Winter in Canada

Our Role

Our commitment to corporate responsibility also includes our shared responsibility for the environment and a commitment to sustainable practices. The concept of sustainability is often defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability to of future generations to meet their own needs. Follett is committed to both understanding and implementing sustainable practices in the bookstore we serve.

What does sustainability mean for Follett? We consider a broad range of options to help us achieve our sustainability goals. For example, energy consumption and even building materials are considered a part of our value chain. When you operate more than 750 bookstores, doing little things can quickly add up to a big impact.

Association for The Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education logo member
Follett of Canada is a proud member of AASHE. This membership-based organization is dedicated to advancing sustainability in higher education across the U.S. and Canada. They partner with a variety of concerned businesses, non-profit organizations and government agencies that support the mission of sustainability. The mission is to promote sustainability in all sectors of higher education - from governance and operations to curriculum and outreach - through education, communication, research and professional development. To learn more about the AASHE, click here.
Energy
Paying close attention to the energy we consume and how we consume it is about more than our bottom line. It's about ensuring a sustainable tomorrow. With that in mind, Follett evaluated every organization within our corporate family in order to develop standards and best practices that will ensure we are acting as responsible stewards of the environment.
Our organizational goals are to not only find the right suppliers at the right price, but to reduce our total energy consumption across our entire organization in order to conserve natural resources. These policies encompass not only the bookstores we serve, but our corporate facilities as well.
Construction Materials
Follett uses Woodstalk™ Fiberboard, which is made from wheat straw using polyurethane resin as a binder instead of the formaldehyde typically found in similar products. The result is that formaldehyde emissions are cut by as much as 97%. The wheat straw itself is a reclaimed resource- if it were not used in Woodstalk™ Fiberboard, the straw would have likely been burned, adding greenhouse gases like carbon monoxide to the atmosphere. Woodstalk™ Fiberboard has received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) credits from the U.S. Green Building Council in the following categories:
In every bookstore we renovate, we use NexterraT carpet backing. Nexterra is an industry-leading, high-performance PET backing made from 35% post-consumer content recycled water and soda bottles with an additional 50% from post-consumer recycled glass. The result? Each 24" x 24" tile saves ten 16-ounce bottles from the landfill. Even better, Nexterra tiles are themselves recyclable

Our role in sustainability doesn't end with managing our energy consumption and selections in building materials. Follett of Canada also offers a variety of products and business practices with environmental benefits such as protecting natural resources, minimizing waste, and reducing toxic chemicals. These products provide the same quality and functionality of conventional products, and they allow customers the opportunity to contribute to the effort of environmental sustainability.

Lighting
Follett has implemented T5 fluorescent lighting wherever applicable in the college stores we serve. T5 fluorescent lighting represents the very latest in lighting technology, delivering up to 33% in energy savings versus the traditional lighting. Because the T5 is smaller, it requires less glass, steel and phosphor to produce. The T5 meets stringent environmental regulations such as California's Title 24, ASHRAE 90.1 and IECC.
Shipping Cartons
We ship nearly 20 million textbooks annually and use a lot of shipping cartons. First we use only cartons that have 35% post-consumer recycled content. Second, we take great pains to recycle the cartons ourselves. Cartons that cannot be re-used are shredded and used in lieu of Styrofoam packing material.
Computers
Follett ensures that computers are properly disposed of and produce no hazards to the environment.
Textbook Recycling
Follett is committed to buying and selling of used textbooks, not only as part of our business, but also to reduce the amount of forest products used to create these books. Follett annually recycles more than 15 million books. Books that have no resale value are sent to libraries and schools in developing countries through the Bridge To Asia program.

Please take a look through this site as well as our stores for more information and products showing what Follett of Canada is doing for sustainability as well as why we're focused on it.

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