Your STEP Journal is evolving

The STEP Journal is our flagship publication, and an important part of STEP’s member offer: providing technical analysis and commentary on the latest developments across the world, and keeping you up to date with what’s happening in the industry and at STEP.

While it is undoubtedly an important resource for members, as a result of the huge advances in digital communications over the last ten to 15 years, the STEP Journal is now just one of a number of channels through which we provide content to members, with the STEP website, enewsletters and social media channels supplementing our print offering.

The last 15 years have also seen our membership more than double, presenting important considerations for our member communications going forward. Now, with more than 20,000 members, we are printing and distributing more than 200,000 84-page journals to members in 96 countries every year. This has increased the impact that we are having on the environment, and, combined with increasing costs for print and mailing, and declining advertising revenue from print channels, has significantly raised the cost of producing the STEP Journal.

As we can expect our membership to continue to grow, we have been looking at ways to meet members’ need for technical content, but in a way that is both financially and environmentally sustainable and responsible going forward. We have therefore decided to reduce the frequency of the STEP Journal from ten issues to six issues per year, supplementing the print publication with digital STEP Journal⁺ features distributed via our existing membership newsletters, which can be tailored by region.

Ahead of its launch in February 2020, we are taking the opportunity to revamp the STEP Journal design and content to get as much as possible into each issue. To further reduce our environmental impact, we are reviewing the format and packaging to ensure they are environmentally-friendly, for example using a biodegradable starch-based wrap.

The launch of the new-look, new-frequency STEP Journal will coincide with the launch of the new STEP website, which will provide a more user-friendly platform to enable you to make the most of all the digital resources available to you.

These developments represent an evolution of our member communications that will ensure that you will continue to benefit from as much content as ever, while ensuring we are acting responsibly and sustainably.

FAQs

I don’t require a print publication. Can I just receive the STEP Journal digitally?

Yes, you can opt-out of receiving the print STEP Journal by amending your Communications Preferences on your online Member Profile. These preferences give you full control over what you receive from STEP. Members who have opted out of the print publication will be alerted via email when a new issue has been published, so that you can access it online.

Is this the slippery slope to going fully digital?

There are no plans to go fully digital. We see huge value in a print journal as a tangible, visible member benefit and as a unifier to connect our members across the world, and members tell us they like a print journal. By controlling the costs and addressing the environmental issues through a reduction in frequency, we can ensure we continue to have a print publication, and do so in a responsible way. Things can change of course, and in time, members might not want a print magazine – ultimately we will be led by members on this. But at present, there are no plans to do this. As noted above, members are free to choose how they wish to receive the STEP Journal, and can opt-out if they only want it digitally.

When is my journal arriving? Have I missed it?

The STEP Journal is now mailed worldwide on the following dates. The journal will also be available to view at www.step.org/journal by these dates, if you wish to access it online.

• Issue 1 -- 14 February 2020
• Issue 2 -- 8 April 2020
• Issue 3 -- 19 June 2020
• Issue 4 -- 28 August 2020
• Issue 5 -- 23 October 2020
• Issue 6 -- 4 December 2020

With fewer issues, I get less content; my member benefit has been reduced!

Although we have reduced the number of hardcopy issues, we are still producing the same amount of content across all of our digital channels, including the news digests and membership newsletter. Be sure you are signed up to your monthly regional membership newsletter in your communications preferences, which will feature regionally specific as well as globally relevant content. From February 2020, you can also access all published content under our tagged STEP Journal⁺articles at www.step.org/journal