24 the world to have a dynamic corporate voice and creating the most influential sustainability reporting website using global environment website. We took the People web 2.0 technology, which is regularly same approach when the dotcom bubble Impact of recession...... 27 updated and creates an open dialogue burst, maintaining our faith in our website Editorial integration...... 28 with our stakeholders (guardian.co.uk/ development, and thus paving the way to Diversity...... 30 sustainability). becoming the biggest UK online newspaper We want to mirror the cut and thrust of site with more than 27 million users. Operations debate that is so much a part of our hugely Our ambitions are not born of vanity Overview...... 33 successful global website guardian.co.uk as but a firm belief in the importance of our Our carbon strategy...... 34 well as allow our stakeholders to be a part of independent journalism in helping people to Direct emissions...... 36 our sustainability journey. It no longer feels understand and interact with our increasingly Indirect emissions...... 38 appropriate to rely on a printed report or complex and interdependent world. static website that delivers content Community This report covers GNM’s editorial, commercial, operational and HR functions within our London offices and two fully owned print sites. to stakeholders. Overview...... 41 It does not include the activities of its parent company Guardian Media Group or its owner Scott Trust Limited. What we believe is special about GNM is Case studies...... 42 Annualised data in this report refers to the period April 2008-March 2009. The commentary covers activity up to June 2009. that our values are not there as a backdrop For more information on Local partnerships...... 44 All new performance targets are set for completion by April 2010 unless otherwise stated. to making profits but the backbone of our passion to create a society based on justice sustainability at GNM go to Auditor's report Editors Jo Confino, Hannah Judge-Brown Art director Gavin Brammall Design Sian Everett Picture editor Rachel Vere and fairness. The Manchester Guardian guardian.co.uk/sustainability Independent analysis...... 46 Graphics Mark McCormick Production Steve Coady Project manager Amalia Sanchez Front cover and other Illustrations Noma Bar was created 188 years ago to challenge the

2 *Source: GNM Readers Survey May 2009 3 XxxxxxxxxThe big picture | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx | Sustainability vision xxxxxxxx XxxxxxxxxxxxxxSustainability xxxxxxxxvision | The | Xxxxxxxxx big picture Bringing our sustainability vision to life

Our readers and users expect sustainability to be integral to our business. Have we got there yet?

he journey towards behind the leaders in the sector. It is only sustainability for any in the last year, with the employment of an company is long and arduous environment manager, that we have become and has no clear final more effective in measuring and managing A local ecology lesson for GNM staff aboard a barge on Regents canal Photo: Anna Gordon destination point. It requires our carbon across our offices and print sites stamina and commitment (see page 33). Managing our responsibilities Tas well as new ways of thinking and of To further improve our performance in working. this area, we have set ourselves nine key Guardian News and Media has a for sustainability strategies in editorial, The steps we have taken in past years objectives for the current financial year. sustainability strategy in place covering commercial and operations sit in on each have paved the way for Guardian News and These include extending our understanding editorial, commercial, our operations and other’s regular meetings. Media (GNM) to now have an integrated of our carbon footprint beyond our core our people. The governance structure Coordinating and communicating our sustainability strategy that embraces all operations and into our supply chain, as well for this strategy has been considerably activity is the job of the sustainable areas of the company, from editorial and as setting clear targets for carbon reduction strengthened to ensure that our objectives development team, which during 2009 has commercial to our offices and print sites as (see page 33). are embedded across the business. been making presentations to staff in all well as our staff. To further encourage sustainable thinking Deputy editor Ian Katz has oversight of our departments so that the company’s strategy This is in tune with the expectations of by our staff, we have launched a more editorial coverage on sustainability, while becomes better understood at all levels. our readers and users, with our latest survey comprehensive employee engagement Tanya Cordrey, our environment general This "roadshow" was in part a result of our showing that nearly 90% of our newspaper programme. This included GNM’s first manager, reports directly to the managing last employee survey, which showed that readers and more than three-quarters of our Sustainability Day for staff on 5 June 2009 director on the business development side a fairly large proportion of staff did not web users say it is important GNM has such to coincide with World Environment of our strategy. understand how they could translate our a strategy in place*. Day and National Volunteers Week. This Perhaps the most difficult areas to embed sustainability vision into their daily working Sustainability now sits as one of the included workshops, lectures and debates sustainability are our operations and lives. The other reason was a desire for company’s eight core business objectives from leading experts such as environment people, since these cover every department individual departments to take increasing and we believe we have already reached campaigner Tony Juniper and Chris Rapley, of the business and are where in the past responsibility for integrating sustainability our ambition to be a leader on sustainability director of the Science Museum, as well as a we have not had strong leadership. We have into their areas of the business. Like many within the media industry, even though our debate on the role of advertising in building a focused on strengthening our governance other companies, our journey started out performance is not consistent across all areas more sustainable future between columnist in this area. several years ago with our sustainable of our business. George Monbiot, GNM editor-in-chief Alan The chief operating officer Derek Gannon is development team, agitating for change Our significant investment in amplifying Rusbridger and commercial director Adam GNM’s board sustainability champion and he but also having to do much of the work our editorial voice on sustainability issues Freeman (see page 24). chairs regular meetings of the sustainability themselves. has been crucial, as we recognise that this We are also linking our sustainability leadership group, which consists of senior This is now a thing of the past. Each is where we can make most impact. We are vision to staff learning and development directors from editorial and commercial department has now set itself objectives further developing our already influential through a new partnership with Global areas, plus the head of sustainable for 2009/10 that fit within the strategic international environment website, Generation (globalgeneration.org.uk). development and the environment objectives and is responsible for supported by what we believe is now the Together GNM staff and local young people manager. delivering on them. For example, the strongest specialist team of writers of any will learn about the environment and Directors from all departments now set technology department has committed to English-language media organisation in the develop the skills and confidence to lead themselves annual sustainability objectives measuring the carbon footprint of our ICT world (see page 10). change, through the creation of a mobile with progress monitored by the managing infrastructure, while our finance team has In our commercial activities, sustainability food production site on disused land a director. Overall progress is reported to the introduced a “sustainability gateway” to all has been added to the existing three areas stone’s throw away from our offices (see page board on a quarterly basis. capital expenditure decisions. where GNM seeks pre-eminence in the 43). While we have global ambitions for our Reporting into the leadership group is our GNM has also been working with parent media industry: education, society and journalism, this project is an example of the sustainability working group, which meets group Guardian Media Group to support it in media (see page 22). importance we place on acting locally, given monthly and consists of advocates from developing its own sustainability vision and Our advertising department is committed our new offices in King's Cross are sited in one across the business who are implementing strategy and the head of GNM’s sustainable to being an ethical leader business. This of the poorest communities in the country. the operational side of our strategy. development department is co-manager of means not only developing new products Over the past year more than a fifth There is a team of around 40 staff across that programme. and services that are both environmentally of our staff have been involved in our all departments of GNM who focus all or Beyond our internal mechanisms, we responsible and socially positive but also local community projects, working with some of their efforts on implementing have appointed a new auditor, Two demonstrating this ethos within the culture prisoners, older people, homeless young the various strands of our sustainability Tomorrows. Given that our purpose is to be of the department (see page 23). men and women, primary and secondary vision. To ensure effective coordination as independent, we feel it is important that Our operational activity has been an area schoolchildren as well as environmental well as sharing expertise, staff responsible we have an independent oversight of our Sustainability Day at Kings Place Photo: Anna Gordon where in the past we were lagging some way projects and online mentoring.

4 *Source: GNM Readers Survey May 2009 5 XxxxxxxxxIntroduction | |Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sustainability vision xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx | Xxxxxxxxx Sustainability vision Editorial Our greatest impact comes from informing and influencing our global audience. We will ur vision is to be a leader informs and influences our audience in DEFINITIONS on sustainability within the their choices. therefore build on our position as a recognised media industry and to be We will work with our readers and users There is no universal definition of environmentally regenerative to gain a deeper understanding of what sustainability, which for many companies leader in the reporting of environmental and in our activities. Through products and services they want in this area, has become the accepted term for what our editorial coverage and and use this knowledge to engage with our previously was known as corporate social social justice issues Obusiness activities, we will demonstrate to advertisers and sponsors on the issue of responsibility. So we felt it was important readers, staff, advertisers, suppliers and our sustainability. to be clear on our interpretation and communities that Guardian News & Media also to define what we mean by our is committed to enhancing society’s ability Operational ambitious aim to become environmentally to build a sustainable future. Our ambition is to be environmentally regenerative. regenerative. We will investigate how we can Editorial become carbon positive – go beyond carbon Sustainable development Clearly our greatest impact comes from neutral and positively affect climate change. We have developed our definition from informing and influencing our global Our offices and print sites will be of the the Brundtland Commission:* sustainable audience. We will therefore build on our highest environmental standards and we development is development that meets position as a recognised leader in the commit to minimising waste and maximising our present needs without compromising reporting of environmental and social both efficiency and recycling. We will the ability of future generations to justice issues, by providing the most avoid unnecessary energy use, reduce our meet theirs. This gives us, as individuals comprehensive news coverage on subjects energy consumption where possible, use and collectively as a business, a shared such as climate change, environmental renewables and only offset emissions where responsibility for our impact on the degradation and social inequality. there are no real alternatives. environment as well as confronting and These topics will be explored from the Sustainability will be at the heart of our addressing social injustice within our local social, economic, political and scientific procurement processes as we recognise that and global communities. perspectives, both nationally and globally. our suppliers represent a key part of our We will promote public debate and operational impact. Environmentally regenerative harness the power of our readers and We will consistently increase the amount GNM has a vision to be environmentally users by creating online tools and projects of recycled and certified virgin newsprint regenerative, which for us means ensuring that give them the opportunity to share in our products and will work across the there is a net decrease in atmospheric knowledge and ideas, as well as encouraging industry to minimise the ecological footprint gases that contribute to climate change them to make a difference, both as of paper supply and newspaper distribution. resulting from the existence of our individuals and within their communities. company. This long-term goal means not Social justice has always been at the heart People only dealing with our direct emissions but of our journalism and we will consistently We will empower and inspire everyone also those from the products and services give a voice to disadvantaged communities who works at GNM to act by encouraging we consume. around the world who are most affected by sustainable behaviour. We will achieve this Alongside this, we will continue to climate change. through leadership, raising awareness and concentrate our editorial resources on incentives. At our new offices in Kings Cross, informing and influencing our audiences Commercial our working culture will aim to minimise around the world to minimise their own GNM’s reputation puts us in a strong waste and we will make it easy for all of environmental footprint, and to challenge position to benefit from the growing trend us to act responsibly. We will also work the political and economic structures that in businesses moving towards a more in partnership with our local and global lead to unsustainable behaviour. sustainable future. communities to address their social and We will work with communities both We will support our large existing clients environmental needs, by highlighting the locally and in the developing world to in this endeavour as well as enable small issues and providing volunteering, resources deepen their knowledge and understanding and emerging companies to develop and funding. their markets. We recognise that tensions can arise Our vision was agreed by the board in 2007 We have changed a single but between our need for advertising revenues and any changes are signed off by directors. to sustain our business and being a medium The last revision was in 2008, strengthening important word in our for promoting consumption. Our role is the community component and also neither to hector our readers nor to censor committing to be a leader in the media sector guardian.co.uk/sustainability on their behalf. Our editorial coverage

6 *Our Common Future, published by Oxford University Press in 1987 7 XxxxxxxxxEditorial | Future | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx of journalism xxxxxxxx XxxxxxxxxxxxxxFuture ofxxxxxxxx journalism | Xxxxxxxxx | Editorial

have done it very happily on their own, but Death of Ian Tomlinson The power of the crowd: demonstrators take photographs what we offer them is the influence and the during the G20 demonstrations Photo: AFP/Getty Images clout and an incredibly interesting audience Case to commune with.” study Rusbridger says the Guardian should build trust by behaving like the old- style mutual building societies, where members feel involved and where there is a shared interest. “By continuing to go down this route, we will be more diverse, and genuinely more plural than other media organisations and create a huge external resource. We need to continue breaking down the perceptions of a remote journalist who is a preacher, living distantly, and newspapers as being in bed with power and on the side of power, rather

than the reader. lee sarah “On our side it means becoming even The investigation into the death of Ian more transparent and accountable about our Tomlinson at the G20 demonstrations sources as well as increased humility. We in London was an excellent example need to get writers into the mindset where of linking traditional journalism with we tell less and listen more, not just in send information from the public. mode but receive mode, where publishing In the days running up to the summit, an article is the beginning of a process and Guardian journalists had become not the end of it.” increasingly concerned by the approach Rusbridger believes new applications such of the police who were talking of relishing as Twitter make it increasingly possible for the “battle” ahead. individual journalists to publish outside Alan Rusbridger says: “At the heart of the constraints of our newspaper and this story was reporter Paul Lewis doing website and develop direct relationships what a traditional reporter should do. with communities of readers. He gives the The death of Tomlinson raised barely a example of Guardian journalist Jemima Kiss, mention in the other media. The official who had more than 12,000 followers on police version was that he died of a heart Twitter in June 2009 and uses them to get attack while they were trying to rescue help in researching stories. him under a hail of bottles. Lewis was “It’s a journalist’s dream,” says sceptical of the police version and started Rusbridger, “because there are all these interviewing the family, retracing the people out there who can bombard her with route and raising questions in the paper all the information she needs. It represents and on his Twitter feed. a blurring of the lines between journalism “This is where the power of the crowd The mutualisation of news  and readers. She says: you help me with comes in. As Lewis began to write, researching this story and I will let you know people started looking through their It’s a journalist’s dream ... you when it is ready.” cameras and their mobile phones, and a help me with researching this The Guardian technology pod had fund manager from New York realised he story and I will let you know 682,000 followers on Twitter in June had captured the assault on Tomlinson 2009, which is nearly twice as large as the and it was an extremely dramatic when it is ready number of people who buy the Guardian piece of film. He did not send it to the every day. One example of crowdsourcing regulator, because he put his trust in us, was an appeal from the Guardian for help and quite rightly so, for the first thing  in sifting through the huge amount of that happened when we published the data on MPs’ expenses in June 2009. More film was the regulator turning up at our than 21,000 people took part in gathering offices with the City of London police and Gone are the days of “us and them” journalism. The web has led to a news facts for the online project and more than telling us to take it down. The regulator 180,000 pages were examined out of a total had until then not been showing any community where ideas and news are shared rather than delivered of 457,153.

etting go can sometimes be “There was a very clear wall, dividing community of our readers in ways we would Quality of journalism in the digital age the hardest thing to do, but for readers and writers,” said Rusbridger to not have been able to in the past.” editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger an in-house meeting of journalists. “A Rusbridger gives the example of Comment The proliferation of media sets a difficult published: “I was told that this could not that is the time to build guidelines. For the future of Guardian News newspaper was something you fired like a is Free, which has completely changed the question of how to manage the quality happen in Norway as the editor-in-chief example, we now have guidelines for and Media depends on it. mortar over the wall. Sometimes you would conventional model that a newspaper has a of our journalism in such a complex would insist on reading all content,” Twitter. These are a general common-sense The Guardian and Observer, get a bit of incoming fire but on the whole small core team of columnists filtering world environment. Our newspapers have a says Rusbridger. “We are probably ahead guide rather than being prescriptive.” Llike all other newspapers, used to operate they were two separate worlds. events through only their eyes. Comment tight control on information as no story is of others as we devolve a great deal of Rusbridger says it is important that a “tablet of stone” model of journalism in “What we are doing is taking down those is Free now has nearly 1,000 think pieces published until it has gone through several responsibility and freedom to our reporters. journalists treat any information coming which we controlled the delivery of news bricks, lowering the barrier and positively a month from a broad range of writers, quality checks. But in the world of Twitter, The idea of journalists publishing directly is from the public as a primary source that and comment to our readers and the only encouraging the relationship between the and comments from many thousands of for example, journalists are now publishing not a shocking one for us. needs to be checked like everything else. involvement they had was through the two. This gets over the tired argument that commentators. Page traffic in May 2009 rose information without any monitoring and “The way we tend to work is that there With regard to blogging, he says that carefully controlled letters page. this is an either/or battle between old media to 9.3m, compared with 7.6m the year before. outside of the Guardian’s own publishing are always early adopters of these new Comment is Free has minimal moderating The development of the internet, and with and bloggers. Rusbridger says: “It cannot be true that platforms. technologies, and it works best when and therefore the quality is much more it the creation of “citizen journalists”, has “The mutualisation of news is a very there are only a handful of people worth On a visit to Norway in June 2009, Alan individual journalists who have a passion variable. “In an open forum it would be revolutionised the delivery of information powerful idea that particularly works for listening to in the world. Comment is Free is Rusbridger was asked if he reads all the for it, use and explore it. If at some point fatal to start anything that would smack of to the point where Rusbridger now sees our the Guardian, as our relationship with infinitely richer and more diverse and more tweets from journalists before they are the technology becomes too large in scale, censorship,” he says. “But we need to have journalists and readers as equal partners. our readers is very strong. We can use the plural. These bloggers who write for us could

8 9 XxxxxxxxxEditorial | Environment | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx site xxxxxxxx XxxxxxxxxxxxxxEnvironment xxxxxxxx site | Xxxxxxxxx | Editorial World-first reportage

Tar sand mining and refining at the Suncor GNM has built an editorial team it believes will Millenium plant in Fort McMurray, Canada lead the debate on environmental issues Photo: Redux/Eyevine

he defining issue of world. In addition to six dedicated editing Our editorial approach agreed by the EU; an investigation revealing renewed focus on multimedia – we have our generation will be and production staff, we have six full-time has four tracks:  the vast gap between the pledges of funds already created original video from the tar humanity’s response to the environment correspondents: three of the to help developing nations and the actual sands of Alberta to the disappearing Amazon challenge of climate change. UK’s most eminent green writers, John • Report the latest scientific and social We intend to become the money delivered; and the revelation of a rainforest. New web tools will enable users That belief underpins the Vidal, Juliette Jowit and David Adam; the predictions and the impact of climate central place for the brightest vast, undiscovered forest in Mozambique, to understand their impact on the planet in decision by Guardian News first green technology reporter, Alok Jha; change from the Arctic to Australia. filled with an astonishingly rich variety of original and significant ways, and to easily Tand Media (GNM) to place sustainability and, crucially, world-class reporters in • Hold those in positions of power to thinking on environmental new fauna and flora. access and compare critical data on the state firmly at the top of our editorial agenda, China, Jonathan Watts, and the US, Suzanne account for their as yet inadequate reaction and sustainability issues To improve our ability to inform, debate of the Earth. and to invest accordingly. Goldenberg. The latter are key, as the US to the crisis we face. and promote action, we have been completely At GNM, we believe that informing Climate change, and the related issues of and China are the world’s biggest polluters • Reflect the human face of environmental rebuilding our environment website. We our readers and hosting debates on the water, food, energy, poverty, social justice and, as the UN secretary general told the change and celebrate the beauty of the  intend to become the central place for the issues should be followed by action by and health, presents the one truly existential Guardian, without those two nations on natural world for its own sake. brightest thinking on environmental and individuals. Our annual readers’ survey issue of our age. This December [2009], board a global climate deal is impossible. • Give readers the unbiased and sustainability issues. In the summer of shows that readers say our coverage of world leaders are convening in Copenhagen Furthermore, our new integrated internal authoritative information they need to 2009 we ran the Manchester Report, at the sustainability issues has influenced their for what the economist Lord Nicholas Stern structure ensures other members of GNM’s navigate the complex choices involved in Manchester International festival, at which behaviour (see page 16 for reader survey has called the “most important gathering 800-strong editorial team can contribute, living a green and sustainable life ideas for tackling global warming were details). One practical example is our Green since the second world war”. The task will be with particularly strong input from our examined by a panel led by Lord Bingham. Your Home project where Alok Jha and five to seal a global deal to reverse the increasing business, economic, political, diplomatic, The new website will add to our different homeowners have been blogging amounts of pollutants being pumped into foreign and consumer affairs teams. about policy around climate change.” traditional strengths of reportage and and videoing their eco-home projects, the atmosphere, and to help all citizens to Alan Rusbridger, editor-in-chief of GNM, Exclusive stories illustrating our editorial comment by nurturing a community of supported by expert advice and information adapt to the already inevitable impact. says the benefit of our approach is already approach (see box above) include: the UK users to further broaden the debate. The sharing. The project was also taken to the In this year of all years, GNM’s greatest being felt: “The feedback I am receiving from environment department’s chief scientist Guardian Environment Network already Hay festival. Green experts Leo Hickman asset – our ability to report and influence scientists working in this area and politicians telling us that the world must prepare for 4C highlights content from a number of the best and Lucy Siegle provide regular advice and – will be deployed to maximum effect. is that the Guardian has transformed the of warming, while still hoping for 2C; a series environment sites on the web, including reviews through blogs and videos. We have We now have in place what we believe to way it is regarded by the people who are of articles revealing how UK officials sought Grist, Nature, Inhabitat and the World also supported action groups taking positive be the most powerful reporting team in the doing the heavy-lifting in terms of thinking to weaken environmental targets being Resources Institute. There will also be a steps for change, such as Sandbag.org.uk.

10 11 XxxxxxxxxEditorial | Social | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx justice xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxSocial justice | Xxxxxxxxx | Editorial 87% The Observer’s agenda for social justice of Guardian readers rated our social justice coverage as good or excellent

asked our editorial research and information department to review a week, May 11-17 2009, and list the articles appearing in the Guardian under this topic. The exposure of MPs expenses was one of the big stories of that week, while our US environmental correspondent Suzanne Goldenberg revealed key players in the oil, coal and gas industries had spent $44.5m in the first three months of the year in an attempt to stop Obama’s climate change bill. David Leigh unearthed evidence of alleged toxic waste dumping by a British-based Footballer Ade Akinbiyi in Observer Magazine on racism in Britain Photo: Howard Barlow company off Ivory Coast. There were follow-up articles to Robert The Observer’s commitment to reporting Booth’s exposure the previous week of the social justice has a long history. The first extent of child trafficking within the UK, issue in 1791 promised that the paper including news of a new inquiry by MPs would share “the spirit of enlightened into the scandal, prompted by his exposé. freedom, decent toleration and universal Stories about police misconduct continued benevolence”. In the past year, our in the aftermath of the G20 protests and a reporting from home and abroad has special report examined the poor pay of fruit shown that the fight for toleration and pickers in Africa working on farms supplying freedom is a long one. produce for Tesco. In September 2008, we devoted our Other pieces included: Xan Rice on Mau Review section to the 60th anniversary Mau veterans suing for colonial abuses; Afua of the Universal Declaration of Human Hirsch on the failures of the prosecution Rights. The United Nations proclaimed system for disabled victims of crime; “the basic rights and freedoms to which all Richard Norton-Taylor on aid organisations humans are entitled”, and our special issue Protestors calling for Aung San Suu Kyi’s release Photo: EPA involvement in arms trafficking; Rachel celebrated the progress which has been Williams on the sexism of the justice system; made, but also detailed the tragic cost Terry Macalister and Helen Carter reporting of failure. We looked at the role of film, on the ongoing effects of the Chernobyl literature and music in the fight for justice, Exposing injustice, remain- disaster on UK farms; Chris McGreal on and interviewed campaigners across Barack Obama’s decision not to publish the world, from Rwanda to Indonesia, photographs of abuse of prisoners in Iraq Colombia to Uganda. and Afghanistan; and Sarah Boseley on a The Observer is rightly proud that the Dragons Den’s Deborah Meaden, a judge ing independent report about the health effects of climate leading human rights organisation, for Observer Magazine’s Ethical Awards change, as well as a G2 section article about Amnesty International, was launched Photo: Ellis Parrinder women dying from childbirth in Africa. Her in 1961 after a front–page appeal in the report was linked to the Guardian’s Katine Observer about political prisoners. financial system had not been almost development project in Uganda. In January 2009, the Observer Magazine entirely controlled by men, with minimal There was also news coverage of the was largely devoted to an examination of female representation at the top of the ongoing conflicts in Sri Lanka and the Swat race relations in Britain as seen through City and Wall Street. She looked at the Our commitment to exposing injustice around the world remains as strong as Valley, and the jailing of Aung San Suu Kyi. the eyes of 10 Britons from very different international dimension with articles on In the financial pages, there was an interview backgrounds born in 1974, the same year as how women in Iceland are taking control of ever, and is something our readers value highly with Alan Wainwright, the whistleblower the murdered black south London student business and politics following the crunch, who exposed the blacklisting of construction Stephen Lawrence. and the impact of the downturn on women he heartbeat of the Guardian of social justice and human rights as good or workers connected to trade unions. In the Eighty years after women secured equal and children in the developing world. lies in our core mission, excellent with nearly half saying they would  comment pages there were pieces on gender voting rights, we looked at the issue of We have also reported extensively on the which is to be editorially like to see even more written about this area. equality, children in care, MPs’ expenses, women’s rights in modern Britain. While issue of ageing in Britain. Not only has the independent, without party Recent examples include our exposure Robert Booth’s exposé of child Burma, the photographs of torture by the recession is affecting everyone, recession exacerbated the pensions crisis, affiliation, remaining faithful of the fiendishly complex tax avoidance American soldiers, and a piece written by our business editor, Ruth Sunderland, but older people are too often neglected to the liberal tradition. schemes of some of Britain’s biggest trafficking prompted an MPs’ Kofi Annan and Nicholas Stern about Africa was one of the first to write about how by the state. We have reported on the rise THolding the forces of power to account companies (see page 14) and our campaign inquiry into the scandal and climate change agreements. The Society badly women were being affected in in dementia cases and the plight of carers. is key and involves bringing important to show the involvement of Britain’s supplement, which focuses on the issue of the downturn. In a series of articles, she The Observer Magazine held its fourth information into the public domain that security and intelligence agencies in the social justice, carried an interview with Phil highlighted the nature and risks of male annual Ethical Awards with a report by Lucy would otherwise remain hidden, as well as maltreatment, and possibly torture, of  Kay, a police commander at West Midlands dominance in the City, imbalances in Siegle on 20 Big Green Ideas – from green standing up for justice and fairness in our British citizens or residents abroad (see page police who has championed diversity boardrooms and the lack of female voices coal to hydrogen-fuelled ships. More than society. That takes time and a lot of resource, 15). We also launched the Justice on Trial within his department. There was also a in the discussions at the World Economic 6,000 readers voted on and nominated which is why we are fortunate to have the series, highlighting cases where there is a report about a scheme offering training to Forum and elsewhere on how to rebuild entrants. largest editorial staff of any UK newspaper. serious concern of a miscarriage of justice. disadvantaged people as part of preparations the financial system. Her pieces raised Environmental reporting remains an A survey of nearly 3,000 readers showed Beyond these high-profile investigations, for the 2012 Olympics, and John Vidal hotly argued questions over whether editorial priority, and this year we continued that 87% of Guardian readers and three- we write numerous articles on social justice reported on a project in Kenya that protects the crunch would have happened if the our reporting on sustainable food and the quarters of website users rated our coverage every week. To give a sense of this, we wildlife and helps people living in poverty.

12 13 XxxxxxxxxEditorial | Tax | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx investigation xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxTorture | Xxxxxxxxx | Editorial

six Guardian writers, led by investigations Uncomfortable truth about torture allegations editor David Leigh, was strengthened by the inclusion of a former tax inspector, Holding the UK’s major Richard Brooks, and spent three months investigating many more avoidance schemes across the whole of British corporate life. The resultant “tax gap” series cost more than £90,000 in specialist legal advice and corporations to account professional consultancy. It ran every day for two weeks, alongside an innovative online database, which enabled readers to pull up the published tax information on every FTSE 100 company. Interactive graphics were used to show money-flows in the avoidance schemes, plus there were video interviews with key figures. A central feature was Richard Brooks’s daily blog. This, along with a dedicated confidential email, enabled readers to post their own comments, and those with specialist knowledge to supply their own tip-offs. The consequences were dramatic. With new information that came in, the

Guardian was able to spotlight hitherto Bell S teve unknown avoidance schemes by the big banks, particularly those in the process of being helped by state funds. illustration: illustration: The series revealed the tax stratagems of many of Britain’s corporate house­ It has been the Guardian’s role, ever since true. hold names. It documented brands it was founded after the Peterloo Massacre The Guardian has been reporting for almost shifted offshore by Diageo, Shell, and in Manchester in 1819, to hold the forces four years on allegations that British drug companies AstraZeneca and of law and order to account. It is vital that security and intelligence officers have been GlaxoSmithKline. It detailed offshore they are themselves subject to the law and colluding in the torture of British citizens schemes in Luxembourg used by WPP, that those who operate behind the scenes during counter-terrorism investigations. In one of the world’s biggest advertising – namely, the security and intelligence August 2005, the newspaper first reported agency groups, and the re-engineering to agencies – are monitored rigorously . that Binyam Mohamed, a UK resident, Switzerland of profits by both Boots the It is not easy. MI5 and MI6 rarely had been questioned by an MI5 officer in orporate taxation is one of came under political pressure to reform. chemists and the owners of Walkers Crisps. comment on their activities, even less Pakistan in between sessions when he was Our innovative online the fundamental issues in The paper soon discovered first hand, The series described how Dixons stacked so on allegations of wrongdoing made mistreated by his prison guards. It reported database helped shed British society that rarely however, the difficulties and dangers of profits from warranties in the Isle of Man, against them. Sooner or later, a committee that the CIA and Mohamed’s interrogators gets discussed in mainstream highly technical tax investigations. One of and how Barclays claimed tax relief by of backbench MPs may respond to a used information supplied by MI5. The high light on the murky media. A large but twilight its first exposures, of offshore tax avoidance buying an Irish pipeline. The “tax gap” newspaper’s persistent pursuit of a court last year confirmed this to be true. industry has grown up in schemes by the supermarket giant Tesco, led also analysed the little-known role of potential scandal or the gathering of In April 2008 the Guardian disclosed world of corporate Crecent years of offshore tax havens and to bruising litigation. The paper’s reporters major accountancy firms, particularly evidence on an important matter which the that MI5 was accused of outsourcing the arcane avoidance schemes. They benefit established that perfectly legal multibilllion- Ernst & Young and KPMG, in profiting government refuses to respond to. torture of three more Britons to Pakistani tax avoidance large corporations and rich individuals, pound sale-and-leaseback schemes of Tesco from the invention and sale of elaborate There was no more appropriate subject intelligence agents. Three months later, but cost governments billions in lost taxes. stores, organised through Caymans and tax avoidance schemes. for us to pursue than allegations of we reported three more cases of alleged The facts about corporate tax avoidance Jersey entities, involved tax avoidance. But The climax of the Guardian series was the involvement of Britain’s security complicity in torture. One victim was a rarely emerge in the British media for mistakes were made: the tax avoided in a court attempt by Barclays to gag the and intelligence agencies, notably London doctor tortured for two months a number of reasons. The details of so- those particular transactions turned out to full publication online by the Guardian of MI5, in the maltreatment, and possible in a building opposite the UK deputy high called “tax-planning” are often fiendishly be stamp duty land tax, not corporation tax documents detailing its avoidance schemes. torture, of British citizens or residents commission in Karachi. He was released complicated, and are deliberately obscured levied on Tesco’s profits. The sums avoided They had been supplied by a whistleblower. abroad and collusion in the US practice without charge. by highly paid lawyers and accountants were not as big as the Guardian believed. Barclays’ attempts failed when the of extraordinary rendition – the secret In September 2008 a Manchester court who cook up the schemes. Government Tesco decided to sue for libel. After much Guardian’s documents were also reproduced transporting of terror suspects to places heard that MI5 drew up questions for departments allow corporations complete legal expense by the Guardian, the retailer online by Wikileaks, an international where they were likely to be tortured. Pakistani intelligence agents to put to secrecy over their tax affairs. And the only obtained an apology and a sum in damages. website specialising in leaked documents. The Guardian pursued allegations that CIA British terrorism suspect Rangzieb Ahmed. experts who can advise, often have vested Another difficulty turned out to be The controversy was a demonstration, aircraft had used British airports and the US Later he had three fingernails removed by interests and are expensive to consult. the reaction of the Guardian’s rivals and once again, of the power of the internet as a base on the British Indian Ocean Territory Pakistani interrogators. In May 2009 the The Guardian set out last year to open up opponents, who pointed the finger at publication medium. of Diego Garcia, to transfer detainees to Guardian revealed that home secretary the whole field. As world economies crashed, commercial transactions by Guardian Lord Oakeshott, Liberal Democrat places where they were subsequently Jacqui Smith faced legal action over the need for fairer sharing of taxes also Media Group, the newspaper’s own parent treasury spokesman, was among many who tortured in Afghanistan, Morocco and allegations that MI5 agents colluded in the became the focus of campaigns launched company. Offshore entities had been used congratulated the Guardian on its exposures. Egypt. For years ministers ignored, even torture of Jamil Rahman, a British former by both Gordon Brown and incoming US for tax purposes by a private equity fund He said: “I don’t shock easily – my day job mocked, the persistence of Guardian civil servant, by Bangladeshi intelligence president Barack Obama against individual which had partnered GMG in acquisition of has been in the City ever since I joined reporters, saying there was nothing in officers. tax dodgers, and against transnational some magazine businesses. It was necessary Warburgs bank in 1976. But the Guardian’s the allegations. Ministers were forced to The Guardian’s persistence was vindicated corporations that shift profits around the for the Guardian to stress the independence evidence of massive, aggressive tax apologise – to MPs, not the Guardian – for in March 2009 when Gordon Brown told world in legal, but artificial ways. of its journalists, and its willingness avoidance as a core profit centre for British denying them when they turned out to be the House of Commons that Britain’s As a result, the Guardian’s pioneering to interrogate and publicise its parent banks, aided and abetted by our bluest chip multimedia series became an indispensable company’s own tax arrangements. accountants and law firms, turned even Find out more about the tax investigation at guardian.co.uk/taxgap reference point for campaign groups, The newspaper’s editor decided not my hardened stomach. Too many boards Find out more about torture investigation at guardian.co.uk/world/torture » politicians, and ordinary taxpayers, many of to be deterred by those problems, but to right across Britain tick the green and whom said they were astonished by the scale invest considerably more resources in an diversity boxes, then reward their finance of the abuses revealed. Tax havens, such as authoritative series which would break fresh or tax director for cheating their customers, guardian.co.uk/sustainability Switzerland, Liechtenstein and the Caymans ground in reader relationships. A team of the taxpayer.”

14 15 XxxxxxxxxEditorial | Reader | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx feedback xxxxxxxx XxxxxxxxxxxxxxReader xxxxxxxx feedback | Xxxxxxxxx | Editorial

GNM’s commitment to covering and promoting social justice and enivronmental issues is ultimately judged by our readers and web users Beyond right to reply: how Do we live up to our values? we set the record straight

n the digital age we get constant How readers rate our sustainability coverage Awareness of readers’Siobhain editor Butterworth is the Guardian’s readers’ editor, an independent role feedback on what we write about, How readers rate our sustainability coverage Awareness of readers’ editor but we feel it is still important to that ensures our newspaper and website are responsive and accurate ■The Guardian ■The Observer ■guardian.co.uk step back, on an annual basis, and % who responded good/excellent ■The Guardian ■The Observer ■guardian.co.uk Are you aware that the Guardian has an independent readers’ editor to deal with ask our readers and web users what independent readers’ editor tot dealwould with be surprising if people didn’t about whether it’s necessary or desirable to How readers rate ourcomplaints sustainability about editorial coverage content? Awareness of readers’ editor they think about our sustainability 87% complaints about editorial content?question my independence from bring these web corrections to the attention 87% 82% 82% coverage and to gauge what impact it has 82% 82% time to time because my job is to of online users, who may not otherwise

I 77% 75% 77% % who responded good/excellent ■The Guardian ■The Observer ■guardian.co.uk Are you aware that the Guardian has an 75% had on their lives. 72% scrutinise the Guardian’s journalism know about them. 71% 71% 72% 71% The results of the survey go to managing 71% from within. While journalists on independent readers’ editor to deal with Under my terms of reference I must deal 65% 63% 65%

63% complaints about editorial content? director Tim Brooks, editor-in-chief 87% the inside may see me as something with readers’ complaints “from a position 58% 58% 57% 56% 58% 58% 57% 82% 82% 54% 56% No Yes of independence within the paper”. I’m also Alan Rusbridger and relevant heads of 54% No of an outsider,Yes to outsiders I look like an 51% 50% 49% 77% I 51% 50%

75% 46 54 department in the editorial and commercial 49% 46 %insider. 54 required to seek comments from journalists

72% % 43% 43% 71% 71% 43% 43% divisions. Evidence from the surveys has 39% Three elements of my role are connected: whose work is the focus of readers’ 39% 65% helped to influence our behaviour. For 63% the investigation of readers’ complaints, the concerns. I think that’s only fair and I will 58% 58% 57% 56% example, the strength of feeling on the issue publication 54% of corrections and the weekly No Yes usually include the journalist’s response 51% 50% of the plastic wraparound of our weekend SOURCE: GNM READER SURVEY 2009 Open Door column. I’m also asked to create49% 46 % 54 in my weekly Open Door column if I write SOURCE: GNM READER SURVEY 2009 papers was a factor in speeding up our new channels of43% communication43% with about the complaint. 39% investigation into alternatives. readers and to consider readers’ comments How is my independence safeguarded?

Damian Carrington, head of environment, Social justice & Climate change Biodiversity & Intl. development Role of business International Sustainable and suggestions about the Guardian’s It helps that I can be removed from my humanSocial justice rights & Climate change conservationBiodiversity & Intl. development inRole society of business tradeInternational travelSustainable said the data was very useful to his team human rights conservation in society trade travel journalism with a view to identifying post only by a vote of the Scott Trust, SOURCE: GNM READER SURVEY 2009 and had been “used to shape some of alternative ways of doing things. which owns the Guardian, and my our coverage”. Reader and user behaviour influenced by our coverage The post of readers’ editor was introduced terms of reference also guarantee no In common with previous years, the vast in 1997, two years before the Guardian interference with my work – although majority of our customers believe our news Social justice & Climate change Biodiversity & Intl. developmentofficially Role of launchedbusiness Internationalits network ofSustainable websites,  I’m obliged to consult about corrections ■The Guardian ■The Observer ■guardian.co.uk % who responded, some/strong influence ■The Guardian ■Thehuman Observer rights ■guardian.co.uk conservation in society trade travel coverage is trustworthy, that we offer a broad so the job is now quite different. In the My Open Door column is not that might prejudice legal proceedings range of perspectives and that we bring Reader and user behaviour influencedfirst byyear our the readers’coverage editor received 5,000 or existing complaints to the Press hidden information into the public domain. emails, calls, letters and faxes. Now that subject to prior approval by the Complaints Commission. Importantly, However, only around half believe our the number of communications is closer to the content of my Open Door column

73% ■The Guardian ■The Observer ■guardian.co.uk editor or other staff % who responded,73% some/strong influence news coverage is unbiased (guardian.co.uk/ 70% 22,500, most people get in touch by email. is to be determined independently and 70% 67% 66% 65% 65% 67% 66% 63% 65% sustainability/readersurvey. 65% The Guardian now publishes 24/7 rather not subject to prior approval by the editor 62% 63% 62%

Around 90% also believe that the mission 57% than once a day, six days a week and there’s or others on the staff. 55% 57% 53% 55% 52% 52% 52%  52% 51% 51% 53% 52% 52% 52% 52% The Open Door column is primarily,

of our owner the Scott Trust to operate 51% a great deal more content – print readers see 51% quality newspapers/news sources free from only about half of everything the Guardian though not exclusively, a platform for 42% 73% 42% 39% 70% 39% 36% party affiliation remaining faithful to the 36% 36% unique users of the website in April 2009; discussing readers’ complaints, concerns produces – and journalists67% don’t just 35% 66% 34% 36% 36% 36% 65% 65% 35% 32% 34% 31% 63% 31% 62% 30% 30% 32% 29% 31% liberal tradition, is reflected in our content. 31% produce stories and pictures; there are blogs, many of them live outside the UK and may and suggestions. I’ve written 48 columns 28% 28% 30% 30% 29% 26% 28% 28% 57% 26% 55%

Given that we place so much emphasis 22% podcasts and videos to consider as well. not be familiar with the print product. The in the past year and I’ve used some of them 21% 53% 20% 52% 52% 52% 52% 22% 51% 51% 21% on social justice and climate change, it is 20% In addition, thousands of comments are diverse readership means that people raise to discuss general concerns, for example

encouraging to see that these both continue posted42% on the site daily and users whose concerns from a wide range of cultural and the use of honorifics, reporting of opinion 39% 36% 36% 36% to score highly in our customers’ feedback. 35% posts have been deleted often question political perspectives. polls, jokes and turns of phrase that offend, 34% 32% 31% 31%

Offsetting Reducing Using Supporting Reducing Ethical Consuming Consuming Purchasing Purchasing Recycling Energy30% 30% 29% 28% Of the near 3,000 who responded, nearly CO2Offsetting numberReducing alternativeUsing env.Supporting numberReducing investmentEthical organicConsuming lessConsuming ‘green’Purchasing fairPurchasing trade wasteRecycling savingEnergy 28% the way their contributions have been The Guardian’s daily Corrections and and the representation of data in graphs 26% emissionsCO2 ofnumber flights energyalternative charitiesenv. ofnumber car investment foodorganic less alternatives‘green’ fair trade materialswaste saving 22% and diagrams . 90% of Guardian readers and three-quarters 21% moderated. I see myself as the last resort Clarifications column was introduced when

emissions of flights energy charities of car food alternatives 20% materials SOURCE: GNM READER SURVEY 2009 Journeys of web users gave us excellent or good scores SOURCE: GNM READER SURVEY 2009 Journeys for these sorts of complaints; the volume of the post of readers’ editor was created 12 Because it’s difficult for journalists to keep for our coverage of social justice, with only emails I receive means that my main focus years ago at a time when the only way to set track of all the corrections and clarifications, a slightly lower score for our reporting of has to be on material that is commissioned the record straight was to print a correction I’ve recently started sending a brief weekly Offsetting Reducing Using Supporting Reducing Ethical Consuming Consuming Purchasing Purchasing Recycling Energy climate change. Rather surprisingly, while two-thirds saying they have changed their our newspaper readersCO2 say havenumber boycottedalternative env. number investment organicand publishedless by‘green’ the Guardian.fair trade waste saving in the paper. We’ve been wondering whether email to all editorial staff, which repeats around half our readers and web users would behaviour around purchasing fairtrade certain brands, and largeemissions numbersof flights sayenergy they charities of car foodThe newspapersalternatives and the websitematerials are it should also change with the times. the top five most serious corrections from Journeys like to see increased coverage of social justice products and “green alternative products”. have been prompted SOURCE:to sign GNM petitions, READER SURVEY 2009 undergoing a process of integration and In the past 12 months the readers’ editor’s the previous seven days and provides some and human rights, only one-quarter are keen More than half say they now buy more donate money to charity, write to an MP or in 2009 many Guardian journalists now office has published more than 1,400 important feedback from readers. for more on climate change. organic produce, while at the same time campaign on an issue. produce material for all three platforms corrections in the daily column, which This article expands on matters discussed As a company, GNM has an ambition to be consuming less overall. The impact among While we have ambitions to be a global (the Guardian, the Observer and guardian. appears with reasonable prominence in in Open Door columns published on 18 May environmentally regenerative and carbon our web users was lower, but still sizable, media company, our weakest showing co.uk). However the Observer retains its own the paper but is much less visible online. and 8 June 2009. • This article expands on positive, which means the planet should with slightly more than half saying they in the survey is readers’ concern that readers’ editor, Stephen Pritchard, to deal However, that column doesn’t represent ultimately be in a better shape as a result of have been influenced in all but one of we are not covering the UK regions well with readers’ concerns about its content. everything we fix. We’ve also corrected For information on the Observer our existence. This will not only be realised these categories. enough. When asked whether our coverage The idea of the website as an add-on to hundreds of errors online; we haven’t readers’ editor plus details of the by reducing our own carbon footprint but by On a broader scale, the survey shows that adequately reflects society in terms of the newspaper has become outdated. Much been keeping records of those but we’re editorial code of conduct and our also influencing our readers, users, suppliers, our editorial output continues to prompt our covering the regions, only 43% of Guardian of the time the website leads the newspaper about to start. style guide go to guardian.co.uk/ staff and community partners to reduce their readers and users to play a more active role readers agreed, with 37% disagreeing, while with breaking news and many stories printed The protocol for changing things on the sustainability/editorial » carbon footprints. in society. on the Observer, the scores were reversed. in the paper appear on the website first. website is that (web–only) articles can be The survey shows that Guardian readers Around three-quarters of Guardian and GNM editor in chief Alan Rusbridger said While the distinction between print invisibly mended at any time up to midnight say our editorial coverage has influenced Observer readers and two-thirds of web in response: “That is a fair perception and and web journalism is shrinking, the gap on the day they are created, but once it is nearly three-quarters of them to reduce users say they have talked to friends about something we will address in the next between print and web readers might be archived, a footnote must be added unless guardian.co.uk/sustainability energy and increase recycling with around issues raised in our coverage. More than half 12 months.” widening: there were more than 27 million the error is trivial. We’ve been thinking

16 Source: GNM Readers Survey May 2009 17 Xxxxxxxxx | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx XxxxxxxxxxxxxxBusiness xxxxxxxx Strategy | Xxxxxxxxx | Strategy A time of great risk and opportunity

As the newspaper industry faces unprecedented uncertainty, it is essential that Guardian News and Media remains at the forefront of innovation

this, newspaper publishers, including GNM, now run subscription schemes that Strategy offer a reduced price to readers in return for an upfront commitment to purchase. The Guardian scheme, launched in January The current business model does not work for 2009, secured 30,000 members in the first newspapers any more. So we will have to build a five months. The other available tool is to cut costs. new one that does Editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger says: “There is a hurricane blowing through the media industry. One only has to look to America to see the devastating effect this is having, with a number of metropolitan papers closing or going into chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. “On the editorial side, we have taken a series of decisions which we hope most readers will have found invisible. We have made cuts in pagination because the paper and ink is so expensive and cut some contracts, contributors and columnists. Newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic have been hit Photo: Elaine Thompson/AP We have not done anything to endanger the integrity of what we are doing or the he newspaper industry on Stella Beaumont, strategy director at ambitions we have.” both sides of the Atlantic has Guardian News and Media, says: “The The key objective of becoming the been caught in a “perfect current business model does not work for world’s leading liberal voice remains in storm”. Media companies newspapers any more so we will have to place even though the ambitious plans have been hammered by a build a new one that does. We are entering a to increase further the number of foreign combination of continuing period of innovation, experimentation and correspondents has been reduced in scale. Tfalls in newspaper sales and sharply change – there is opportunity here for us as Managing director Tim Brooks says: “If lower advertising revenues as a result of well as risk.” you look at our web-user base, then about the recession. Times Newspapers recorded underlying a third of users are in the UK and a third The rate of decline has been more severe operating losses of £42.8m in the year to in the US. The key point is not to cut back than the 2001-02 advertising recession and June 2008, with GNM making a loss of more on our presence in the US. Last year we economic recession of 1991-92. The outlook than £35m for the year ending March 2009. strengthened the editorial team very for 2009 and 2010 remained extremely poor The current financial year is not looking considerably and we are building our own when this report went to print. any better, with further falls in advertising sales team in New York. Given it’s the largest Adding to the woes for all companies is predicted, although the market is so advertising market in the world and we want the enormous difficulty in monetising their volatile that it is impossible to predict with to be a global business, then that is the most presence on the web. Guardian.co.uk has any certainty. sensible place to start.” been extremely successful in growing its Newspaper sales, which have been in Another important project has been the audience. It saw 27.3m unique users in April long-term decline, have continued to fall launch of Guardian Open Platform, which 2009, leading the UK quality print online with the daily quality “paid-for” market, has involved opening up our entire database competition in all five traffic performance falling 6% year on year in the six months to to outside applications. “Open Platform goes indicators, including page impressions March 09. The Guardian declined by 3.5%. back to the mantra that our digital director, (237m) and engagement, with each user The paid-for Sunday market also declined by Emily Bell, has, that we should be of the web, viewing an average of 8.7 pages. 3.9% in the same period, with the Observer not on the web,” says Brooks. “By opening But after rapid growth, online ad revenue falling by 4.5%. out our content to external developers and has now stopped in its tracks. This means One of the only levers to counteract this offering them an API, we are harnessing not that the perceived wisdom of “reach before fall in revenues is to increase cover price, just the creativity and imagination of our revenue”, on the assumption that ad revenue which most papers, including the Guardian own team of developers but of the entire would follow traffic, is no longer working. and Observer, have done, although this global web development community and This has rekindled the debate about finding risks readers switching to free papers or we hope to get some extraordinary and ways to charge users to access content. relying further on the internet. To mitigate unforeseen uses of our data.”

18 19 User index

Index of users visiting “core purpose” sites ■The Guardian ■Core topic sites versus total unique users

500

400

300

200

Index - base June 2005 Index 100

0 Jun Aug Oct Dec Feb Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec Feb Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec Feb Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec XxxxxxxxxStrategy | Influence, | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx2006 reach and returnxxxxxxxx2007 2008 Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx | Xxxxxxxxx

GNM objectives

GNM objectives are to increase our influence and reach while achieving a sustainable level of financial return

Influence Reach Financial return

Assesses the strength of Measures the number of people Sets a sustainable level our influence in the area that who choose to engage with us of return for GNM matters to us the most Commercial Increases our relevance editorially Must ensure editoral We will work with our readers to gain a deeper understanding Determines whether we independence of the Guardian are succeeding in relation Important commercially of what products and services they want in the sustainability to our core purpose Creates framework for prioritisation arena, and use this to engage with our advertisers and sponsors

Casting the net wide: a threefold approach

While financial return is an essential goal of any business, other objectives play a crucial role in our strategy, affecting how we make decisions

ost companies’ primary User index goal is to increase value for its shareholders over the long term, and this Index of users visiting “core purpose” sites ■The Guardian ■Core topic sites is also true for Guardian versus total unique users News and Media. But the Mvalue we pursue for our shareholder, Scott 500 Trust Limited, is not purely financial. In 400 keeping with our core purpose and mission, 300 our goal is to increase the Guardian’s reach and influence and to do this while 200 operating within a financial target that - base June 2005 Index 100 is sustainable within the context of our 0 Jun Aug Oct Dec Feb Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec Feb Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec Feb Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec parent company, Guardian Media Group 2006 2007 2008 (GMG). We use a three-pronged framework to evaluate our investments and our priorities GNMthis type objectives of content. One of the metrics that board meeting via a dashboard and this and report on our performance as a business we are now tracking therefore is growth in is also submitted to and reviewed at the (see graphic, top). This methodology the audience for our Arts, Books, Business, monthly GMG board meetings. was instrumental in helping us to GNMComment, objectives Education, are to increaseEnvironment, our influence and Inreach addition while to achieving monitoring a sustainable progress in level our of financial return develop GNM’s editorial and commercial Media, Politics and Society sites compared core business we also use this framework sustainability strategy (see page 22). to growth in audience across the network to evaluate new investment priorities In the past year we have used this as a whole. for the business and our goal is to ensure framework to agree targets for each of these As the table aboveInfluence shows we have grown that we have a goodReach balance across all Financial return dimensions and to embed these into the traffic to these sites faster than we have three. In 2009-10, for example, the GNM budget and reporting process. We have grown trafficAssesses across the the strength whole ofof guardian. board Measuresapproved eightthe number new priorities, of people six Sets a sustainable level explicit reach and return goals and while co.uk andour maintaining influence in a the strong area position that in of whichwho are choose expected to engageto improve with our us of return for GNM matters to us the most influence is, by definition, harder to measure these areas will continue to be a strategic financial return this year, seven of which and target, we have a number of metrics now goal for us. are expectedIncreases to our increase relevance our reacheditorially and Must ensure editoral Determines whether we independence of the Guardian in place to track progress here as well. We review progress against reach, five of which are expected to improve our are succeeding in relation We do this, for example, by looking at influence and return at each monthly GNM influence Importantmeasures. commercially to our core purpose the amount of traffic coming to our “core- Creates framework for prioritisation purpose” sites. It is relatively easy for For information on the role of GNM’s parent company Guardian Media Group websites to drive traffic and increase their as well as GMG’s own sustainability journey, go to guardian.co.uk/sustainability/ user numbers by carrying and optimising strategy » celebrity stories and photographs but we would be concerned if the growth in our guardian.co.uk/sustainability user numbers was coming primarily from

20 21 XxxxxxxxxCommercial | | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Commercial strategy xxxxxxxx XxxxxxxxxxxxxxEthical leadership xxxxxxxx | | Commercial Xxxxxxxxx Influencing the A holistic approach

business world To become an industry leader in sustainability, the ad department has been creating its own vision

he near 300-strong market by developing new products and dreaming, visioning, defining and delivery. advertising department services that are both environmentally The ad department has spent the last at GNM has embraced friendly and socially positive. We aim to year working on the vision – to create an sustainability in a holistic increase our proportion of green and ethical inclusive and sustainable culture that way, not only seeing it as a revenue from 4% in 2009 to 7% in 2010. develops the best people to achieve global way of securing new business Second, the department aims to strengthen commercial excellence – and drawing up Tbut also as an opportunity to strengthen the its brand and internal culture to attract, the work streams needed to make it a As the company seeks to make sustainability a core strength, the challenge is culture of the department. keep, motivate and reward the best staff. reality. In the next year we will focus on Commercial director Adam Freeman was We believe that looking after the long-term delivering them. on to create content and commercial opportunity for green professionals inspired by the leader business framework health of individuals has a positive impact developed by sustainable development on a company’s commercial performance Green business key breakthrough in GNM’s Targets 2009-10 charity Forum for the Future. It encourages and success. Guardian Green Ad Network sustainability ambitions businesses to identify the areas that are The ethical leadership initiative was The Guardian Green Ad Network, the largest has been the recognition Ad department most relevant and offer the highest impact. launched with an “appreciative inquiry”, in of its kind in the world, fulfils our vision of that by having an integrated 1. To increase the department’s share of green and ethical revenue from 4% in 2009 to 7% in 2010 Our own interpretation of this approach is which more than 60 managers addressed creating new business opportunities from editorial and commercial 2. To increase the Green Ad Network from 4.6m monthly ad impressions to 6.9m to be an ethical leader business by focusing the question: what does a successful and being more sustainable as well as enabling strategy, we can extend our 3. To grow our Ventures green and ethical revenues from 9% in 2009 to 12% in 2010 on two key areas. First, the ad department sustainable ad department look like in 2012? small and emerging companies to develop Areach and influence not only among our 4. To launch a more in-depth green jobs site wants to increase its share of the green This process is made up of four stages: revenue streams. The network now consists readers but also within the business world. 5. To continue to use Eco:metrics and monitor the CO2 data of almost 60 of the best green websites Sustainability now sits as one of GNM’s Marketing in the world, all of which we believe add eight core objectives and the appointment 1. Establish sustainability evaluations and environmental tracking of marketing projects The eco:metrics advertising campaign to the advertising industry something important to the debate around of environment general manager Tanya Guardian Professional sustainability. Membership is vetted by Cordrey, reporting directly to managing 1. Further greening of events; creating a preferred list of our event suppliers; allocating a our editorial environmental specialists to director Tim Brooks, has been instrumental fixed amount per event to our carbon reduction partners ensure quality. in prioritising this approach. She is building 2. Further developing commercial opportunities for supplements/digital content We sell advertising space on these sites on the research carried out last year into eg clean tech and share the revenue this generates. our green business strategy by management 3. Sustainable procurement, using preferred green suppliers for printing of publications This offers publishers a way to monetise consultants Bain & Co. 4. Launch a GP community project to engage and inform more GP staff in our local community their content and advertisers a way of Historically, GNM has sought pre- communicating to an engaged audience of eminence in the areas of society, Targets 2008-09 over 4 million monthly unique users. The education and media. Our ambition is for network has shown excellent growth over sustainability to be a fourth core strength. 1a. Identify and understand commercial revenue that can be attributed to sustainable the last year, with traffic up 241%. This means not only providing unparalleled advertising Topics currently covered by our editorial coverage but also developing 1b. Work with new and existing commercial suppliers to raise awareness of our sustainability publishers include clean technology revenue opportunities within our vision and ensure that all future tendering processes include a sustainability element (Cleantech.com), ethical living (Grist), commercial activities, which in turn funds 2. Grow the Guardian Publishers Network by 50% sustainable travel (The Man in Seat 61) our independent journalism. 3. Launch our use of Noughtilus (now Eco:metrics) to the advertising industry and green motoring (Whatgreencar.com). Brooks says: “Our readers’ survey shows We have run successful campaigns from that an extraordinarily high percentage 4. Measure and report on the carbon footprint of branded content campaigns that have a companies as diverse as Ecover, British Gas tell us they have changed behaviour as a sustainability message and Coca-Cola. The Green Ad Network also result of editorial they have consumed. 5. Move to online proofing for all advertising copy wherever feasible to reduce print links to the Guardian’s editorial network of So to deliver more of this is not just icing consumption environment sites. In the case of sites such on the cake but at the centre of it and 6. The GNM advertising department will work collaboratively towards its ambition to become as Business Green, Inhabitat and Carbon that is why, in a year when we have been an ethical-leader business Commentary, the Guardian also uses horribly hard hit by the downturn in the their editorial content. This enhances our advertising market, we have persevered coverage and contributes to the site’s traffic, in growing our editorial team in this area Key: = no progress; = modest progress; = good progress; as well as driving users to their sites. and created Tanya’s role to develop a = target completed number of opportunities in the business-to- Measuring the CO2 impact of media business market.” schedules These opportunities include becoming from 900,000 in August 2008 to 1.4 million the vision we set two years ago to enable We recently launched eco:metrics, a the industry leader in the field of “green” in March 2009. small and emerging companies in the field world-first web-based tool that enables jobs and creating unique content for User engagement has significantly of sustainability to develop their markets us to measure the CO2 impact of our own sustainability professionals to provide increased thanks to a greater breadth of (see opposite). media schedules. We are offering this tool them with the specialist tools and coverage, including videos and picture Other commercial highlights over the Environmental impact, that is. to clients and agencies. It includes data information to be more effective in fulfilling galleries, and our Twitter feed. Page views past year have been the launch of the With eco:metrics from the Guardian and on supplements, microsites, audio, video, the Observer, you can evaluate the CO2 output their strategies. have increased from 3.2m per month in Guardian’s International Development of the marketing campaigns you run with us. mobile, events and promotional ads. What a totally non-earth-shattering idea. Strengthening our editorial coverage (see August 2008 to over 5.2m in March 2009. Journalism competition, our annual climate Freeman says: “We will use this For more information, call Carrina Gaffney on page 10) has enabled us to reach a larger One development we are particularly change summit and the development of 020-3353 4456 or email [email protected] knowledge to have an open and audience and increase our commercial proud of is the creation of the Guardian a carbon footprinting tool for advertising collaborative dialogue with our advertisers, returns. Monthly unique visitors for Green Ad Network, the largest of its kind in campaigns that is being rolled out to the which explores more sustainable ways guardian.co.uk/environment has jumped the world, which goes some way to fulfilling industry (see opposite).Targets 2008-9 to do business. In short, we want to »

impact_campaign_301x231.indd 1 29/5/09 15:27:42 22 23 XxxxxxxxxCommercial | | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Ethical leadership xxxxxxxx XxxxxxxxxxxxxxResponsible advertising xxxxxxxx | | Commercial Xxxxxxxxx

» combine creativity and innovation Advertising censorship with sustainable thinking and best practice. Our aim is also to introduce tools and metrics to which the whole media Do you think that the Guardian has a responsibility to refuse to industry can contribute. We hope that this carry any of the following advertising, % of people who said yes will add to the debate around sustainable 53% 52% and effective marketing communications.” 52% 52% ■The Guardian ■The Observer ■guardian.co.uk

We will continue to gather data on 44% 42% 42% 41% 41% 39% 38%

the CO2 impact of the different types of 37% 36% 35% 35% 33% 33% media solutions as the year progresses 33%

and GNM will use the tool to make 27% 24%

more informed decisions about its own 21% 19% 19% 19% 17%

marketing campaigns. 15% 15% 12% eco:metrics was launched to the industry 11% 9% with a trade marketing campaign in

May 2009. Music with Fashion Ads using Gambling Religous High Oil Political Budget Do not offensive brands using sexual emission cars companies airlines object lyrics cheap labour imagery to any Ad department culture SOURCE: GNM READER SURVEY 2009 Talent management: The Ad Academy The last employee survey showed that site after the event in which he described fewer than half of all staff felt there were advertising as a “pox on the planet. It is one opportunities to develop their careers of the forces driving us towards destruction,  within GNM. The ad department is 60 as it creates needs that did not exist before There are brands we may want therefore developing a more structured and promotes consumption way beyond to stop working with in the and transparent talent-mapping process 50 sustainable levels. around people’s individual career “I also recognise that it pays my wages. future but we need a proper expectations, being open and honest about 40 Without it, newspapers would not exist: benchmarking system their potential within the department certainly not in their current form, almost and providing the training they need to 30 certainly not at all. For all their evident achieve this. faults, newspapers perform a crucial  Making the ad market a greener place requires creative ideas Photo: David Zimmerman/Getty 20 democratic service: without professional Transparency around pay reporting, it is impossible to make which are changing. There are brands we The GNM-wide survey also showed that 10 informed decisions. may want to stop working with in the future only a third of staff understood how their “It looks as if we are stuck with the but we would need to develop a proper pay is determined. The ad management Should advertisers 0 advertising model. The Guardian’s benchmarking system. We don’t want to team therefore committed to being more journalism costs much more than the price have a knee-jerk reaction.” transparent during the last annual pay readers pay for the paper. Online articles Many of our readers and users do feel review. Where possible, members of the ad – like this one – cost you nothing at all. we have a responsibility to refuse to carry dept were shown an internal salary range be held to account? They are, in effect, wholly sponsored by advertising in certain areas, but their two for their role that was dependent on skills advertising. If we changed that, how many of strongest concerns have consistently and experience. External benchmarking you would pay?” been about adverts for music that contain data provided by a third party was also Advertising is a key source of revenue, but when “I am not calling on the newspapers to offensive lyrics and those for fashion brands used to provide a broader context to have stop taking advertising. I can’t, because I that use cheap labour. a discussion around pay. its message conflicts with our editorial principles, haven’t found an acceptable alternative. Far lower among their concerns are What I am asking is for the newspapers to adverts for those companies that are most Community involvement should we ban the offending ads? refine their view of which advertisements associated with climate change. Only around The ad department made a decision to are and are not acceptable. Specifically, 10% of our readers and web users believe we formally support the company’s local n issue that periodically funding to pay for our journalism. “I am I am calling on them in the first instance should refuse to carry ads for budget airlines community engagement programme. rises to the surface within with John Stuart Mill, the philosopher of to drop ads for cars which produce more and around 20% for oil companies, which This was in part a result of a survey which our company is whether it free speech,” he said. “The best argument than 150g of CO2/km, and to drop direct is lower than the percentage of those who showed low awareness of the programme is right to be campaigning for debate is more debate and so if people advertising for flights, on the grounds that don’t object to any form of advertising. itself and a nervousness in staff as to their against climate change want to buy the space in the papers in order both these products cause unequivocal and Managing director Tim Brooks also suitability as volunteers. There was also a while at the same time to make their case, fine, but we will never unnecessary harm to the environment.” believes it is wrong to impose censorship recognition that the depth of skills within Acarrying adverts for products and services shy away from disrupting them and doing Freeman used the debate to say that on advertising. He says: “I think that it’s the department would be invaluable to local that encourage consumption and damage the incredibly vital job that George and the while he was broadly in agreement with actually not sophistry to apply to advertising charities and schools. the environment. other environmental writers are doing. Our Monbiot on the need to think carefully about the thoughts that CP Scott applied to This work formed the centrepiece of the In fact, a survey of key stakeholders journalism will always be more powerful which advertising was responsible, it was editorial, that it was important to hear one’s 2009 ad department conference. Teams, commissioned by the media industry in than any advertising.” important to understand that GNM’s major enemies as well as one’s friends. We actively made up of members of the ad department 2008 showed that “responsible advertising” Rusbridger also said that Monbiot’s clients are going through a transition phase solicit views which editors would not agree worked for a day on one of 16 community is a new issue to have emerged since a recommendation to ban adverts for direct and that advertising considered acceptable with and trust our readers to make up their projects around our offices in London and previous stakeholder engagement exercise flights and high-emission cars would be today may not be in the future. own minds. The same should be true of Manchester. This provided an opportunity six years ago. The report on behalf of the the thin end of the wedge and would then Freeman believes that a more creative our advertising. for staff to develop their skills, build a sense Media CSR Forum, which includes the lead to demands to stop other advertising, response to banning ads is to see how GNM “Beyond this, the issues are very complex of teamwork and make a real difference in Guardian as a member, concluded: “The culminating in a position where it would can be more supportive to those companies and it is very difficult to set ourselves the local community (see page 42). issue is not new for advertising agencies George Monbiot at a Sustainability Day be impossible to carry on the investigative that are marketing greener products. He up as judge and jury for every advertiser familiar with industry-specific codes and debate Photo: Anna Gordon journalism that holds power to account. added that most of the advertising for cars in we carry.” Articles about what Guardian laws. This becomes problematic when the Some editorial staff remain unhappy, the Guardian was already for lower emitting Professional and Ventures are notion of what is safe, such as products and for failing to ban certain adverts, our with one senior editor of the environment cars as the whole industry was moving that To watch the debate on doing in the field of sustainability services, that may or not be beneficial to the commercial director Adam Freeman and site expressing concern in the meeting way anyway, and that any decision to ban responsible advertising go to can be found at guardian.co.uk/ environment, becomes subjective.” editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger. that our journalistic content gets tainted ads would not have made any difference. guardian.co.uk/sustainability/ sustainability/commercial » To bring the issues further into the open, Rusbridger told the audience of by advertising, especially when we form “We are in a transition and there is a addebate » we organised an internal staff debate in June commercial and editorial staff that certain closer bonds with advertisers through recognition we cannot go on consuming at guardian.co.uk/sustainability 2009 between columnist George Monbiot, advertising did involve “a certain degree of sponsorship deals. the same rate,” said Freeman. “We want guardian.co.uk/sustainability who has openly criticised newspapers holding your nose” but that it gives us the Monbiot wrote a blog on our environment to work with and support the companies

24 25 Xxxxxxxxx | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx XxxxxxxxxxxxxxImpact xxxxxxxx of recession | Xxxxxxxxx | People Staff matters on the table

While budget reductions have led to a difficult process of redundancies, GNM has been working hard to address issues raised by the last staff survey

Targets 2009-10 NM had hardly put the has been mitigated by our move to spacious finishing touches to its new offices in King’s Cross. A survey of People 1. Appraisals: 80% of commercial and company-wide reorganisation staff six months after the move shows an 25% of editorial staff to be appraised by plan to make us fit for the improvement on all the measures they December 2009. digital revolution when the described as important. To be successful multimedia publishers and serve 2. Improve scores in 2009 employee recession struck. This has Two main complaints at Kings Place survey, relating to career progression, Gforced us to take another hard look at the concerned the canteen and the post, our growing international audience, we have to transparency of pay decisions and fair organisation, given that we are having to cut which are being addressed. At our smaller recruitment. more than £20m in costs to cope with the refurbished Herbal Hill offices, which houses move away from the familiar routines of the past Targets 2008-09 collapse in advertising revenue. some of our commercial staff, there were All of the decisions being taken are complaints about the absence of a canteen, 1. Appraisals: 80% of commercial and intended to minimise the impact on and bike security, the second of which 25% of editorial staff to be appraised by employees, although staff cuts have was resolved. December 2009 been unavoidable. As always, GNM has The last company-wide employee survey concentrated on voluntary redundancies took place during the 2008 reorganisation Key: = no progress; = and the non-replacement of those already and showed that despite the upheaval, the modest progress; = good progress; leaving the company. majority of staff understood the need for = target completed Managing director Tim Brooks stresses change and that it had not dented their that budget reductions have been agreed enormous pride in working for GNM. The with departments rather than being imposed results of the 2009 survey came too late on them. “We have not imposed blanket to include in this publication but will be percentage reductions. We have asked each available on our sustainability website at area of the business to come forward with guardian.co.uk/sustainability by the autumn. their proposals and in each case these have The last survey highlighted four areas of been respected. weakness – appraisals, recruitment, career “The market conditions do take their progression, and fairness and consistency toll and one of the things I have been in the way we pay and reward staff – and trying to amplify during this period are our the board has been working hard to make community projects because the danger is improvements in each of these. that people feel rather woebegone, which is understandable during these difficult times. Updates on each of the four areas “Our community projects are a very listed above and for information rapid and immediate reminder of just how on staff communications go to fortunate we typically are compared with guardian.co.uk/sustainability/ large numbers of people who live very close ourpeople » to the building.” (See page 41 for details of community projects.) While falling morale is a fact of life during guardian.co.uk/sustainability difficult economic times, Brooks says this

Future gazing GNM had hardly put the finishing touches been unavoidable. As always, GNM has to its company-wide reorganisation plan to concentrated on voluntary redundancies make us fit for the digital revolution when and the non-replacement of those already the recession struck. This has forced us to leaving the company. take another hard look at the organisation, Managing director Tim Brooks stresses given that we are having to cut more than that budget reductions have been agreed £20m in costs to cope with the collapse in with departments rather than being advertising revenue. imposed on them. “We have not imposed All of the decisions being taken are blanket percentage reductions. We have intended to minimise the impact on asked each area of the business to come employees, although staff cuts have forward with their proposals and in each Kings Place meeting room Photo: Jill Mead

26 27 XxxxxxxxxPeople | Editorial | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx integration xxxxxxxx XxxxxxxxxxxxxxEditorial xxxxxxxx integration | Xxxxxxxxx | People

Union response How do we inte- NUJ we have to keep our own house in order. We are “integrated”. Large numbers of Alan Rusbridger in previous editions of staff who, a year or so ago, were working Living Our Values has referred to the specifically for the Guardian, guardian. need for “transparency, collaboration, co.uk or the Observer are now working discussion”. The chapel has taken up these grate for all three. The bedding down begins very issues with the Scott Trust Ltd. We – in some cases painfully. Hopefully feel that the readers and journalists and integration will be a brilliant success others on the GNM staff should know editorially, though it’s hard to say from more about how the trust operates, how with integrity? the reader’s point of view whether there’s it reaches its decisions, and indeed how an appreciable difference yet. From the much it is consulted by the GMG board, Observer journalists’ point of view, there or whether it is mostly called upon to is some anxiety about continued quality rubberstamp policies agreed by the board. and independence of their paper. And in We have approached the trust, suggesting the early stages of integration several that more transparency and dialogue journalists have reported stress, overwork, would be helpful and we received a not long hours and confusion over having to wholly unfriendly response. report to a multitude of editors. The whole Helen Oldfield, outgoing chair of the process is the subject of a review, involving Guardian NUJ chapel an outsider so that people may feel free to speak candidly. Matters may improve Unite in any case, since the website has come to Managers of relegated football teams the view – held by the NUJ chapel from the invariably proclaim the experience will outset – that what is needed online is not make them stronger in the long term. endless material, but high-quality material The GNM Unite chapel is feeling a bit that is authentically Guardian or Observer. like that now. Following the large-scale Six months after GNM’s revolutionary editorial There is scepticism among chapel members redundancies we experienced last year, whether the appointment – usually through I referred in a previous column to our reorganisation was set in motion, we look at what internal promotion – of a new layer of trepidation about the impacts of the “platform-neutral” editors was really the coming recession. has worked and what problems need addressing best, most economical way of overseeing We were right to be worried. We have been an integrated journalistic workforce, hit by a wage freeze until 1 April 2010 hen editorial staff moved spewing out swift stories without having the month period alone in spring 2009 and especially as the recession bites and at the earliest, and with GNM having to to our new office in time to investigate, analyse or contextualise. expressed ambitions to undertake a similarly the number of troops further down the sharply cut spending, further redundancies December 2008, it Further, there was no desire for the bold process. hierarchy dwindles as people leave and are hang in the air. Many colleagues working signalled a revolution adrenaline of the first weeks to be replaced Guardian editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger not replaced. Perhaps that, too, will bed within other parts of GMG have already with journalists now by exhaustion. says the “integration has been completed down over time. lost their jobs. working across the Faced with a choice between speed and without losing a minute of production, The recession also made it very clear this While we will do our utmost to prevent WGuardian, Observer and guardian.co.uk. accuracy, accuracy wins every time. But without any industrial action and without is not going to be a great year for pay rises further job losses, we will also be Here we explain how the project has fared. another rule for breaking news has been losing anybody and with maximum however much productivity increases, concentrating on preventing any erosion of For editors in news, the big change is a useful: be completely transparent. That cooperation. This in itself is a huge which made it a good time to focus on our members’ terms and conditions. physical one: they now sit together. Instead means not disguising sources: if the claims achievement. other things – notably a “remoralisation” of We hoped that our move to Kings Place of being spread out and four floors apart, come via a wire service, say that; if they can’t “There have been mergers, although the company. would give us a boost, although we were three departments – home, foreign and be immediately verified, say that. not as complicated, on other papers, but The pay freeze mooted for all staff threw concerned that the move from in-house business – now talk to each other across one “We hope that the need for breaking news in all cases they left quite a lot of blood into high relief the very large salaries to contracted-out staff for many of our desk. They speak, plan, plot and commission is now understood by everyone internally,” on the floor. We have raised productivity relative to the rest of the company and the services would lead to a reduction in together. At its best that means more ideas says one desk editor. “And there has been and the quality of what we are doing as traditionally handsome bonuses that have efficiency. being fired off, more lateral thoughts, less plenty of evidence over the past six months we are able to bring greater resource and been paid to members of the Guardian While Kings Place is a wonderful building, a feeling that people are working away in to argue that it hasn’t been at the expense focus on it. Media Group (GMG) board. These bonuses it has lost some of its sparkle. Business semi-isolated silos. It is an entirely new of well-researched, breakthrough pieces, “I cannot think of any area where the may have been cut back – or even forgone centres can stay inactive for long periods collaboration, which depends on trust and, investigations or campaigns.” anxieties, such as staff becoming agency completely and voluntarily in some cases as a consequence of engineers being made in a departure from decades of accepted All this hasn’t gone unnoticed. The monkeys or a decline in plurality and – this year and will not be paid at all next redundant and we came close to losing a journalistic practice even among close Washington Post has announced, after diversity of comment, have come to pass. Integration within editorial pods year. But this is a response to extraordinary Saturday edition of the paper on the very colleagues, openness. a close evaluation of what we do, their On all measurements what we are doing Photo: Jill Mead financial conditions rather than an day a number of staff in the technology Evidence of just how far the journey has own integrated, pod-based structure. is better. acknowledgment that bonuses, essentially department were told their services were been comes every Thursday at 4.45pm. Newspapers from China, India, Canada, “This is not to say it is perfect, and we for doing your job, have no place in an no longer required. There, the main topics for the following Portugal, Japan, Denmark, Spain, Austria, are now conducting a wholesale review. We organisation such as ours. Some of our erstwhile colleagues and day’s Guardian, the focus planned for Germany and Taiwan visited within a two- always said it would be impossible to design The Scott Trust – or the Scott Trust Ltd friends who lost their jobs, have been Saturday’s paper, and how the Observer is a system that was right from day one. Round as it has now become – is dedicated to unsuccessful in their attempts to acquire shaping up for Sunday, are run through along the edges, there have been a lot of anxieties maintaining the tradition of high-quality, gainful alternative employment. This with the web menu for the following three about levels of work and about whether liberal journalism but it is sometimes sticks in the gullet when we see the loss days. It provokes debate, cuts duplication our system of creating specialist pods of forgotten that the trust is the fruit of of service in areas like post, which can and focuses resources. Nevertheless, old  journalists is working. Now we can sort out take an inordinate amount of time to A fuller version of the Union the Scott family’s great generosity, news editors would rather have stabbed It is a new collaboration of the details.” response can be found at social conscience and lack of personal arrive, or when important phone calls are each other with their spikes than go through To that end, two reviews were guardian.co.uk/sustainability/ greed. These are values we would like not received. Previously straightforward that experience. which depends on trust and, commissioned from external consultants in unionresponse » the company to live and have been processes, like booking a meeting room, At the beginning of 2009, several potential in a departure from accepted June 2009. One is a series of interviews with campaigning vigorously to this end for have become more difficult. issues were clear. There was debate about desk editors, production editors, writers and much of the year. Of course this has This is no criticism of the workforce in the tension between the need for speed and practice, openness subs, while the other is concentrated on six been very irritating to management, who the relevant outsource companies here, how it could compromise our journalism. focus groups with people chosen at random vigorously rebut our charges – and we’re as they are all new to the job and do not With round-the-clock publication, some had across editorial. The results will be passed guardian.co.uk/sustainability aware that if we’re to moralise in this way know GNM staff in the same way as their voiced fears of creating a massive treadmill,  on to staff.

28 29 XxxxxxxxxPeople | Diversity | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxDiversity | Xxxxxxxxx | People Grae m e R obert s o n and April 2009 confirmed this view. We actively support young minority ethnic journalists through GNM’s positive Putting all people first action scheme, which annually offers 12 work placements. Separately, the Scott Trust offers 10 postgraduate bursaries and funds five NCTJ (National Council for the Training of Journalists) journalism diversity bursaries. But few of these trainees make it on to the staff of either the Guardian or the Observer. If GNM is to become a leader in workplace equality and diversity, and a Editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger relevant voice for its readership as a whole, it needs a radically new strategy admits that progress is slow but says our publications compare well with our competitors and that a great deal has Staff breakdown, 2009 changed in the past five years with black and Asian journalists filling prominent news and comment posts. He also points to our Gender 2009/2004 Full time & part time Ethnic mix, respondents only Disability Comment is Free website which he says is probably the most plural and diverse forum Ethnic Disabled for comment in the world. Male Female Full time Part time White minority 1/1 Not disabled 12/9 “Have we done well enough? No,” he 57/54 % 43/46 88 % 12 88/91 % No info % 80/75 says. “There are some glaring examples of 19/25 things we have done wrong in terms of our coverage and the pace of change has been SOURCE: INTERNAL REVIEW IN MARCH 2009 slower than it should have been. “It is a fact that going into a recession M has undergone Targets 2009-10 intended effect: that of marginalising iven our editorial influence, means there is much less movement of a fundamental the development of E&D and limiting its it is especially important staff so the opportunity to make fast and reappraisal of 1. New management process for diversity effectiveness and impact. Content ex- that our content reflects radical change is not there. But we are its equality and across the business up and running The new simplified structure relies the breadth of society. having a dialogue with black and minority diversity (E&D) 2. Set measurable targets against business on each board member and their senior Diversity champion Emily ethnic (BME) journalists on the paper to strategy because, critical diversity objectives team agreeing actions in line with the new pansion Bell questioned in her Media see how we can achieve more diversity. Gdespite makingN strenuous efforts, we have 3. Deliver on the 32 recommended actions business-wide diversity objectives. One GGuardian column last year whether it was One way of doing it is to think about the failed to make the progress we were hoping. for equality and diversity key objective is to carry on increasing the possible to “address audiences for which commissioning process and make a more E&D is fundamental to our core values, diversity of the workforce including the Do we adequately you have no instinctive feel, and towards determined effort.” given our guiding principles include Targets 2008-09 board and heads of department. reflect society in our which you show casual discrimination?” Bell says the meetings with BME providing a platform for the views Board diversity champion Emily Bell says Our annual readers’ survey showed that journalists “proved a very useful way of and experience of those who are often 1. Directors and heads of departments that “while we might feel we have done well writers – or what we 87% of those buying the Guardian believe we making it clear to heads of department that marginalised and excluded. Managing to deliver on equality and diversity so far, there is a great deal more to do. The adequately reflect society in terms of gender they are crucial to the process of changing director Tim Brooks is very clear also that measurable objectives board now has a grand total of four women write about? and 73% in terms of ethnicity. Among our how we are perceived in the outside world “unless we vigorously reflect the diversity 2. Undertake a strategic review of GNM’s out of 12 and no black, Asian or disabled web users, those figures fall respectively to and by our own staff.” of the people we cater to, the extent we equality and diversity progress to date, members. This is mirrored in the broader 75% and 60%. We intend doing this by focusing on three fail to do that will be the extent to which identifying future targets that will deliver commercial directors’ group. In terms of the composition of our writers, key areas: commissioning and content, we will fail to be a sustainable business in business critical diversity objectives “While some departments, such as around two-thirds of Guardian and Observer recruitment and retention/promotion. the long term.” advertising, have been particularly energetic readers feel that multicultural society is As a result of the reappraisal, the E&D 3. Procurement department to ensure in pursuing the diversity agenda, we are adequately represented. For more details on these three programme has been simplified and a new that diversity is considered in supplier not seeing the same focus or application The vast majority of the respondents were key areas go to guardian.co.uk/ head of diversity is being appointed who tender process (ongoing target, throughout the business. By placing white, but in focus group research held with sustainability/diversity » will now report directly to the managing now sits within operations) direct responsibility for diversity with members of ethnic minorities, the prevailing director. Brooks says: “Progress has been each director, it will make accountability view was that we are not serving our minority glacially slow in some areas of the business Key: = no progress; = more focused.” readers well. A review of images and content guardian.co.uk/sustainability and this is not good enough. We brought in a modest progress; = good progress; by the Guardian editorial team during March very experienced consultant, Pat Corcoran, The key objectives are to: and asked her to be blunt in her appraisal of • • Increase the diversity of our UK users External scrutiny where we are. • • Strengthen our ability to create “We don’t do badly in terms of ethnic distinctive output and business services In addition to our own internal review, People diversity diversity and gender but are not leading in  through diversity we participated in the Opportunity Now any sense in either of those. We don’t like One of the problems is that we • • Build diversity measures into benchmarking and we received a silver being average; we want to be excellent. performance management award which reflected a lower score Key findings for Guardian Overall ■Guardian News and Media By having the diversity manager report have not been radical enough • • Utilise flexible working to achieve for impact compared to our excellent News and Media ■Private sector ■Opportunity Now norm centrally, it will give the weight of my office and we have not had our business objectives performance in the other areas of to the initiatives that the incoming person • • The board-level diversity champion measurement. is running and signal how important we diversity spectacles on role will continue and head-up a new high- Opportunity Now acknowledged good Performance Commitment & think it is. level taskforce where the work on E&D diversity delivery structures are in place improvement engagement “One of the problems is that we have from across the business can be developed at GNM. The business case, strategy not been radical enough, and past hiring  and monitored. A diversity champion integration and diversity monitoring at 20 decisions have not been taken with a pair will be appointed in each department and GNM are all of a high standard. With the 40 of diversity spectacles on. We need now progress will be reported to the board on a focus for 2009 being on increasing the 60 to go outside of the normal tried-and- quarterly basis. number of women in senior management, 80 Monitoring & 100 Integration tested channels.” • • In addition to the strategic changes, Opportunity Now believes that these measurement The internal review identified a lack of 32 recommendations on actions to deepen solid foundations will enable the delivery alignment with GNM’s core strategy which and accelerate progress were identified of sustainable performance in relation had resulted in our considerable investment and agreed. These recommendations will to gender. They highlighted the lack of SOURCE: OPPORTUNITY NOW in diversity actually having the opposite form the baseline of our diversity work

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Our ambition is to be environmentally regenerative. We will A key objective for GNM is to ensure that the environmental impact of investigate how we can become carbon positive — go beyond our operations is taken into consideration at the outset of every project carbon neutral and positively affect climate change t tends to be the case that it’s easier Nine objectives as our ICT infrastructure, given that we are to talk about something than to increasingly a digitally based business. actually do it. While our expertise Governance and greatest impact lies in our 1. Ensure new governance structure is Vision editorial team putting politicians working effectively across GNM Our vision states our ambition to be and business leaders under 2. Support GMG on visioning and environmentally regenerative and that we Iincreasing pressure for failing to do enough governance will investigate how we can become carbon to mitigate the effects of climate change, we 3. Increase directors’ involvement in positive, to go beyond carbon neutral and have been working hard to build our skills continual improvement positively affect climate change. base in putting our own house in order. 4. Integrate sustainability into financial With the work we have carried out so far, It is no easy task. It has presented a decision-making and reporting we now need to more accurately map out challenge to improve the quality of our our journey to get there. The key to moving carbon accounting and to get the many Operational performance towards this goal is to embed sustainability and diverse departments within the 5. Develop carbon footprint, reduction into the thousands of decisions made company working together to minimise measures and long-term carbon positive every day, ranging from the document our environmental impact. strategy an employee chooses not to print to the Defining our vision to be environmentally 6. Embed sustainability in procurement particular paper product we purchase regenerative has been extremely useful company-wide because it has stronger environmental in showing the large gap between 7. Increase the sustainability of our credentials. It may be a cliche, but everyone our aspirations and our reality. Our processes, products and services can make a difference. environmental manager has been putting To build a framework around this, processes in place to measure our impacts Stakeholders our sustainable development team and and we are now at the point where we 8. Increase staff awareness and environmental manager have worked can start to create meaningful targets for engagement on sustainability with GNM’s strategy department to agree improving our performance, rather than 9. Strengthen assurance for stakeholders a plan for the next year, which we have just setting objectives. and develop online reporting boiled down to nine main objectives Managing director Tim Brooks agrees: “I under three headings: governance, feel confident we are travelling in the right operational performance and stakeholders direction. In terms of achieving our aims, it largely been concentrating on Scope (see box left). is a matter of setting appropriate targets and 1, our direct operations, and Scope 2, The objectives range from integrating bearing relentlessly down on them and then predominantly our use of purchased power, sustainability into financial decision- setting higher hurdles each year.” because this is where we have most control. making, embedding sustainability into While we are justly proud of our We have sought, wherever possible, to procurement company-wide, and increasing new, stylish offices with their strong switch to renewable energy and have been staff awareness and engagement on the sustainability credentials, behind the concentrating on reducing energy use at issues of environment and community. scenes we remain largely dependent on old- our major print sites and our offices, which Allied to this was a board decision that each style heavy industry. We rely on trees being represent the majority of our direct impact. director should set annual sustainability cut down and energy-intensive factories to Along with other leading companies, we objectives. Progress will be reported back to turn wood pulp into paper. We use large- also recognise that we have a responsibility the board on a quarterly basis. scale print sites to create our newspapers for the emissions coming from business So that all staff understand the vision and magazines, then use the road network travel and our supply chain, or Scope 3. and how their department can contribute to to take our products to all points in the While these are outside our direct control, it, the sustainable development department UK and many destinations across Europe. we know that they account for the majority held roadshows in the spring of 2009 with Beyond this, our production process uses of our overall emissions. all departments. hazardous chemicals and we also produce a We have already put in place a system for A key feature of many of these initiatives lot of waste. measuring our UK and overseas travel. We is to integrate sustainability thinking With regard to measuring our carbon are also increasing emphasis on measuring at the beginning of projects rather than emissions, we use the Greenhouse Gas the footprint of our paper sourcing and our concentrating on mitigating their impact Protocol as our guide. We have until now newspaper distribution network, as well at the end of the process.

32 33 XxxxxxxxxOperations | | Our Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx carbon strategy xxxxxxxx XxxxxxxxxxxxxxOur carbon xxxxxxxx strategy | | Xxxxxxxxx Operations

Carbon footprint Targets 2009-10 1. Paper sourcing: GNM carbon footprint Exceptional • Increase the certified virgin paper content from 70% to 90% for magazine paper by 2012 2008-2009 1% Unoccupied Scope 1 Scope 1 • Recycled levels for newsprint to be held at or above 80% offices energy Natural gas Refrigerant • Review data from the measurement of the carbon footprint from our paper supply Exceptional gases 1% 2. Develop carbon footprint, reduction measures and long-term carbon-positive strategy New office fit out Scope 1 • Establish quarterly reporting on our current carbon footprint 9.8% 8% Company • Add paper supply and wholesale and retail distribution to our carbon footprint vehicles 0.2% • Establish the footprint of our technology infrastructure and wholesale and retail Scope 3 5% distribution Landfill waste • Establish and implement office and print site carbon reduction plans – focus on energy Scope 3 Employee and waste business travel 5% • Review and establish policy and carbon reduction plan for our vehicle fleet and staff travel Total • Define what carbon positive means for our business and develop a carbon-positive road map by 2010 3. Embed sustainability in procurement and supply chain management company-wide • Company-wide procurement review 17,225 • Revise central procurement procedures on sustainability and identify priority areas tonnes CO2 • Establish good procurement practice company-wide, with a strong sustainability element • Review environmental performance of third-party print sites and engage on improvement measures • Develop third-party supplier management training for staff including sustainability 4. Increase the sustainability of our processes, products and services • Finance: integrate sustainability into capital expenditure decision-making • Magazines: achieve chain-of-custody certification for our weekend magazines Scope 2 • Promotional newspaper supplements including A5 Guides to Walking, etc, wall charts 70% Purchased electricity and booklets that are included in paper to help drive additional sales growth: establish understanding of impacts and identify improvement measures

Comments: Sites covered: four Farringdon offices, Kings Place office, including Guardian Media Group (GMG) which occupies a small part of the office space, the Guardian Print Centres (GPC) in London and Manchester, with altogether about 94% of GNM staff in the UK • Natural gas and purchased electricity covers: ○ Three Farringdon offices, Targets 2008-09 April-November 2008, ○ Kings Place office including GMG, December 2008-March 2009, ○ One Farringdon office and GPC London and Manchester for the whole year. • Refrigerant gases cover GPC London and Manchester. • Company vehicles cover fuel use for all GNM company cars including GPC Manchester. • Business travel covers most flights, some rail travel, hybrid taxis and car miles on expenses for GNM office staff and GPC London, but does not cover GPC Manchester. We have reliable data on both air and rail travel since 1. Strengthen our process of continual environmental improvement, including environmental September 2008. April to August 2008 has been estimated. • Landfill waste covers waste from our old and new offices, with the exception of one building for which the council objectives, indicators and management reporting provided landfill services but no data on volumes. • Unoccupied offices energy use covers electricity and gas use for our three old Farringdon offices, December 2008-March 2009 or the date of building handover, Kings Place, April-November 2008, during the fit-out period. • New office fit-out covers embedded CO2 in building materials, travel to site by visitors 2. Develop our carbon reduction strategy and road map towards being carbon positive and transport for delivery, electricity use and landfill waste. 3. Measure the carbon footprint of the paper we purchase (by end of 2009) 4. Increase the certified content of virgin magazine paper to 90% by 2012 5. Support our print sites in jointly developing new environmental improvement Calculating programmes

6. Establish sustainability measures within procurement and business travel 7. Raise staff engagement and awareness levels of sustainability commitments and carbon costs performance GNM’s London print centre Photo: Zac Frackelton Key: = no progress; = modest progress; = good progress;

ur carbon strategy forms a • Scope 2 indirect emissions from equivalent. (see graphic above left) By creating a single management when producing a newspaper, the largest Reducing the carbon core part of our ambition purchased electricity. While substantially higher than the structure, the two sites are now working being solvents used in cleaning the presses footprint of our to be environmentally • Scope 3 indirect emissions from: 14,272 tonnes of CO2 in the same period the closely on environmental issues and we post-production. These solvents contain regenerative. The most employee business travel; waste disposal. previous year, it is difficult to compare for have established a joint working group, volatile organic compounds (VOC) which operations is an ongoing important first step is to We are expanding our ambitions in the three main reasons: which includes GNM’s head of sustainable can have adverse health and environmental ensure we have a good current financial year to start calculating • We now account for all emissions from development and environmental manager. impacts. For some time GPC London has challenge, but both Ounderstanding of our carbon footprint. more of our indirect emissions from our our Manchester print site, whereas we had As a result, both print sites are working on been looking for a non-VOC alternative for its Now that we have a process in place for newsprint and magazine paper as well previously accounted for 50% when it was a a joint action plan, establishing a common cleaning solvents and will be trialling such a our print centres are measuring our emissions, we are at the point as our wholesale and retail distribution joint Guardian-Telegraph venture. set of key performance indicators, and are solvent in the coming months. where we can start to set reduction targets. network, which form the largest part of our • This year we accounted for the energy more involved in energy supply contracts. GPC Manchester has put in place a new working together to We are initially concentrating our resources supply chain. use of our old offices after we moved out, but GPC Manchester is furthest down the environment team and completed energy- reduce their overall in the areas where we can make most We are also keen to better understand while still under lease and for our new offices road in developing its environmental reduction projects including a new building impact, our print sites and offices. the impact of our technology. While during the fit-out before we moved in. credentials and this expertise is now being chiller and compressor programme. It environmental impact sustainability is a key criterion for IT • We included the carbon footprint shared with London, which has made has also improved its measurement and Carbon footprint purchasing, our technology department is of fitting out our new offices, a one-off great strides over the past years to catch reporting capacity. At the time of going to We are developing our carbon footprint now establishing the carbon footprint of our calculation. up, including implementing a range of print, GPC Manchester was undergoing its according to the international Greenhouse ICT infrastructure, with the aim of reducing energy-efficiency measures on cooling and certification to the Carbon Trust standard; Gas Protocol. We currently account for the energy and informing future decision- GNM print sites lighting. GPC London is also in the process awarded to companies which measure, following emissions from our London offices making in areas such as data centre services. Within our directly owned operations, the of establishing new waste management manage and reduce their carbon footprint and two print sites, covering about 95% of Calculating our carbon footprint has biggest impact we have is to improve the services to eliminate exports of paper over a three-year reduction period. our staff: been a challenge in 2008-09 because of environmental performance at our two large waste, reduce transport and increase the An audit of the print sites in May 2009 • Scope 1 direct emissions from: the disruption caused by our move to new Guardian Print Centres (GPC) in London and recycling of other waste which currently showed that while enormous progress has combustion of natural gas for heating; multi-tenanted offices. For the financial year Manchester. Both plants have now come goes to landfill. It has established an been made, there are improvements needed use of fuel in company-owned vehicles; ending March 2009, which included three under our direct management control, the environmental team with representatives to get to the media sector norm for “good losses of refrigerant gases from cooling months’ occupancy of our new office at Manchester site having been previously from all departments. practice” and a “further step change” to be equipment. Kings Place, we emitted 17,225 tonnes of CO2 jointly owned with the Telegraph Group. Large amounts of chemicals are used the best in sector.

34 35 XxxxxxxxxOperations | | Direct Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx emissions xxxxxxxx XxxxxxxxxxxxxxDirect xxxxxxxx emissions | | Xxxxxxxxx Operations Cleaning up our environment

Relocating to new offices presented an opportunity to reassess a number of GNM’s existing environmental practices Kings Place accommodates almost 200 bicycles Photo: Jill Mead

Offices Waste figures Office waste renewable energy supplies and a substantial The strong environmental credentials of our We have established a new waste price differential with brown energy, at a Kings Place office have now been confirmed management system in both our London time when the recession was forcing us to by official audits. The building was awarded 2006-2007 total 537.00 tonnes offices and we are also participating in a food cut costs. Despite this, directors were clear a very good BREEAM (Building Research waste pilot project with Islington council. that this was a question of principle and Establishment Environment Assessment Our general waste no longer goes to landfill, secured a two-year contract for renewably Method) rating for building design and 369.00 but is incinerated to generate energy. sourced electricity from Scottish and tonnes 168.00 construction. Ratings range from pass Land-filled tonnes Southern Electricity for the London print site and good up to very good and excellent. Recycled Travel and our smaller London office in Farringdon. It has also been awarded a B for its Energy Business travel is expected to fall sharply in However, we suffered a setback when the Performance Certificate which rates the 2007-2008 total 489.31 tonnes 2009-10 because of the necessity to cut costs. managing agents of our new office at Kings performance of the building in use. Like Local taxis have been banned for all staff and Place switched supplier from Ecotricity to a many domestic appliances, the ratings range overseas travel requires the agreement of a brown contract, without consultation. from A-G. 312.71 director. We want to ensure that we don’t We subsequently met up with the Of course this does not mean that we can tonnes 176.60 just return to previous travel levels when the managing agent and jointly agreed that sit back on our laurels because it is important Land-filled tonnes economy recovers. This is why it is essential no future contracts will be signed before Recycled that we work to make further improvements to establish a sustainable travel policy. extensive consultations. to our lighting and ICT infrastructure To reduce the impact of our staff Given that we are now locked into a as well as encouraging staff to be more 2008-2009 total 544.99 tonnes travelling between home and work, we can two-year brown contract, we will place our environmentally conscious. Now we are accommodate almost 200 bikes in the Kings emphasis on reducing energy consumption. settled in our new offices and can monitor 64.49 Place car park. As a result, there is space our energy, we will be able to set reduction tonnes for only three cars. We have new video- Carbon offsetting 294.00 Incineration targets. tonnes 186.51 conferencing facilities, but need to see After investigating the carbon-offsetting Land-filled tonnes Recycled whether we can monitor use to know if they market last year, we decided to take a more Office move have an impact in terms of reducing travel. innovative approach that was aligned

We successfully met our target to ensure Note: The above data covers normal office and canteen waste and not the move- With the creation of a central online with our ambition to be environmentally a minimum of waste going to landfill as generated waste outlined under office move. We increased the total volume of waste travel-booking system, we can now track regenerative. We therefore formed over the last year, and the amount recycled has slightly decreased as a percentage of the a result of our office move. We donated total. This is, however, to be expected in a year which saw us move offices. As waste miles travelled by air and rail, including CO2 partnerships with three organisations with services for our new offices are shared, we have calculated our figures as a percentage 220 tonnes of furniture to the charity at just over 50% of general and recycled waste but 75% of paper waste, as we are the emissions, on a monthly basis. This data, different approaches to carbon reduction: GreenWorks. More than two-thirds was main contributors to paper waste in the building given our business combined with a review of existing travel • We aim to support carbon reduction recycled with the remainder donated to policies and practices, will help us to identify within our own community, and through charities or sold for reuse. key areas where we can make improvements. C-Change we are investing in Eco-Mission, a Sustainability was at the heart of the schools-based sustainability programme at Kings Place fit-out, carried out by Overbury. Energy supply our community partner school in Islington, It recycled 56% of fit-out waste, while Our journey towards becoming Elizabeth Garrett Anderson ensuring that all timber procured was environmentally regenerative would start • We help fund Sandbag which lobbies certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. to look hollow if we were to continue to use to ensure that fewer pollution permits Overbury was noted as “an exceptionally “brown” energy to power our operations. are given to energy-intensive companies good site” and achieved 37/40 under the  The largest part of the emissions we under the EU emissions trading scheme and Considerate Constructors Scheme. We W currently measure are due to electricity buys and retires permits from the system, worked with Overbury to establish the e can now track miles consumption at our offices and print sites. thereby pushing up their cost and reducing fit‑out carbon footprint: 895 tonnes CO2. travelled by air and rail, Our two offices and London print site had pollution. We also support Sandbag by Using the shadow carbon price of £25 including CO2 emissions, on a been using renewable energy from Ecotricity highlighting their work on our environment per tonne, we will provide an equivalent and we have been hoping our Manchester website amount of money to our partner Sandbag monthly basis print site would also go green once its long- • The Converging World invests in large- to remove European emissions allowances term brown contract ends in 2010. scale renewable energy projects in India. (EUAs) from the European Emissions But our contract renewal negotiations Profits from its investments provide funding GNM’s new offices Photo: Graeme Robertson Trading scheme.  in spring 2009 were affected by a lack of for local sustainable development work.

36 37 XxxxxxxxxOperations | | Indirect Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx emissions xxxxxxxx XxxxxxxxxxxxxxIndirect xxxxxxxx emissions | | Xxxxxxxxx Operations

now account for two-thirds of the total.  We also share a responsibility for the next step in the distribution chain, where papers Emissions data suggests every are delivered by smaller vehicles from the wholesale depots to retail outlets. tonne of paper we purchase GNM brought sustainability into the heart produces half a tonne of CO2 of its negotiations for the renewal of our wholesale distribution contracts, not only requesting environmental performance data but following this up through the  negotiation period. Where performance in a company was judged to be below good country of origin. For example, a tonne practice, the department’s sustainability of 100% recycled newsprint from the UK expert offered to supply advice to support creates 363kg of CO2 per tonne while the them in making improvements. same grade from Norway, which contains 85% virgin fibre, creates only 9kg. This Polybagging is because the UK grid uses mainly coal We don’t like the fact that we wrap our and gas while Norway’s power comes weekend papers in a plastic see-through predominantly from hydro-electric power. polywrap. Neither do our readers, with CO2 emissions for GNM’s magazine grades nearly 90% saying in our recent survey in the first two months on average were that it is important we explore more responsible for 300kg per tonne. environmentally friendly alternatives. Now we have this data, we are looking The problem is that they are essential at whether we should alter our purchasing given the need to hold together our multi- decisions. Our overall carbon footprint from sectioned papers and the insistence of some our paper purchasing will reduce in 2009 of our supermarket clients to have our as a result of cost-cutting. By reducing our publications ready-bundled. pagination, we will be reducing the tonnage We have investigated alternatives to used from 98,000 tonnes in 2008 to around plastic, but there is nothing currently on 88,000 tonnes in the current financial year. the market that is practical or affordable. We also probed the value of using Magazine print sites biodegradable plastic, but a lifecycle Our primary magazine print contractors analysis report in 2008 failed to provide Polestar and Appleweb both have ISO 14001 conclusive evidence on the improved accreditation, which involves them in environmental impacts. We have therefore continual improvement programmes. been concentrating on reducing the The large Polestar site in Sheffield, which thickness of the plastic, lowering it from 30 prints Guardian Weekend magazine, opened microns to 22.5 microns at one print site and in 2006 with modern, efficient presses and from 30 microns to 25 microns at the other. state-of-the-art environmental controls. We are working on the possibility of more Furthermore, Polestar is using a web-based highly specified equipment which would GNM’s London print centre Photo: Zac Frackelton tool which allows customers to calculate the allow further improvements. carbon footprint of their products to allow them to make more informed decisions Procurement and supply about their product format and design. GNM chain management Delivering more news, is looking at how we can use this tool, fitting Our central procurement team was in with our own measurement criteria. responsible for embedding sustainability into the purchasing of the services and Chain-of-custody supplies for our new offices and is using GNM is working with Polestar to achieve the experience gained to help negotiate but less waste chain-of-custody accreditation for both new contracts, ranging from retail Weekend and Observer Magazine. This distribution to print site waste services allows us to display certification on our and energy procurement. products showing that the paper we are Many parts of the business are responsible uardian Media Group, the Guardian and Observer was 96.43%, Carbon footprint using from certified forests are not mixed for their own purchasing and have been By focusing on our which buys newsprint and which is consistent with the previous year. In 2009 GMG started placing an emphasis with products from uncertified forests at any developing their own skill sets. For example, entire supply chain, magazine-grade paper for Of the very small amount of additional on gathering carbon footprint data point in the supply chain. We are expected to our business-to-business division is GNM, has in the past been virgin newsprint used, a significant upstream in its paper supply chain. We have completed this by the end of 2009. developing greener conferences, while our we aim to reduce the concentrating on developing proportion was certified as coming from are concentrating on emissions resulting print, distribution and sales department its paper-purchasing policy sustainable sources. from the energy used by our paper Distribution is planning a review of the environmental environmental impact Gand carrying out audits to ensure that it is For our magazines, over the same two- manufacturers, which represents by far All our newspapers and the majority of our performance of the contracted print sites sourcing from responsibly managed forests. month period 16.19% was recycled, a small the biggest element. magazines are transported from our print that produce the Guardian and Observer. of our paper sourcing, This system has now been further decrease on the 18% reported last year. Of We now have a reasonably complete, sites to our wholesale depots by CEVA, so Central procurement has engaged a improved by reporting data on areas such as the virgin fibre content in our magazine- preliminary set of numbers for the first this company is a key contributor to our consultant to review existing sustainability newspaper production recycled/virgin content on a monthly basis grade paper, 82.7% was certified, compared two months of the 2009 financial year. If carbon footprint. It estimates its emissions procedures and practices and identify ways and delivery methods to directors, rather than the previous annual with 62% for the whole of 2008. It is hoped we extrapolate this data for an entire year, at 1.1kg of carbon per road mile, and is now to strengthen sustainable procurement. audit. This gives a much greater ability to this figure will rise further during 2009 as the estimated annual CO2 emissions would aiming at being able to report at individual Meanwhile, our organisational make ongoing adjustments to our purchasing we have asked the mills we are working be about 38,000 tonnes for GNM, which contract level. It is also currently running development department is creating new plans if we are failing to meet our targets. with to provide us with a higher percentage compares with our direct footprint of 17,225 tests on electric and dual-fuel vehicles. third-party supplier management training The data available at the time of printing of certified paper and are looking at tonnes. The emissions data suggests every In the past year we have made a significant for GNM staff, in cooperation with the this report, shows that for the first two alternative suppliers that can help us tonne of paper we purchase produces half a reduction in our emissions by increasing the central procurement team, environmental months of the financial year 2009-10, meet our long-term ambition to have 90% tonne of CO2. number of shared routes with competitor manager and legal department. The training the recycled content of newsprint for certified content by 2012. The carbon intensity depends on the titles by nearly a quarter to 61. Shared routes will have a strong focus on sustainability.

38 39 Xxxxxxxxx | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx Overviewxxxxxxxx || CommunityXxxxxxxxx Get with the programme Communities GNM is committed to human aspects of sustainable development, We will work in partnership with our local and global communities to globally and locally, through a range of community projects address their social and environmental needs, by highlighting the issues and providing volunteering, resources and funding limate change and The objectives of our community The profile of our community programme environmental issues can partnership programme are to: has grown over the past year thanks to dominate the sustainability greater engagement from our board of debate, but we recognise that 1. Demonstrate the Scott Trust values to directors. The catalyst was the directors’ sustainable communities stakeholders, in particular employees and participation, ahead of our move to new are of vital importance in our local community offices in Kings Cross, in a “Seeing is Caddressing the many interlinked issues 2. Ensure building sustainable Believing” visit to community groups to within sustainable development. communities is a key element of the see first-hand the challenges faced by local We promote the human element company’s sustainability commitments people and the impact we can have. of sustainability both editorially and 3. Demonstrate leadership from the Carolyn McCall, chair of the GNM board, operationally, through our established GNM board in feedback to the Prince of Wales, patron community partnerships, commitment to 4. Address local communities’ social and of Seeing is Believing, wrote: “It made our equality and diversity and advocating for environmental needs executive team think very hard about what human rights and social justice (see page 12). 5. Increase staff involvement with our it meant and they began to be far more Internationally, this ranges from our local community engaged in a much more meaningful way in award-winning, three-year £2.6m integrated 6. Link volunteering to staff development our community activities.” development project in Uganda (see 7. Collaborate with community Another key development has been to guardian.co.uk/katine) to the continuing organisations, funders and other align projects more closely to our staff work of the Guardian Foundation in training and development needs. This is not supporting the development of a free press, only a recognition that we have as much primarily in eastern Europe and Africa to learn as to teach, but our experience (see below). is that managers are more motivated Closer to home, we have developed to get involved if they understand that a number of long-term community volunteering projects can teach their staff partnerships near our main office in King’s certain skills more effectively than more Cross, London (see page 45). traditional training settings.

Scott Trust Foundation The Scott Trust Foundation is the umbrella with organisations such as Open Society on the rich content of the Katine website organisation for charitable activities taking Fund, the British Council and the BBC World (guardian.co.uk/katine). The centre also place under the direction of our owner, the Service Trust. runs twilight workshops and holiday Scott Trust. Its remit reflects one of the Over the past year, the foundation was activities and a range of digital activities trust’s key objectives of “promoting the involved in projects around the world from are being developed including news video causes of freedom of the press and liberal south-east Asia to South Africa. It also and podcasting. journalism both in Britain and elsewhere”. continues its decade-long commitment to Full details about the centre’s work It has three separate arms: the Guardian the South African Mail and Guardian training can be found at guardian.co.uk/ Foundation, the education and archive scheme for young South African journalists gnmeducationcentre. centre, and the Scott Trust charitable fund. in Johannesburg, by providing funding and GNM’s archive preserves and promotes The Scott Trust Foundation also funds practical support. the histories and values of the Guardian 10 internships and bursaries for aspiring and the Observer newspapers and websites journalists each year. More information Education centre and archive through collecting, cataloguing and about the Scott Trust Foundation can be GNM’s education centre, sited at our making accessible unique material that found at gmgplc.co.uk/scotttrust offices at Kings Place, provides a range provides a comprehensive history of the of programmes for students and adults. papers. More information about the archive The Guardian Foundation School groups learn how to make a can be found at guardian.co.uk/gnmarchive The Guardian Foundation is the Guardian’s newspaper front page in a purpose-built overseas training arm. Rather than education centre with state-of-the-art Scott Trust Charitable Fund providing students, classes and teachers, technology that mimics the workings The Scott Trust Charitable Fund supports it offers contacts and information and of the actual newsroom. Workshops for projects associated with independent promotes dialogues between working schools and colleges are free and heavily journalism, journalist ethics, media literacy journalists and news organisations through oversubscribed. In 2009 new sessions and journalist training, both in the UK a series of visits, seminars and lectures. have been developed on sustainable and abroad. In the past year, it has paid The foundation often works in partnership development and the environment, drawing for a research project about public trust

40 41 XxxxxxxxxCommunity || XxxxxxxxxxxxxxCase studies xxxxxxxx XxxxxxxxxxxxxxCase xxxxxxxx studies || CommunityXxxxxxxxx

days* How GNM gets 630 donated involved 10% of GNM employees have volunteered over the past financial year The ad department recently took part in 16 community projects ranging from payroll helping a local boxing club to delivering furniture and books to Sierra Leone 34% giving

There were many examples of real impact. The team working with Yakup and Afsar from South Camden community Greenworks, which recycles office school create an urban allotment with GNM’s furniture, including deliveries to Sierra ad department Photo: Anna Gordon Leone, raised £7,620 and organised a cheaper deal for container shipping to Africa. They also located a further 3.5 tonnes of unwanted school furniture every month and secured a donation of books Movable feast from publisher Hodder & Stoughton. Another group of staff were able to help a local boxing club secure a long-term lease, at peppercorn rent, from Islington council. This is hugely important for them, because they’ve been unable to apply for New starters will now help develop an urban redevelopment funds for their overworked premises as they had no security of tenure. allotment to gain understanding of conservation Perhaps the standout single piece of work was for Kids Company, which n June 2009 GNM launched an innovative some will have been trained to be “global provides practical, emotional and portable allotment project, which teaches generators” or peer educators to other young educational support to vulnerable inner- the values of sustainability through people as well as to Guardian staff. city children and young people in south urban food production and community The activity days combine theory, practice London. The team not only got the kids to regeneration in King’s Cross. and reflection to ensure that both the design and create a fund-raising ad – they Working with the award-winning charity young people and GNM staff gain an applied also ran it in the Guardian and negotiated IGlobal Generation, we have identified land understanding of the macro and micro issues free space in other titles, including Metro on the main King’s Cross regeneration site of sustainable development and how these and the Spectator. to use for growing food for our own staff relate to them as individuals. This approach Following the projects, an evaluation restaurant, as well as local markets, thus will also encourage participants to track survey was conducted with both creating the concept of “food metres” rather their own learning and attitudinal changes employees who had taken part as well as than “food miles.” and reflect on how these experiences can the community organisations involved to Argent, the developer, is also supporting be translated into their future lives, be it at Ashley from GNM’s ad department learns DJing at the New Horizons youth centre in Somers Town, London. GNM staff have been involved in assess the impact of the projects. the project by covering the cost of materials. work, home or in their local community. raising money for the centre, which works with homeless young people to enable them to develop skills and confidence Photo: Anna Gordon All of the 16 community projects either The portable allotments will be situated in The practical element depends on strongly agreed or agreed that they were large skips to be fully transportable around seasonal needs but includes growing herbs he integration of GNM’s the increased confidence, motivation and “very satisfied with the Guardian team’s the brownfield site, as different areas and vegetables, general upkeep, water community partnerships self-belief arising from participation in work” with 14 stating that both their staff, undergo development over the next 10 years. harvesting, learning how to cook healthy into our core activities took  the programme, particularly given the volunteers, service users and organisation For GNM, the project is centering around food and how to compost food waste. a major step forward when tough economic backdrop that his teams will benefit. new employees as a way of bringing our Participants will be encouraged to maintain a the near 300-strong ad Another group of staff were were facing. sustainability vision to life. This is, in part, a longer-term connection with the project and department worked with able to help the local boxing The 16 day-long projects, many of response to our last employee survey, which their local community through volunteering, T16 local community projects as part of its which have existing partnerships with gave a low score on staff’s awareness of which could include fundraising, PR and club secure a long-term lease at annual internal sales conference. GNM, were identified with the support of Sustainability vision sustainabilityIn numbers (below left). marketing advice, mentoring and workshops. The department has traditionally focused peppercorn rent community-based learning organisation, GNM new starters will undertake day- For Global Generation and GNM, on team building and communication but Three Hands. long practical projects on the allotment site, the project is about much more than added community involvement in 2009. All of the activities were planned ih the I understand the implications of GNM’s working alongside a diverse group of young just developing participants’ practical Commerial director Adam Freeman  local community groups to use and develop sustainability vision for my area people from local schools and homeless environmental knowledge, it is about said the community programme was a skills to meet community need both on the of responsibility organisations including EGA girls’ secondary developing transferable skills such as “powerful manifestation of our ambitions day itself, as well as through longer-term Agree school10% (tinyurl.com/qtzvtp) and New Horizon communication and confidence-building Unsure 33 of GNM employees have volunteered to be an ethical leader business.” (See links with GNM. A particular emphasis 37 Youth centre (nhyouthcentre.org.uk). The through bringing individuals from diverse page 23.) was placed on commercial skills, including GNMover thecollaboration past financial will formyear part of Global social, economic and ethnic backgrounds As well as making a tangible contribution sales, persuasion, communication, tenacity, % Generation’s existing education programme, together to work on a project they feel to the local community, Freeman was keen working with a diverse set of personalities, which engages young people who previously passionate about. For the young people, this that the experience would help embed the speed of thinking, adaptability and would have had little or no previous opens up further training and career options, principles of ethical leadership into his negotiation. Projects ranged from engagement with environmental issues. and for GNM staff it hopefully deepens teams’ dealings with colleagues, clients, equipping a music studio for a local Disagree Some of these young people will be understanding of environmental, diversity and suppliers. He was also keen to improve homeless centre to working with young 30 working towards the UK’s first recognised and community issues. day-to–day work performance through people to develop social enterprise ideas. SOURCE: GNM EMPLOYEE SURVEY BTec course in urban food production, and

42 *20% of which were during working hours, based on a 7-hour day SOURCE:Source: GNM GNM EMPLOYEE volunteer SURVEY tracking April 08-March 09 43

Community expenditure 2008/2009 Vounteers

It is virtually impossible for GNM to split issues or sponsoring conferences which What benefits do volunteers feel they expenditure on community-related raise profile and debate. have gained? initiatives from our core business, as We do, however, allocate specific funding they are integral to so much of what we for initiatives whose primary purpose is A sense of doing 95% do, be it producing editorial content to benefit the communities that something worthwhile informing society about social justice surround us It’s enjoyable 87% GNM charitable giving £190,462 Developing a relationship 87% with the children GNM charitable project management New experiences 77% (administration, volunteer training, staff and perspectives time, impact evaluation, travel, project documentation and communication) Deeper understanding 56% £177,340 Total of social issues

Scott Trust Foundation £725,422 How do volunteers feel their personal Education centre, Guardian Foundation, skills have been affected?, Scott Trust charitable fund and % who responded “improved” bursaries (includes management and administration costs) Patience 66% £357,620

Communication 67% SOURCE: GMG FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND GNM SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTS 2008-09

Creative thinking 58%

Confidence 40%

SOURCE: CSV SURVEY, AUGUST 2008 XxxxxxxxxCommunity || XxxxxxxxxxxxxxLocal partnerships xxxxxxxx XxxxxxxxxxxxxxLocal partnerships xxxxxxxx || CommunityXxxxxxxxx

GNM community partnerships

Sustaining the PARTNERS GNM ACTIVITIES

Schools partnerships EGA, Winton primary, Richard Cloudesley community Literacy support, teaching assistance, special projects

Youth organisations New Horizon Youth Centre, Live magazine GNM’s established history of local partnerships Fundraising, marketing and project support, HR and web support, journalism allowsSustainability us to vision put down rootsIn with numbers our neighbours and design skill support, mentoring and share skills and experience I understand the implications of GNM’s sustainability vision e have for mybeen area developing the three local schools we have supported of responsibility our community for many years – Elizabeth Garrett partnerships forAgree the past Anderson,10% Winton primary and Richard Prisons Unsure 33 of GNM employees have volunteered Pentonville Sustainability37 eight vision years, and our move InCloudesley numbers – we have further developed our to King’s Cross offered the newerover the relationships past financial with year Pentonville prison, Equipment donation, journalism and opportunity% to rethink our Age Concern Camden, New Horizon Youth design skill support approachIW understand and thedevelop implications new relationships, of GNM’s Centre and Camley Street natural park. whilesustainability maintaining vision our for links my witharea existing We have also been creating new projects partners.of responsibility with long-term partners such as Live The main criteria for ourDisagree communityAgree magazine10% to produce a Live North, by and Unsure 30 33 of GNM employees have volunteered partners 37is that they are local to our offices for young people around King’s Cross; and inSOURCE: King’s GNM EMPLOYEE Cross andSURVEY Clerkenwell. Over the developedover the past exciting financial new year partnerships, such coming year we will be% expanding this as our HR department’s work with local Older people to provide opportunities for our staff in communitySOURCE: GNM EMPLOYEE organisation SURVEY Bemerton Village to Age Concern Manchester, our print sites, and our newly share skills and develop their teamworking. Befriending, PR acquired US business. In addition, we aim We have broadened the opportunities for to work with groups involvedDisagree in media staff to engage with communities online, 30 education, those tackling social exclusion including launching a partnership with Ad exec Kate Finch works with children at CommunityandSOURCE: projects GNM EMPLOYEE that SURVEY expendituresupport GNM’s vision 2008/2009 online mentoring charity Horsesmouth. Vounteers the Summer Residentials project for charity to become environmentally regenerative. co.uk as well as working with Globalgiving. Kids Company Photos: Simon Kilby, Environment The full criteria for GNM’s local community co.uk,SOURCE: GNM which EMPLOYEE enables SURVEY staff to fundraise Anna Gordon, Elica Canter, David Mansell, Camley Street Natural Park, partnershipsIt is virtually can impossible be read atfor guardian.co.uk/ GNM to split andissues advocate or sponsoring for sustainable conferences development which What benefits do volunteers feel they Teri Pengilley, Dan Chung Global Generation community-partnerships.expenditure on community-related projectsraise profile overseas, and debate. including our three-year have gained? Conservation, portable community initiativesAs well as from ongoing our core volunteer business, support as for partnerWe do, however,project in allocateUganda, specific Katine. funding garden development they are integral to so much of what we for initiatives whose primary purpose is A sense of doing 95% do, be it producing editorial content to benefit the communities that something worthwhile Payroll giving and fundraising Communityinforming society expenditure about social justice 2008/2009 surround us Vounteers It’s enjoyable 87% While GNM supports various charities that Social inclusion GNM charitable giving fit with the company’s values or editorial It is virtually impossible for GNM to split issues or sponsoring conferences which What benefits do volunteers feel they themes, our award-winning payroll giving Bemerton Village management expenditure£190,462 on community-related raise profile and debate. haveDeveloping gained? a relationship 87% with the children and match-funding schemes give staff organisation initiatives from our core business, as We do, however, allocate specific funding the option to choose their own charitable HR and employment skills support, theyGNM are charitable integral projectto so much management of what we for initiatives whose primary purpose is A sense of doing New experiences 77% 95% organisations to support. As well as cleaning up and greening the estate with do,(administration, be it producing volunteer editorial training, content staff to benefit the communities that andsomething perspectives worthwhile matching employees’ fundraising efforts residents informingtime, impact society evaluation, about social travel, justice project surround us documentation and communication) DeeperIt’s enjoyable understanding 56% 87% pound for pound for the first £100 raised, of social issues GNM£177,340 charitable giving Total we also encourage staff to sign up to payroll giving. A third of our workforce £190,462 Developing a relationship 87% Scott Trust Foundation £725,422 Howwith the do children volunteers feel their personal currently donate to more than 200 Education centre, Guardian Foundation, GNM charitable project management skills have been affected?, charities, which compares with a national Scott Trust charitable fund and New experiences 77% average of just 4% according to a recent Online volunteering (administration, volunteer training, staff %and who perspectives responded “improved” time,bursaries impact (includes evaluation, management travel, project YouGov/Oxfam poll. As a result, charities Horsesmouth, Envision, Live magazine, and administration costs) documentation and communication) DeeperPatience understanding 56%66% have received more than £500,000 in the Straight Talking £177,340£357,620 Total of social issues Online mentoring and support

Scott Trust Foundation Communication 67% £725,422 How do volunteers feel their personal For in-depth coverage of each of SOURCE:Education GMG FINANCE centre, DEPARTMENT Guardian AND GNM SUSTAINABLE Foundation, DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTS 2008-09 skills have been affected?, our community partners including Scott Trust charitable fund and %Creative who respondedthinking “improved” blogs, picture galleries and bursaries (includes management 58% podcasts, go to guardian.co.uk/ International and administration costs) Katine/Amref, Global giving, Theatre for Patience 66% sustainability/community/ £357,620 a Change Confidence 40% comments » Fundraising, editorial coverage, education Communication 67% guardian.co.uk/sustainability and awareness raising SOURCE: GMG FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND GNM SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTS 2008-09 SOURCE: CSV SURVEY, AUGUST 2008

Creative thinking 44 58% 45

Confidence 40%

SOURCE: CSV SURVEY, AUGUST 2008 XxxxxxxxxAuditors | Independent | Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx analysis xxxxxxxx XxxxxxxxxxxxxxIndependent xxxxxxxx analysis | Xxxxxxxxx | Auditors

How we assure In some senses our job is similar to that of judgment to decide where to focus Not your a journalist: investigating and holding GNM our efforts. to account for its actions and words. For This year we checked a range of claims sustainability reporting, this role is often and data throughout the report, with a focus referred to as assurance, and our role is on the operations – an area where GNM to provide extra assurance to GNM and recognises it needs to concentrate its efforts. average its stakeholders. We do this using a set of This involved interviews with staff at guidelines and requirements known as the all levels of the organisation, including AA1000 assurance standard. This lays out board directors and employees at Kings commonly agreed expectations of us and of Place and the two print sites in London and GNM. The core expectation of GNM is three Manchester. We independently researched company principles that we check against: what issues might be important to GNM and Inclusivity: engaging with stakeholders its stakeholders. We reviewed the report, and involving them meaningfully in GNM’s and, identifying the claims and data reported, sustainability approach conducted site visits to search for evidence to Materiality: identifying the most important support these. issues to GNM and its stakeholders Our team included Mark Line, Jason Perks, Responsiveness: taking action on the Judith Murphy, Dick Dalley and Anne Euler, most important issues and communicating selected to provide the breadth and depth of those actions. expertise needed to cover the issues. In essence, this means checking that the right It is important that we are independent. issues are covered in the report. We have also advised GNM in the past on We also check that the information in its approach to responsible paper sourcing. the report is right, so we analyse the data This role has moved to one of assuring the and the claims made about achievements sourcing data this year – which we view as and performance. If GNM says “We are the fully compatible with our overall assurance GNM has made the commitments, but is it world leader”, we want to see evidence to role. We confirm that we have no other support this. work with GNM and have no relationships delivering on them? Auditors Two Tomorrows We could spend our entire time checking with significant stakeholders that might absolutely everything and very thoroughly. compromise our independence. We also deliver their verdict on the past year’s activity In reality this would take a huge amount of follow our code of conduct for assurance. resources, so we use the AA1000 assurance Details of our team’s experience can be NM is not your average is a work in progress and our understanding As this work develops, GNM will need standard to guide us on how much checking viewed on our website twotomorrows.com. company. Its Scott will deepen as our work continues. to be increasingly careful about the way it to do. This following opinion is a narrative Trust ownership and Significantly, we have been invited to extend  defines its sustainability-oriented services. Our work was designed to achieve a discussion of our findings. Our formal accompanying values mean our role to include rolling commentary on It will also need to be cautious about using “moderate” level of assurance, which AA1000AS (2008) assurance statement can sustainability is a more GNM’s new online reporting, which is a new It is rare to find a sales and its commendable efforts on measuring means we don’t check everything, we take be found at guardian.co.uk/sustainability/ natural step than for many and exciting development. marketing function that has sustainability impacts, for example through a sampling approach, focusing on the most auditors. We will be adding more comments Gcompanies. Based on the work we have the eco:metrics system, in ways that cannot important issues and using our professional online over the coming months. embraced sustainability done, GNM is to be commended for living Sustainability vision/ be supported by the underlying data. We up to its values and for blazing a trail in strategy with such vigour would like to see more coverage of marketing working out what sustainability means for When we started our assurance work issues and impacts in future reporting. admits, however, the significant investment performance indicators and targets should the company. The business decision-making earlier this year, the new strategies for in diversity has not yet led to change and we close any remaining gaps. criteria of reach, influence and return has Operations, People and Diversity were  Business strategy will be looking to see that the new strategy The company is also taking effective steps opened the door to putting sustainability still being finalised. It is too soon to form It is good to see inclusion on the delivers tangible results in the future. to address environmental issues in its supply at the heart of GNM’s plans. At a time when a detailed opinion on how well these are investment in international journalists sustainability website of developments not chains. The ongoing work on sustainability others are cutting back on sustainability being embedded. What we can say is that shows real leadership. It is still all too just in GNM but also its parent company Operations of paper supply is now being extended to investment, GNM has reinforced and alignment between strategic objectives, easy for companies to focus on peripheral Guardian Media Group. It is not enough for The appointment of a full-time environment include the carbon footprint of the pulp and increased this investment – for example director objectives and departmental targets sustainability issues. For GNM, its one business/division to excel if the rest manager has provided an impetus for paper mills. GNM is starting to look more through dedicated environmental appears to be in place, but the reality will journalism has the most significant impact of the company is not also taking decisive GNM’s internal environmental management systematically at other areas of purchasing, journalists in Beijing and Washington – play out in the coming year and we will and we are pleased to see the emphasis on action. We look forward to returning to this programme and real progress is being made. for example key contracts for distribution a sign of genuine commitment. be looking to see the results. At the end of this continuing. question in future. The company now needs to set some specific and printing. Such developments will take In a year of many changes for GNM, made the day the real proof will be in tangible With a dedicated environment pod we GNM’s transparency in facing up to the and ambitious targets for its facilities and time to mature, but together will be essential worse by turbulent times for newspapers improvement in performance. would expect significant coverage on this harsh realities of the current newspaper- operations and make sure it achieves them. in understanding and managing the wider in particular, much of the report addresses To help ensure the strategy is delivering area. We have not yet fully reviewed overall based business models is refreshing. This is For example, the electricity consumption aspects of GNM’s operations. work in progress and we are looking forward results in key areas we recommend a focus editorial coverage of the full breadth of an area of huge challenge for all newspapers. of offices and print works is by far the to seeing some of the newer activities on a few quantitative targets that help sustainability. We will be investigating GNM is in a privileged position because company’s main in-house contribution to Community blossom in the near future. It is clear to us people focus their efforts. The danger for balanced coverage of different issues over the of its relationship to the Scott Trust and global warming. Recent work to monitor key The breadth and depth of GNM’s that GNM and its staff are largely committed GNM is always having new initiatives and coming months and reporting back online. in our view must be seen to both lead the variables – such as energy, carbon, waste commitment to a wide range of community to the vision and the idea that it is “the right failing to deliver long-term results. way in developing a new model and at the – enables GNM to develop smart targets projects is apparent and to be commended. thing to do”. Such dedication means there Another risk is that in all the excitement Commercial same time ensuring it is compatible with its and offers the potential to make a tangible The eclectic, diverse range of partnerships are many objectives for sustainability and and genuine desire to do the right thing, Commercial stands out as an area where sustainability vision. This is another area we difference. We look forward to seeing firmer provides a unique opportunity for learning diversity that will require staff throughout commitments get made that may be hard the department has really tried to build will consider in the coming years. and more specific commitments over the that should continue to be actively used in the organisation to do more. Achieving these to really deliver. GNM should be mindful of sustainability principles into their work. months ahead. developing the company’s sustainability goals will be a challenge for people to deliver buzzwords and keep an eye on how they can It is rare to find a sales and marketing People GNM’s in-house print operations are thinking. There would probably also be in the current climate of staff and budget measure and deliver on these. function that has embraced sustainability The move to Kings Place has been hugely well on the way to meeting current norms benefit in reviewing how these projects align cuts. There is also some work still to be done with such vigour. We were impressed significant to the company’s people and of environmental management good with GNM’s strategic priorities. in getting everyone to understand that this is Editorial that the department is beginning to align team-working over the past year. It is practice, although some differences remain a core part of GNM’s business. It is clear that many commentators see their products and services with the refreshing to see so much effort put into between the two main sites in London This is our first year as GNM’s ethical GNM’s coverage of some important sustainability vision and indeed to develop engaging with staff at all levels and GNM’s and Manchester. The establishment of the auditors and we are still getting to know the sustainability issues as truly outstanding. a business model that benefits from GNM’s transparency about the challenges it faces printing and environment steering group company. GNM’s sustainability programme The dedicated environment pod and sustainability strengths. in the current cost-cutting climate. As GNM to set consistent standards, common key

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