The weekly Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner
A lot of big international brands are starting to get heavy about their carbon footprint. BMW for instance has a clear environmental policy and also expects its suppliers to maintain environmental management systems. Printers have been aware of this move amongst the big names for a number of years and many are setting up environmental initiatives in response. They want to be sure to have a sensible answer for the likes of BMW, Tesco or Marks & Spencers when want to know about a print service provider’s environmental credentials.
Perhaps the most important step a printer can take is to implement ISO 14001, for environmental management systems. This standard is pretty easy to follow since it works on the basis of continuous improvement and is basically a management tool. It can be used as a guide to help identify a company’s environmental impact, both for its activities and for the products and services it sells. Once identified impacts such as energy usage, consumables or transport, can be measured, controlled and reduced over time. Continuous performance improvement is central to ISO 14001, and indeed to any company’s environmental management.
This begins with defining the company’s environmental objectives. Depending on the company’s intentions these objectives can be very basic or extremely complicated. Improving waste management by setting up a recycling scheme for staff or setting up an alternative energy generation system, whatever the objective the company must develop a systematic approach to meeting the environmental goals, even if it is as basic as just placing bins for waste paper and plastic bottles. Documenting activities and regular management meetings are the basis for continuous improvements, and many companies also invite suggestions from staff and customers.
As part of the Verdigris project we have set up a database of printers certified to ISO 14001 worldwide http://verdigrisproject.com/iso14001. We are updating this list so if you find you are not on it, please contact sj@digitaldots.org immediately to be added. Certification to ISO14001 is achieved if an organisation can prove that they have set and achieved their environmental targets. The standard does not specify performance targets, but rather provides a company with a framework so that they can develop a managed environmental policy.
Sustainability of course is about more than cutting environmental impacts. However some very large enterprises are putting it at the heart of their corporate strategies. When the likes of Unilever and Proctor & Gamble go shopping for print, they want to work with service providers who share their values and can prove it.
This blog is yours to use if you want, as long as you fully credit the Verdigris supporters who make it possible: Agfa Graphics (www.agfa.com), Canon Europe (www.canon-europe.com), Digital Dots (www.digitaldots.org), drupa (www.drupa.com), EcoPrint (www.ecoprintshow.com), HP (www.hp.com), Ricoh (www.ricoh.com), Splash PR (www.splashpr.co.uk) Unity Publishing (http://unity-publishing.co.uk), EFI (www.efi.com), Pragati Offset (www.pragati.com) and Xeikon (www.xeikon.com).