A Sustainable Future

At Smiths News, we believe it’s important to do the right thing and to be aware of the impact of our actions. However, we acknowledge that we still need to do more, be more, and care more – creating a sustainable future for our colleagues to work for, and our partners and suppliers to work with.

Our Sustainability Pillars

We’ve worked with our business SMEs, process owners and the Executive team to create and challenge our future activity in an effort to push ourselves and the business to be more sustainable. To do this, we have identified some longer-term goals and have pledged commitment to the following ambitions:

  • To support the final mile contractor fleet to migrate to decarbonised technology by 2035.
  • The migration of the company’s car fleet to sustainably fuelled/ hybrid vehicles by 2025.
  • Maintain strong participation rate of above 75% for each engagement survey and drive engagement through improvement in colleague engagement score by 1-3% over next 12 months.
  • Facilitate a 30% increase in the number of colleagues from minority group recruited into Leadership positions over the next 5 years (FY2021-2026).
  • At least one Board member from a minority group and at least two female members by 2026.

“Sustainability is core to what we do at Smiths News. We structure our thinking using five sustainability pillars but it is pervasive to almost all of our decision making. Whether looking at ways to reducing our emissions and waste, developing our people or supporting good causes and forming responsible partnerships – sustainability is always on our mind.

“We recently launched our plans for a more sustainable future. Our ambition is bold and comprehensive and importantly it has been shaped by the feedback of our colleagues on how we can work together in the interests of each other, our communities and the planet.”

Richard Clay
Sustainability Project, Executive Sponsor

“The road to sustainability is not to a known location. Rather sustainability is a perpetual and evolving journey. We recognise and plan our short term actions, but it is our culture and mindset that fuel our continual progress.”

Jon Bunting, CEO

Community

Pass It On is a registered charity, founded by Smiths News in 2017, which supports homeless and vulnerable people in the UK, providing immediate support to those in need. Working in partnership with other UK charities, local organisations, business supporters and our own network of volunteers, we deliver warm clothing, essential clothing and hot food to those who need it most.

Supporting Pass It On is a common goal among colleagues. It’s a charity with a clear mission – to make a difference to the lives of people struggling to survive in some of the most challenging circumstances – and that’s something that unites and motivates us at Smiths News and those operating in our business community such as Adidas, Reach and the Telegraph.

In September 2024, we launched our new charity and community forum, We Care. This initiative is powered by passionate colleagues from all corners of our business, coming together to make a real difference in our communities, through corporate social responsibility projects. Through this initiative, we aim to:

Support local communities: we aim to uplift and empower our local communities through strategic partnerships with charities and community groups.

Managing charitable requests: from our colleague matching pot to our 6-month charity focus, we streamline and manage all charitable requests efficiently.

Promote volunteerism: we encourage and facilitate the use of our paid volunteer time ensuring our colleagues can give back in meaningful ways. Volunteer Time allows all Smiths News colleagues to apply for up to 2 days of paid leave to support worthwhile causes within the community.

As one of the longest standing businesses in the UK news industry we’re proud to actively support its leading charity, NewstrAid.

The charity offers crucial welfare support for individuals who are or have been employed in the selling and distribution of newspapers and magazines and who find themselves facing financial and emotional hardship. In supporting the charity, we encourage colleagues to become actively involved and have volunteers on the several regional committees. Activities range from fundraising to community liaison and welfare visits.

Furthermore, and crucial to NewstrAid’s fundraising, we facilitate and administer the payments for its supporter lottery which last year raised over £1m. The Company made an additional £10,000 contribution in corporate sponsorship.

People

As part of our unwavering focus on inclusion and diversity, we strive to ensure that every colleague feels valued within Smiths News. This year, we successfully expanded and integrated our networking groups, under our umbrella of ‘Everyone In’, culminating in the launch of our Mind Matters network group and Pride in News network. These joined our existing groups of Women in News and Beyond Barriers.

Set up by colleagues for colleagues, Women in News (also known as WIN) aim to do the following:

  • Host monthly team meetings with members to gather views from across the business.
  • Help inform and consult on relevant company policies and guidelines.
  • Assist colleagues and managers with gender equality education and awareness.
  • Mentor and coach women looking to progress in their careers.
  • Organise events – either charitable, network or industry.
  • Celebrate the benefits that come with a gender diverse workforce.

Minds Matter are committed to changing the perception of mental wellbeing within Smiths News. They aim to provide an inclusive space where colleagues’ voices are heard and influence positive change in wellbeing through offering insights, education, and support.

The group helps to create an environment where all colleagues feel secure reaching out for support and prioritise their mental wellbeing on a daily basis.

Beyond Barriers champion accessibility and understanding, through amplifying the voices of all colleagues. They come together as a supportive community, to raise awareness and to be a catalyst for positive change. Their aim is to support Smiths News to become a Disability and Carer confident employer, where every colleague can fulfil their potential.
They strive to create a workplace where:

  • We embrace diversity as our strength.
  • We celebrate the unique abilities and talents of every colleague.
  • We meet the individual needs of all colleagues, so that everyone can thrive.

Pride News Network was set up to support our LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies. They aim to increase awareness and understanding around LGBTQ+ themes, as well as highlight improvements we can make in the workplace to ensure it is welcoming for everyone.

We want everyone at Smiths News to feel happy and confident to be their true selves, no matter their identity, trans-status or sexual orientation.