Statement on Sustainability and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

DoppelHouse commits time and money through donations and partnerships with arts and cultural organizations to improving the lives of people of color and, through our online and physical publications, to telling the stories of immigrants and exiles. Our commitment is also reflected in our staff, past and present, our designers, translators, and editors, who are located around the world.

We are committed to sustainability and transitioning our business to reflect the best practices in the industry. At this writing, the book industry is number three on the list of largest polluters and creators of greenhouse gases. The story of paper and books is not simple, and while the good news is that there are better, more efficient technologies coming online, new mills, and new industry-wide support for using 100% post-consumer, tree-free paper in the production of books, the downside is that this all takes time.

We commit to transparency and to working with our peers and suppliers to find ways to apply pressure so that these new manufacturing practices soon become commonplace. 

Before they do, we are working with our current suppliers to:

– use FSC certified paper mixes from sustainable sources

– use recycled paper where possible

– limit our use of disposable paper galleys by switching to online tools for review copies

– recycle and reuse packaging whenever possible

– purchase carbon offsets through our shipping companies

– print our books within 500 miles of our distributor’s warehouse

– use short run printing options when possible and applicable to avoid overprints and waste

Our editorial mission is in part about design, and through design we can turn some of the many corners we face in trying to address the harms of logging and pollution in our industry. We adamantly oppose attempts to greenwash books with labels that are not backed by certifiable organizations and watchdogs. 

What can you do? Be a smart consumer of books and make your voice heard as to what do you want to see the industry do to course-correct. Together we can make a difference, and together keep reading the books that we love.