Do Printer's Environmental Claims Stand Scrutiny?

Are printer's environmentally-friendly credentials worth the paper they're printed on?

Are printer's environmentally-friendly credentials worth the paper they're printed on? That is a question posed by David Hurley, the managing director of Thanet Press, a UK printing company.

He said that corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a big issue for today's business leaders.

Investors and customers not only want assurances about the quality of a firm's products and services but also that its activities are sustainable and environmentally-friendly.

And he added: "It's not good enough just to say that you're doing your bit - today's CSR-conscious organisations require high standards of governance and sustainability from all their business partners and suppliers." Bodies such as local councils, government ministries and education authorities issue huge contracts each year worth tens of millions of pounds but none will work with businesses that pay lip service to their environmental responsibilities, believes Hurley.

Those organisations cannot afford to as accountability is crucial to any organisation spending public money, which means exemplary levels of CSR.

Hurley commented: "The printing of large numbers of newsletters, leaflets, examination papers, company reports and a thousand other forms of company literature is a massive part of the economy.

Yet firms that commission these projects - the same companies which work so hard to fulfil CSR objectives in other areas - often take their eye off the ball when it comes to publishing." He continued: "For instance, it's pointless sending out swathes of literature keeping company pensioners informed if your firm is wiping out huge tracts of Amazon rainforest in the process! So how do you check that your company message about CSR really is worth the paper it's printed on?" He believes that the key is to be aware of accreditations within the printing industry that provide guarantees that the press uses material from recycled or renewable sources and that the product is made to a certain quality in a way that has the minimum effect on the environment.

Hurley added that no busy executive wants to get bogged down asking questions about such arcane concepts as forest management, virgin fibre content and bleaching.

Fortunately, the printing industry has produced a number of 'kitemarks', which, in tandem with internationally-recognised quality standards such as ISO, can assure the customer that they have chosen a printer that will conform to their standards of CSR.

He recommended that print buyers look out for the logo of the Forest Stewardship Council, an organisation dedicated to combating deforestation and promoting responsible management of the world's forests.

FSC accreditation is claimed to be a guarantee that paper comes from well-managed woodland and that there is a certified chain of custody that tracks the timber from the forest to the final user.

The Forest Stewardship Council is active in 28 countries and its work is endorsed by Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and The Woodland Trust.

He explained that according to Friends of the Earth, less than half of the paper used in the UK is recovered and more than five million tons gets dumped in landfill sites.

By using properly managed sources, recycling and effective management, responsible printers - and their customers - can help protect ancient forests and make a major contribution to a sustainable future.

Other ecological accreditations include NAPM (National Association of Paper Merchants), Blue Angel and Nordic Swan.

NAPM Approved Recycled mark indicates a general minimum standard and, in conjunction with the ABCD system, provides information about the source of the waste fibre used.

The NAPM mark indicates a minimum waste content of 75 per cent from categories B, C, or D and the remainder can be from category A or virgin-fibre pulp.

Most UK produced recycled papers carry this mark, and its absence from a particular paper may mean that the paper fails to meet the minimum standard required.

The German 'Blue Angel', awarded to a range of consumer items, specifically indicates that a paper has the highest environmental credentials, on a 'cradle-to-grave' basis.

This means that it has to be environmentally sound in its manufacture, its use and its suitability for recycling.

It must contain a minimum of 51 per cent waste.

The Nordic Swan label takes in to consideration the product's impact on the environment from the raw material to waste and also sets criteria with regard to quality and performance.

The product must offer features that are at least as good as other similar products.

Hurley explained: "To ensure that a Swan-labelled product is always at the cutting edge from an environmental point of view, criteria are revised often.

Companies applying for a licence to use the Swan label must provide results from independent testing to prove these criteria have been met." And in further advice to print buyers, he added: "Of course, there's more to producing a green product than the raw materials.

You need to insist the paper used for your product is manufactured using elemental chlorine-free (ECF) or preferably totally chlorine free (TCF) pulp, bleached with agents, such as oxygen or hydrogen peroxide.

No chlorine compounds are used and no detectable levels of dioxins above background levels are produced." He continued: "Make sure your printer has ISO 9001 quality certification, which ensures the highest standards of management, operating procedures and quality control." ISO (the International Organisation for Standardisation) is a globally-recognised accreditation that facilitates trade and safeguards consumers.

Firms must achieve and maintain exacting standards to qualify for an ISO but such qualifications are short-cuts to peace of mind when it comes to CSR believes Hurley.

"Any printer worth its salt will have ISO 14001, which deals with environmental standards, and ISO 18001, a health and safety benchmark," he commented.

Hurley also stressed: "A new generation of company bosses are realising that sustainability, best practice and the creation of 'virtuous circles' can be good for profits and are becoming the cornerstones of taking a long-term business view in the 21st Century." The print boss commented that every year, more than 11 million tonnes of paper and board are consumed in the UK, with the country being the fifth highest consumer in the world.

On average, each person in the UK consumes 198kg of paper and board per year - in Poland the figure is only 40 kg per person.

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