<p>The article develops a framework for environmental sustainability of publishing, building on the E-pillar of the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) approach to address industry-specific challenges. The study (May–October 2025) is based on a comparative analysis, content analysis, and thematic synthesis of 52 corporate documents (sustainability reports, ESG reports, website materials, 2021–2025) from ten leading global publishing houses: Bertelsmann, Hachette Livre, HarperCollins, Macmillan, and others. It also provides an in-depth analysis of 21 documented cases of their sustainable practices. Through inductive coding and clustering, a framework for environmental sustainability in publishing was developed, comprising four components: (1) value and communication; (2) operations; (3) production and technology; (4) ecosystem. This theoretically grounded framework systematizes and conceptualizes the eco-transformation strategies used by industry leaders in multinational enterprises. For publishers and industry associations, the framework provides a diagnostic tool for assessing environmental maturity, planning stages of eco-transformation, benchmarking (comparing types of practices), and a basis for forming business strategies and communications with stakeholders. For researchers, the framework offers a unified analytical matrix that enables comparisons of eco-transformation models both within the publishing industry and across the broader field of creative industries. The framework overcomes the fragmentation of existing approaches, creating a basis for further ESG conceptualization of the publishing industry.</p>