Print Focus
As an organisation, how are you coping with increased demand for corporate social responsibility (CSR)?
”We don’t see corporate responsibility as a demand, but as an important and willful undertaking by a business. We have chosen to embrace corporate responsibility, part of which has been achieved by using new technologies and offering clients the option of using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)-accredited paper.”
Craig Morris, managing director, Ortek Colour Printers
”We are coping with increased demand for CSR through many channels ISO standards, lean manufacturing, new HR and H&S practices and also through accreditation from the FSC and the PESC. We are in a lucky position because we have always put an emphasis on CSR, and that was one of the main reasons we moved to our new factory two years ago. We could see then that there was increasing pressure from clients to go down this route, so we made it key to our business.”
Jon Bailey, director, ProCo
”The first thing is having an awareness and knowledge of the environmental and recycled side of the market. Being able to answer clients’ questions and recommend papers and inks that they can use to improve their environmental friendliness and still achieve the quality result is essential. At Team Impression, we have various schemes and procedures - including the separation and disposal/ recycling of paper, board, plastic and chemicals. All our inks are soya based, and we don’t run any alcohol in our presses. Our modern presses also use a lot less paper for make-ready and set-up than before.”
Simon Bucktrout, director, Team Impression
Where is the demand for greater CSR coming from - clients or agencies?
”The demand is coming from everywhere, to be honest. The corporates are under pressure from Government, and the agencies are under pressure from their clients. It’s something that everybody has to focus on.”
Jon Bailey, ProCo
”Initially it came from one of our biggest clients, Land Rover. It’s something we would have done anyway, but the demand from the client certainly gave us a nudge.”
Kevin Rogers, business development director, Elanders (Newcastle)
”It’s definitely corporate.”
Simon Bucktrout, Team Impression
”The increase in demand has recently been driven by corporations having a greater expectation that they will only do business with organisations which actively show they work with a CSR principle in mind. In our case, we have seen this as the principles of good working practice and have therefore advocated a more pro-active stance.”
Graeme Wilkie, information and communication technology director, Simpson Group
Are accreditations such as the FSC important?
”Definitely, but only in certain markets at the moment. I don’t see us missing out on work just now due to us not being FSC accredited. I believe it’s more important that companies are environmentally conscious and can prove it to clients and suppliers.”
Simon Bucktrout, Team Impression
“The public and businesses are becoming more and more aware of the environment, hence the demand for the print industry to supply environmentally friendly paper and means of printing. As a company, we are working towards FSC accreditation.”
Craig Morris, Ortek Colour Printers
”Woodland sustainability and regeneration are vitally important aspects of a global environmental campaign. If we are to ensure our continuing existence on this planet we have to actively replace every tree that is felled. Global warming and climate change can only be truly combated by the reduction of our dependency on fossil fuels and a massive increase in world forests.”
Graeme Wilkie, Simpson Group
“They’re very important. Our ISO14001 accreditation, which we’ve held since 1998, is monitored through rigorous twice-yearly audits, and every three years an independent audit team assesses our entire quality and environmental system, looking for innovation, best practice and commitment. Holding this helped us secure our latest environmental accreditation, the FSC’s Chain of Custody approval.”
Kevin Rogers, Elanders (Newcastle)
How do environmentally friendly solutions sit with the continued demand for lower costs?
”Unfortunately, very poorly, as recycled paper and paper that is FSC and PEFC accredited is more expensive. Businesses have to take into account their budgets and will, as a result, often choose to go with the cheaper, non-environmentally friendly option. But as more and more printers offer recycled or FSC or PEFC paper, the prices will come down, and that means environmentally friendly solutions will sit better with lower costs.”
Craig Morris, Ortek Colour Printers
”This is a very difficult balance. In the UK, the demand for very high-quality images being produced on pristine substrates increases year on year. This demand makes the balancing act of continual cost reduction a difficult one. If you then add to this mix environmentally friendly solutions, then the expectation of year-on-year cost reduction is one that has no durability. Consumers have taken for granted that product prices get cheaper year on year, and therefore companies force suppliers to reduce their costs in order to remain competitive. However, this is a false economy - as countries such as China develop and move into first-world economies, the potential for product cheapness disappears, and the global market will return to one that sees price stability at its core.”
Graeme Wilkie, Simpson Group
”It is difficult. FSC stocks cost around 20 per cent more. However, we expect to see that margin coming down over the coming years.”
Kevin Rogers, Elanders (Newcastle)
”Environmental solutions do cause problems with regards to costs as inevitably, these new methods and standards are more costly than practices which have been used for years. Again, we are quite lucky in that we have always tried to be environmentally conscious, but without a doubt, the increasing pressure on margin, prices, speed and quality means it’s now even more difficult to implement environmental solutions without incurring extra costs for customers.”
Jon Bailey, ProCo