The BIC Green Supply Chain Committee signed off on its refreshed Green Supply Chain Work plan (updated May 2026). This Work Plan is developed and refreshed regularly, in line with BIC’s Green Promise and Agenda, and uses the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals as its frame work. Here is the latest progress report.
1) Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) – A BIC Fast Track Project
Project start date, duration & commitment
The EU regulation Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) which entered into force 11 February 2025 and will apply from the 12 August 2026 aims to ensure: packaging must be recyclable, minimally wasteful, and clearly labelled. It also sets targets for the amount of recycled content for plastic packaging by 2030 and 2040. The regulation limits the use of or prohibits certain substances in packaging, including PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) used in grease-resistant paper packaging (common in food e-commerce) and certain heavy metals. Some of these restrictions apply from 2026, earlier than the main minimisation and recyclability deadlines. It sets a deadline that by 2030 all packaging is recyclable.
The project kicked off late July 2026 with the aim to provide an initial ‘Helpful Guide’ by 12 August 2026. This will provide useful information and guidance to UK and Ireland’s book industry supply chain on what the requirements will be for packaging from day one and what an organisation will need to do going forwards to comply with increasing requirements of the regulation as it gets tougher in the following years. This will be a living document that will be updated as and when new information becomes available. This will depend upon what the Task and Finishing Group (T&FWG) find during their research.
Project brief
Latest project report
2) EUDR Practicalities: Part 2 – 2026 Changes to the Regulation
Project start date, duration & commitment
As part of BIC’s overall supply chain remit, and more specifically, BIC’s Green Promise, the EUDR Practicalities: Fast Track BIC Project was launched in late May 2025. The aim of the project is to provide practical guidance to organisations to help them navigate EUDR.
The project continued in 2026 in light of the changes announced on 19th Dec 2025 and the subsequent review update issued on 4th May 2026. Updated guidance is provided below for those organisations and products in our supply chain that will still be impacted by EUDR.
The BIC project still continues as there are outstanding questions yet to be answered. The EU Commission is not expected to release any new updates until September 2026. At which time BIC will review its documentation again.
If any BIC member wishes to join the project group or would like to find out more, please email info@bic.org.uk.
BIC’s EUDR email support group
In 2025, BIC set up an EUDR email support group for its members. This group continues to remain active in 2026, and BIC members are most welcome to join the conversation. For access to this email group, please email BICEUDR+subscribe@groups.io.
Project brief
Project deliverables
Part 2 – Updated deliverables – August 2026
Below is the updated documentation based on EU’s 19th December 2025 changes and the subsequent 4th May 2026 review:
- The BIC EUDR Practicalities – Fast Track Project Report – Part 2 – please read this document first as it provides an overview of the project group’s work.
- The EUDR Helpful Information – Part 2 – this document lays out all the project group’s suggestions and solutions. It also references the following three updated data flow maps created to help the reader understand the flow of the necessary data through the supply chain:
The Helpful Information Part 2 includes a link to EDItEUR’s application note which was updated – 9th October 2025. The August 2026 update is coming soon.
BIC welcomes feedback/comments on any of the above documentation, please email info@bic.org.uk.
Latest project report
BIC Green Hub
For more information on EUDR including BIC’s work from 2025 and a summary of the EU Commission update, visit The Green Hub.
3) Designed for Recycling; Part 3 Manufactured Book to End-of-Life
Project start date, duration & commitment
Launched in April 2024, the purpose of Part 3 of this BIC project is to continue and build upon the work already completed in Part: 1 Life Cycle Assessment, and Part 2: Initial Design to Manufactured Book, and complete the journey to the end-of-life of a book. Part 3 will investigate efficiencies for reducing materials waste (e.g. packaging, cartons, shrink wrap etc.) post production. It will also look at packaging materials associated with ‘Returns.’ The project will examine the materials used for packaging, so that books can be supplied with recyclability and waste prevention in mind from post production to end-of-life.
Reporting into the BIC Green Supply Chain Committee, the project group is made up of BIC member volunteers from across the industry and is led by Simon Crump, an independent consultant with 30 years of industry experience.
The initial phase of the project is expected to last 6 months and it is expected that the project group will meet regularly online.
Project brief
View the full project brief here.
Project monthly report
4) BIC’s Sustainability and Environmental Data Reporting Project
Part 2 – Priority Reporting Areas
Project start date, duration & commitment
Launched in June 2023, the purpose of this 2-part BIC project is to facilitate and launch BIC’s provision of regular, consistent industry reporting and monitoring of the progress being made with regards to book industry sustainability against agreed targets.
Part 2
The overall purpose of Part 2 of this project will be to agree with key stakeholders what the initial priority areas for reporting and monitoring for the UK book industry are, and to then agree best practice for both the provision, collection, and sharing of this data by BIC for these areas going forwards.
Reporting into the BIC Green Supply Chain Committee, the project group is to be made up of BIC member volunteers from across the industry and is led by Simon Crump, an independent consultant with 28 years of industry experience.
The initial phase of the project is expected to last 6 months and it is expected that the project group will meet regularly online. The second phase of the project would then follow on from the first.
Project brief
More information can be found in the Project brief.
Project monthly report
5) Sustainability 101 Guides
Project start date, duration & commitment
Launched in July 2024, the purpose of this BIC project is to provide the reader with simple guides to the various terms, regulations, and reporting requirements, as an example, that are used in the book industry supply chain. It has become apparent that there are still people and organisations who do not fully understand the requirements of sustainability and all it means for their organisations. This project aims to help with this issue.
Reporting into the BIC Green Supply Chain Committee, the project group is made up of BIC member volunteers from across the industry and is led by Simon Crump, an independent consultant with 30 years of industry experience.
Please view the guides that are currently published.