The world is facing rapid environmental and societal change, and it is vital that we develop business strategies that embrace the growth potential this will bring. Sustainability is no longer merely “nice to have”, useful only for reducing energy or waste; sound sustainability governance is crucial to the growth of our business. We have a responsibility not just to build a sustainable business, but to contribute to a sustainable economy and planet.
Lifecycle Sustainability Footprint
We are dedicated to assessing and improving the sustainability footprint throughout the lifecycle of our products and services. This touches every part of our business from sound due diligence in our supply chain, ethical business practices, staff satisfaction and retention, efficient production and facilities management and effective relationships with our stakeholders and partners.
What is the EcoVadis Sustainability Rating?
EcoVadis is the world’s most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings, assessing over 75,000 companies across 160 countries and 200 industries annually. Status ratings are awarded based on the EcoVadis Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) analysis system, which assesses 21 criteria across four themes: Environment, Fair Labour and Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement.
Our trusted partners has been awarded EcoVadis Platinum status, placing them within the top 1% of companies assessed for sustainability performance. To achieve the Platinum rating (advancing from the Gold status they previously held) they submitted evidence of actions, policies and procedures relating to all three of our Sustainability Ambition Pillars.
CO2 Emissions and Raw Materials
Developing and expanding the scope of our CO2 emissions measurements is an important part of assessing the lifecycle sustainability footprint of our products and services.
Our largest raw material is paper.
Segmentation of measured CO2 emissions
Almost 60% of the measured CO2 emissions, and therefore the footprint of our products and services, is a result of production and delivery of paper. We have a privileged relationship with our paper supply chain partners and a responsibility to help drive down CO2 emissions across the lifecycle of our products and services.
We only buy paper from suppliers who hold FSC ® and PEFC ™ certification so we can be sure the paper we purchase originates from sustainably managed resources.
Our partner’s production centres have ISO 14001 and/or ISO 50001 at their manufacturing locations, and have active programmes addressing materials and energy efficiency which have been running for around 15 years.
A word about recycled paper
Recycled paper has been around for decades. Every year, approximately 4 billion trees are used in the production of paper. Making the switch to recycled paper can reduce your company’s carbon footprint immediately. Regular paper is made from timber that has been pulped and turned into paper. Recycled paper is created by reusing previously used paper products.
The most common type of recycled paper is made from post-consumer waste (PCW). This is made from waste paper such as newspapers, junk mail, and documents. These items are collected by recycling services, pulped, and recycled paper is produced. There are numerous grades and varieties of recycled paper available, and recycled paper can be specified for the majority of print projects.
While the cost of recycled paper goods has climbed, the pricing has become considerably more affordable over the years as technology has advanced and the choice of available products has expanded.
When compared to virgin fibre paper, recycled paper produces less CO2 and greenhouse gases.
One tonne of 100 percent recycled paper produces 38% less CO2* than paper made from virgin fibres. In a typical European car, the emissions saved are equivalent to travelling from Paris to Moscow.
*based on Eural figures
Lifecycle Zero Waste Landfill
We are committed to enabling the circular economy and to send zero waste to landfill from our partner’s production sites. We are also developing programmes to ensure that we can offer 100% recyclable products, and that end-of-life treatment is built into their design. Our operational sites are working to identify all single-use items and more sustainable alternatives where available. This programme also extends to our outsourced products, and we engage with our supply partners to produce reusable and recyclable alternatives.
Carbon Net Zero Plan
We are committed to supporting our clients’ ambitions and the UK Government’s targets by achieving Carbon Net Zero by 2050. Our Carbon Net Zero Plan sets out short and long-term targets on how we will achieve this.
Implementation
Our partner’s production centres have ISO 14001 and/or ISO 50001 at their manufacturing locations, and have active programmes addressing materials and energy efficiency which have been running for around 15 years.
These management systems provide the framework to drive improvements to our energy and carbon reporting, efficiency, and emissions. Across our operations, improvement programmes focus on the following areas:
Programmes currently under way:
From ISO Certification to Carbon Net Zero
We recognised that in order to develop a credible Carbon Net Zero Plan, we would need some expertise. In May 2020 JRP Solutions were appointed as external consultants to help define our Carbon Net Zero strategy. This vital project determined how Net Zero could be achieved through governance enhancements, resource efficiency measures and behavioural shifts, both within the business and through working closely with its supply chain.
The scope of JRP Solutions work comprised:
Carbon Net Zero
The plan is aligned with the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) to support the Paris Climate Agreement to limit global warming to a 1.5ºC increase on pre-industrial levels. We are setting Science Based Targets (SBTs) to deliver a 46.2% reduction in emissions by 2030. From 2030 to 2050, we will commit to a 90% reduction in carbon emissions, with all residual emissions removed through credible offsetting schemes.
Beyond 2030
We intentionally avoided establishing reduction plans beyond 2030 because technology and policy developments will occur after that date, affecting 2050 target trajectories. We will assess the technology and regulatory situation between 2029 and 2030 to determine our trajectory and reduction programmes in order to attain Net Zero by 2050.
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