Market your environmental credentials

When telling your customers about your environmental achievements, you should take care not to undo your good work by using the wrong print products to spread the message.

'Green print' can help reduce your business' carbon footprint, lead to innovation in the supply chain and save money through improved resource efficiency.

Choosing a green printer

When looking for an environmentally friendly printing company, it may help to think about the following questions:

• Do they have a certified environmental management system?
• Can the printer back up any environmental claims it makes with credible evidence?
• Do they have an environmental improvement programme?
• Do they have a track record of improvements in environmental performance?
• Are they able to print on recycled and sustainably sourced papers?
• Can they help your business reduce its environmental impact by suggesting products and print options with less environmental impact?

Developing greener print products

The way you commission and develop your print materials can influence the impact of a specific piece of print, for example:

• Product design - always ask for the advice of the printer on the design of the product to minimise waste in the production process, eg using non-standard product sizes can increase trim waste.
• Choice of paper - your printer should be able to advise you on the choice of a recycled paper or one from certified sustainable sources.
• Waste in the supply chain - over-ordering print products, or ordering before final numbers are confirmed, could increase waste.
• End-user behaviour - encourage your customers to recycle the print products when they have finished with it.

Alternatives to physical print

Print on demand, paperless or web-based solutions may mean that you can greatly reduce the impact of your print marketing.

Make sure that you evaluate the environmental impact of alternatives, as some may have a higher impact than physical print.