Sustainable Times Issue 6 When planning the Summer issue of Sustainable Times, an article on window film (see page 14) seemed an obvious choice. We felt sure that readers sweltering in un-drenched, south-facing offices would respond well to the message that window film can create a cooler working environment, while managers in modern offices would be attracted by its potential to lower air conditioning bills. Well, this summer hasn’t turned out quite as expected.

1. SUMMER 2011
Why it’s time to look again
at window film
Where does your waste
paper go?
Putting carbon offsets in
their place
The best new green products
Positive Printing
How Toshiba is improving
the efficiency of the
printing environment

2. APPEAL TO THE ECONOMIST AND THE
ECOLOGIST IN YOU
More efficient printing and copying can significantly reduce the use of
energy, paper and consumables, delivering real cost savings as well as
helping you hit your emissions reduction targets.
Find out more on 08457 103 104.
KYOCERA. COUNT ON US.
KYOCERA MITA UK Ltd – Phone: 08457 103 104 – www.kyoceramita.co.uk

3. greenAgenda
3M
WINTER 2008/9
When planning the Summer issue of Sustainable Times, an
article on window film (see page 14) seemed an obvious
choice. We felt sure that readers sweltering in sun-drenched,
south-facing offices would respond well to the message
that window film can create a cooler working environment,
while managers in modern offices would be attracted by its
potential to lower air conditioning bills. Well, this summer
hasn’t turned out quite as expected. In this topsy-turvy
year we should have run the window film story in balmy
March and the office heating feature in August. Let’s hope
our efforts haven’t been wasted and we have a really hot
autumn. In the meantime, you may be pleased to know that
manufacturers are now expanding their ranges to include
insulating window film. Perfect for an English summer.
prestige exterior window films
GREENinitiative
award
Sustainable TIMES
SUMMER 2011
New 3M window film puts others
in the shade
3M claims to have set new
standards in heat control and visible
light transmissions with its new
3M Prestige Exterior Window Films,
enabling businesses to save money
on air conditioning and lighting.
Based on unique nano technology,
the sun control film has the market’s
highest Visible Light Transmission
(VLT) rate of 90%, which prevents the
James Goulding, Editor
CONTENTS
03 Agenda
Sustainability for
offices and office
products
16 Cover Story
What Toshiba is doing
to reduce the impact of
printing
10 What’s New
best new green
The
products for your office
19 Consumables
13 elecommuncations
T
How telecoms companies
can act as green enablers
for their customers
14 Window Film
Window film can play an
important role in reducing
energy consumption
15 ecycled Paper
R
Tieing up loose ends with a
closed loop paper recycling
system
Why remanufactured
toner cartridges may be
greener
24 Recycled Pads
Try out these
fantastic recycled
paper pads
27 Carbon
Offsets
Steve Hewson
explains where
offsetting fits within
an overall carbon
management strategy
Editor
James Goulding 07803 087228 jamesg@binfo.co.uk
Advertising Director
Ethan White 01474 824711 ethan@binfo.co.uk
Publishing Director
Neil Trim 07803 087229 dd 01737 249408 neil@binfo.co.uk
Group Sales Manager
Martin Hall 07824 552116 martin@binfo.co.uk
Sustainable Times is a supplement of Business Info Magazine.
It is published by Kingswood Media Ltd., 4 New Cottages,
Green Farm Lane, Shorne, Kent DA12 3HQ.
Tel: 01474 824711. Email: info@binfo.co.uk
No part of Sustainable Times can be reproduced without prior
written permission of the publisher. © 2011 Kingswood Media Ltd.
Design: Sandtiger Media – www.sandtiger.co.uk
The paper used in this magazine is obtained from manufacturers who
operate within internationally recognized standards.
The paper is made from Elementary Chlorine Free (ECF) pulp, which is
sourced from sustainable, properly managed forestation.
Split image: on left, 3M Prestige 40
Exterior Window Film; on right, standard
metalised sun control window film. Note
the clear view through the 3M Prestige
40 film compared to the coloured/
darkened view through the standard
metalised sun control window film.
Humanscale honoured
for green designs
Humanscale has won 2001 Green
Good Design Awards for its Horizon
LED Task Light and Personal Zone Air
Purifier. The awards are organised
by the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum
of Architecture and Design and The
European Centre for Architecture Art
Design and Urban Studies.
The Thin Film LED Horizon task light
consumes only nine watts of power and
is rated for up to 50,000 hours of use,
equal to 25 years in most single-shift
work environments. Made from 28%
recycled and 99% recyclable material,
its design minimises the number of
One planet MBA
Conservation organisation the WWF and
University of Exeter Business School
have joined forces to develop the One
Planet MBA programme. Starting in
September 2011, it will be the world’s
first MBA that embeds the need for
a sustainable approach to strategic
business management throughout
darkening of windows and maintains a
light interior. Yet it still provides 99.9%
protection against harmful UV rays
and blocks 77% of solar energy for a
cooler working environment.
The exterior film also overcomes
problems of the past, such as a
reflection/mirror effect on the outside
of windows and damage to double or
triple glazing from thermal stress.
According to 3M, it is also the first
non-metallised exterior applied film,
which means that there is no problem
with corrosion or interference with
wireless or cellular signals inside the
building and far less internal reflection.
Scott McLachlan, National Sales
Executive for 3M Window Films, said:
“Whatever the kind or size of building
glazing, customers now have high
performance clear or lightly-tinted
window film options that combine
all the benefits of heavily tinted or
reflective film without the inherent
drawbacks of darkened rooms or shiny
windows.
“3M Prestige Exterior Window Films
are almost as clear as glass, so the
external appearance of the building
is virtually unchanged and inside,
reflection from internal lighting on the
treated glass is significantly reduced.”
www.3m.com
components and simplifies disassembly.
Humanscale’s Energy Star-certified
personal zone air purifier is 2.5 times
more efficient than Energy Star
requirements, produces no ozone and is
the only air purifier to have recyclable
filters. It silently filters out more than
99% of airborne contaminants of
all sizes, including dust,
smoke, bacteria,
allergens, smog, viruses
and even Volatile
Organic Compounds
(VOCs) like
formaldehyde creating
a safe and comfortable
personal environment.
www.humanscale.com
the programme, rather than limiting
sustainability to a bolt-on module.
Graduates of the one-year (or two-year
part-time) course will be fully competent
in the business skills upon which MBAs
have traditionally been based but will
also be able to demonstrate innovative
approaches to the development of
sustainable business strategies.
www.oneplanetmba.org
sustainabletimes 03

4. greenAgenda
Four out of 10 businesses have
no carbon reduction strategy
Four out of 10 FTSE 100 businesses
still have no clear targets to cut
carbon emissions, despite rising
energy prices and the Government’s
ambition to set a legally binding
target on greenhouse gas emissions
beyond 2020.
Analysis by the Carbon Trust (Raising
the Bar) found that only 59% of the
FTSE 100 have robust reduction targets
in place at a time when consumers are
starting to pay more attention to such
considerations.
A recent consumer survey by the
Carbon Trust found that the number of
shoppers prepared to shun brands that
fail to display carbon footprint labels on
products has doubled in the last year
from 22% to 45%.
When asked whether they would buy
low carbon labelled goods over nonlabelled goods of identical quality, the
survey found that 47% are more likely
to choose ‘low carbon’ labelled products.
One in five (21%) said they would pay
more for carbon-labelled products.
In a separate initiative, the Carbon
Trust Standard has launched a free guide
to help growing businesses measure,
manage and reduce carbon emissions
and energy costs (The Growing Business’
Guide to Managing Carbon).
It estimates that UK SMEs could
collectively save £400 million a year in
energy costs and more than 2.5 million
tonnes of CO2 by reducing their carbon
footprints and certifying their efforts
under the Carbon Trust Standard.
SMEs that have used the Carbon
Trust Standard SME online certification
tool have, on average, cut their energy
costs by £2,000 per annum.
The Growing Business’ Guide to
Managing Carbon can be downloaded
for free at: www.carbontruststandard.
com/GrowingBusinessGuide.
www.carbontrustcertification.com
Sustainability strategies
held in check
In April, KPMG’s Climate Change and Sustainability practice
released new research, Corporate Sustainability: A Progress
Report, which revealed that over 30% of businesses still don’t
have a strategy for sustainable growth in place. Just over
60% of the 378 companies surveyed said they currently had
a working strategy for corporate sustainability, up from just
over half polled in 2008. Of those that didn’t, 70% expect to
have one within the next five years. Reasons given for the slow
take-up of sustainability programs include a lack of common
metrics and tools for measuring the impact of programs;
competition for finance with operational programs that have a
quicker ROI; and the lack of a rigorous international framework
of regulation.
Toshiba extends Carbon Zero scheme
New award for green
champions
A new environmental award has
been set up to recognise the efforts
of green champions within business.
The People and Environment Awards
for Business (PEABs) reward the efforts
of individuals or teams that have
demonstrated exceptional leadership
and vision in implementing green
business initiatives.
The organisers hope that by
focusing on individuals rather than
their employers, the PEABs will inspire
more people to push forward green
initiatives for their workplace.
The deadline for the inaugural
PEABs is August 31, 2011.
www.peabusinessawards.com
04 sustainabletimes
Toshiba TEC has extended the CarbonZero carbon offsetting
scheme introduced for its printers and MFDs to other
divisions, starting with Toshiba electronic point of
sales (EpoS) systems and Auto ID printers.
As with its MFDs, Toshiba will neutralise all
carbon emissions generated in the production and
distribution of the products by buying carbon offsets
from co2balance, which runs a variety of Gold Standard
schemes including the supply of energy-efficient stoves
to villagers in Kenya.
The African Energy Efficient Stove Project, now being
extended to the Indian sub-continent, is co2balance’s
most popular offsetting programme. The stoves consume
70% less firewood than traditional open fires, reducing the
amount of carbon released when cooking and bringing numerous health
and social benefits. www.toshibatec-eu.co.uk
Pedal power wins
award
Pedal-powered deliveries in central London
have earned Office Depot the Environment
Product / Service Award at the annual
Environment and Energy Awards, part of
SustainabilityLive. The office products
supplier introduced its Cargocycle initiative
to cut carbon emissions from its UK vehicle
fleet by as much as 80% in central London.
www.officedepot.co.uk
0870 903 9500

5. Half of all short-haul travel
is unnecessary thanks to
videoconferencing technology like
Polycom’s Telepresence m100
Half of all shorthaul business
flights unnecessary,
claims Polycom
Much is made of the potential of
conferencing and collaboration
technologies to reduce carbon
emissions. Yet, according to a
new study by Polycom, business
travel continues to grow even
as collaboration technologies
proliferate and become easier to use.
The videoconferencing specialist
surveyed 400 executives of European
organisations with more than 1,000
employees and found that in 2010
European business executives, on
average, spent the equivalent of 13 days
on short-haul flights, with an average
journey time of six hours including
delays and travel to and from the
airport.
One quarter of respondents said
they expected to increase the amount
of business travel undertaken in 2011.
Half (51%) of all short-haul
domestic flights were made to attend
‘regular’ meetings, which according
to Polycom, could just as well be
conducted by video, saving time, money
and inconvenience.
Overall, about one third of
respondents said that many of the
meetings they attend could be
undertaken by video conference and
nearly half (45%) said that their
business could save a lot of money by
video conferencing.
Yet, four out of 10 companies have
still not invested in videoconferencing
technology.
www.polycom.co.uk/travel
www.binfo.co.uk
Samsung joins programme
to make computers more
efficient
Samsung Electronics has joined the Climate Savers
Computing Initiative (CSCI) as a board member
alongside Cisco, Emerson, F5 Networks, Google, Intel,
Juniper Networks, Microsoft and World Wildlife Fund.
CSCI is a global consortium committed to reducing
energy consumption across all aspects of computing
including PCs, servers, networking equipment and
connected devices such as smartphones and tablets.
As CSCI members, computer and component
manufacturers commit to producing products that meet
specified power efficiency targets. Corporate participants
commit to purchasing energy efficient computing products,
making it easier and faster for organisations in every sector
to meet sustainability goals
Last year, a study conducted by Natural Logic to assess
the progress of CSCI since its launch in 2007 showed
that CO2 emissions from IT
equipment had decreased by
32-36 million metric tons
worldwide, representing more
than $2 billion in annual
energy savings, through
the use of computer power
management and
increased
adoption
The Samsung
of energy efficient
Series 9 notebook
computing equipment.
www.climatesaverscomputing.org
Out with the old,
in with the new
MUIR Group Housing Association
has invested £55,000 in thin client
technology for its six regional offices
in Helsby, Chester, Winsford, Blackpool,
Huntingdon and Burnley. The tiny,
monitor-mounted thin clients will
replace large PC workstations, saving
space and energy. Each thin client uses
just 7 watts of power compared to
240 watts for a PC, with all processing
undertaken by servers located in the
Muir data centre. As well as being more
energy-efficient, the thin clients are
more reliable because there are no
moving parts and quick to start.
www.toshibatec-eu.co.uk
Premier Paper Group is targeting designers
with the new Evolution range of recycled papers
for digital and litho printing. To raise awareness, it
is sponsoring the Evolution Green Design Award
for creative work printed on recycled paper as
a new category in the graphic design industry’s
long-running Fresh Awards. The winner is due to be
announced on September 29.
evolution@paper.co.uk
www.freshawards.co.uk
Europe’s greenest billboard erected in Hounslow
Ricoh has brought its sustainable billboard
Ricoh
concept to Hounslow on the outskirts
eco-board
GREENinitiative
of London with the erection of a wind
award
and solar-powered eco-board on the M4
Sustainable TIMES
SUMMER 2011
between London and Heathrow airport.
The board advertising Ricoh Managed
Document Services is powered exclusively by 96 solar panels
and five wind turbines and only lights up when sufficient
energy has been generated by these sources. Last year,
Ricoh installed a solar-powered billboard in Times Square,
New York. www.ricoh.co.uk/eco-board
greenAgenda…
sustainabletimes 05

6. greenAgenda
Sustainability standard first to
address concerns of SMEs
A new sustainability standard has been developed
by The Organisation for Responsible Business (ORB)
especially for small and medium-sized businesses.
The Responsible Business Standard covers a broad range
of attributes and can be run alongside or used as a stepping
stone to achieve other forms of certification, such as ISO.
It has progressive levels of attainment (bronze, silver and
gold) and entry costs including professional auditing of less
than £500.
Jill Poet, Managing Director of The Organisation for
Responsible Businesses (ORB), said that the auditable
standard would enable businesses to demonstrate their
commitment to more sustainable business practices,
helping them to win contracts in the public and private
sectors.
“Many UK SMEs are already working hard towards best
practice but don’t have anything tangible to demonstrate
that. We developed The Responsible Business Standard
because there wasn’t anything that is affordable, realistic
and of value for the majority of SMEs for whom ISO
accreditation can often involve too much time and too
much money. It can also be daunting for SMEs to go down
the ISO route and yet the lack of appropriate certification
has often meant businesses have been unable to obtain
valuable contracts,” she said.
“Historically, central and local government have always
asked for ISO9001, but they are now accepting that it
isn’t always necessary or appropriate. They do nonetheless
require some sort of validation and The Responsible Business
Standard will evidence what a business is doing and fill the
breach to meet public and private sector requirements.”
www.responsiblebusinessstandard.org.uk
or telephone 0845 4599749
Light Tape – a green
alternative to neon
Light Tape UK Ltd is promoting its
technology as an energy efficient
alternative to neon and LEDs for
display lighting that has the added
benefits of reduced light and
environmental pollution.
Made up of a DuPont metal ribbon
coated in GTP-Sylvania phosphor and
encapsulated in a Honeywell laminate,
Light Tape is claimed to use less than
one tenth of the power of neon and cold
cathode lighting and one quarter of the
power used by LEDs.
Light Tape claims that generating the
electricity used to run 100m of Neon for
a year produces over half a Ton of CO2,
HP is aiming to improve de-inking of material printed on its
inkjet presses
whereas the electricity used to run the
equivalent length of Light Tape would
produce less than 20Kgs of CO2.
Light Tape is also more flexible; easier
to maintain and install (it is no thicker
than a business card); produces no waste
heat or infrared light; contains no gas,
glass, mercury or heavy metals; and is
fully recyclable.
0845 617 0697
www.lighttape.co.uk
Staples goes electric
HP and ArjoWiggins collaborate on
de-inking process
ArjoWiggins Graphic and HP have announced a joint
research project to improve the de-inking of materials
printed on HP Indigo and HP inkjet digital presses.
The two companies have agreed to test new techniques for
de-inking paper printed on HP Indigo Liquid Electrophotographic
(LEP) and inkjet digital print jobs so that they can be recycled
rather than sent to landfill.
Today, the amount of LEP and inkjet materials found in the
recycling process is small relative to analogue prints such as
offset lithography, but volumes will rise in the future as digital
printing technologies take a greater share of the production
print market.
The two companies plan to test new de-inking techniques on
an industrial scale at ArjoWiggins Graphic’s de-inking plant at
Greenfield in France.
A Light Tape display on the entrance
of Foster Court, University College
London. The display features the
words Foster Court in Morse code,
with all dots and dashes being made
from the ‘cut-out shapes’ form of
Light Tape.
Office products supplier Staples has
been working successfully with delivery
firm TNT to shrink its carbon footprint.
As well as reducing miles per delivery
from 6.1 to 2.57, the use of TNT’s
electric fleet has enabled Staples to
take 70 diesel vans off the road. As part
of its agreement with TNT, Staples has
exclusive use of this super-quiet7.5
tonne electric vehicle. Using the latest
battery technology, it can travel 80
kilometres on a single charge.
IN BRIEF
Microsoft buys recycled
Microsoft is switching to 100% post-consumer recycled paper at all its US
operations, including its Redmond heaquarters. The software giant claims that
the change from 30% to 100% recycled paper will save the equivalent of 750
million pounds of CO2 annually and preserve 8,000 trees.
EFI joins Verdigris
EFI, a specialist in digital print products, solutions and workflows, has joined
the Verdigris project as an associate member. Launched in 2008, Verdigris aims
to help printers and their customers develop a better understanding of the
environmental impact of print media.
06 sustainabletimes
0870 903 9500

7. When it comes to
saving energy,
Olivetti’s d�Color MF
Range is a breath of
fresh air!
Olivetti is able to show its customers real and tangible energy saving benefits due to
innovative technologies, such as polymerised toner, requiring less fusing temperature, and
induction fusing which is both super fast and more energy efficient.
Olivetti’s range of A3 d-Color MF machines undergo stringent environmental tests and have been proven
to use between 50% to 70% less energy than the highly prized Energy Star standard.
In fact, the Olivetti d-Color MF651 uses just 50% of the energy that some of its competitors do, for
printing the same weekly volume! This translates to significant energy savings per machine over the
install period.
In addition, the carbon reduction, due to this reduced energy use, is equivalent to the annual amount
absorbed by 67 trees*.
Imagine, the total savings when replacing your fleet of equipment!
For more details contact us now on:
01908 547980
or email: c.gordge@olivetti.com
*Comparison of typical energy consumption using Energy Star Database

8. T IE
AN
GAR
New Generation printing cartridges
for New Generation end-users
L
Economical Performance
Guaranteed Quality
Full After-Sales Service
Ecologically Responsible
10
IF E
TIM
Available from SPICERS, contact our E

9. RA
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* Contact us to get the list of certified products.
EOS sales team now on 01223 822246
www.armor-print.com
ARMOR SA - Capital social : 10.299.450€ - SIREN : 857 800 692 RCS Nantes – The above brands are listed as references, to avoid any risk of misuse by the end-user.
E A VI E

10. What’s New…
Hybrid mail service
Uses less power
than a laser
ECO Maya
cordless DECT phone
GREENinitiative
award
Sustainable TIMES
SUMMER 2011
If energy efficiency is your top
priority, you’ll love Epson’s new
WorkForce Pro range of all-in-ones
for businesses and home workers.
Designed to provide a sustainable
and affordable alternative to laser
devices, these cool and quiet inkjet
MFPs need up to 80% less power to
print than laser devices. According to
Epson, running costs are up to 50%
lower too.
www.epson.co.uk
Recycled phone
The ECO Maya is an ideal cordless
DECT phone for eco-conscious
consumers. Made out of 100%
recycled plastics, it is claimed to use
as much as 60% less energy than a
standard telephone.
The phone is BFR and mercury-free
and features PVC-free telephone and
power cables, a halogen-free PCB, an
arsenic-free LCD and a non-toxic, smeltfree rubber keypad.
Phone features include an intercom
function, built-in alarm clock and a
50-name phone book that displays the
caller’s name.The ECO Maya is available
from MS and costs £29.99.
Plug and forget
Cut energy consumption of
photocopiers, printers, computers and
vending machines with Energy Reducing
Products’ money-saving range of
ELIMINATA plugs. The plugs use smart
technology to turn machines off when
they are not in use and back on when
they are needed. And because they work
automatically, you can plug and forget.
www.eliminata.com
LED-ing the way
Casio’s latest XJ line-up of DLP
projectors represent the most versatile,
lamp-free and eco-friendly data
projectors to date, according to Frank
Romeo, Vice President of Casio’s
Business Projector Division. The new
projectors include a comprehensive
set of features that will deliver tailored
solutions aimed to increase efficiency
and streamline costs for the education,
business, pro AV and digital signage
sectors. www.casio-projectors.eu/uk
10 sustainabletimes
Pitney Bowes’ new hybrid mail
service is aimed at driving
unnecessary spend and inefficiency
from everyday, office-generated
communications.
Targeted at enterprises, not-forprofit organisations and the public
sector, the service can dramatically
drive down the high cost of office
printing, consumables and stationery,
as well as reduce paper wastage and
carbon footprint for office-generated
mail. www.pbms.co.uk
Eco-innovation
The latest addition to NEC Display
Solutions Europe’s Office Cool
range is the MultiSync EX231Wp,
which they say delivers trusted
performance and quality, with new
standards of minimalism and ecoinnovation.
The 23-inch-wide PVA TFT LED
Backlit display uses unique PVA panel
technology to remain ultra-slim and
light, while delivering outstanding
picture quality with wide viewing
angles.
In keeping with NEC’s Green Vision,
the MultiSync EX Series delivers
a reduced amount of waste and
harmful substances, materials and
packaging; and less energy is required
for transportation. Innovations such
as the human sensor which reduces
power by up to 94 per cent when it
detects no user
activity in front
of the monitor,
ambient light and
auto-brightness
sensors and ECO
mode reduce the
already low power
consumption. The
EX231Wp draws
just 27W when
in use, reduced to
15W in ECO mode.
www.nec-displaysolutions.com
0870 903 9500

11. Forever filing
New look Basildon Bond
To celebrate 100 years of Basildon
Bond the iconic brand has a fresh
new look. The most trusted name
in personal stationery is available
in White, Blue, Champagne, Airmail
and Recycled options with matching
envelopes.
Teaming the classic block and script
with eye-catching images and bright
colours, the new look Basildon Bond
range brings a splash of colour to letter
writing.
www.basildonbond.com
ExaClair Limited’s Forever filing products
are made with 100 per cent recycled
material and are themselves 100 per cent
recyclable. The latest additions to the
range include the Forever Elasticated 3
Flap Folders which come in
two-colour 380gsm board
and feature elastic straps to
keep contents secure; and
the Forever Window Folder,
manufactured from 120gsm
recycled pressboard with
transparent window.
All Forever products are Blue
Angel certified. They also all
incorporate the ‘Mobius Loop’
logo to encourage users to
recycle. www.exaclair.co.uk
Bio-degradable
envelopes
Postsafe, suppliers of Peel and Seal
polythene envelopes, have a range of padded
and unpadded biodegradable envelopes which
are 100 per cent recyclable. Manufactured
from Oxi Bio-degradable polythene, these environmentally-friendly, 100
per cent bio-degradable and recyclable products are available in eleven sizes
including DX legal. www.postsafe.co.uk
Go green, GoECOlife
Swordfish has launched a new range of
shredders called GoECOlife, with the goal
of delivering environmentally-friendly
products that do not sacrifice design,
functionality or performance.
With Carbon Neutral status, GoECOlife
home and office shredders are designed
for individuals and companies striving to
reduce their carbon footprint. GoECOlife
follows Carbonfund.org’s ‘Reduce what you
can, offset what you can’t’ philosophy by
combining sensible energy reductions with
cost-effective carbon offsets to eliminate
the overall carbon footprint.
www.goecolife.co.uk
Evolution Recycled
Premier Paper Group has launched
its new Evolution range of
recycled paper to graphic
designers.
Evolution’s 240 product
items include satin, silk,
gloss and uncoated media,
in a variety of weights
and with recycled content
varying from 25 per cent to
100 per cent. The range has a
number of qualities that have
been developed to give optimum
performance on the various digital
print processes including Indigo and
dry toner. www.paper.co.uk
www.binfo.co.uk
Swordfish
GoECOlife
What’s
New…
GREENinitiative
award
Sustainable TIMES
SUMMER 2011
sustainabletimes 11

12. advertorial
Comms savings can be
good for the environment
The way business telecoms are provided is
undergoing a dramatic change. But it is a
change for the good that can save business
users money while at the same time promoting
environmentally friendly working. SIP trunks
now provide an alternative to using conventional
analogue or digital (ISDN) lines to connect a
private phone system to the public telephone
network for voice communications. Instead an
IP phone system can use a ‘SIP Trunk’ enabled
broadband circuit.
As an ISDN30e and ISDN2e
replacement, Spitfire’s SIP Trunks
typically offer business quality
secure telephony at up to 50 per
cent less than the monthly rental
cost of an equivalent ISDN service.
As one of the few business ISPs
and fixed line operators to offer a
SIP trunk service, Spitfire offers a
complete end-to-end SIP service via
its own IP and TDM infrastructure.
To meet the needs of business
customers, Spitfire provides a range of
broadband services and connectivity
options including ADSL, SDSL, VDSL2
and Ethernet over copper and fibre.
Ethernet is the ‘gold standard’ for
broadband connectivity and Spitfire
now offers a single dedicated Ethernet
service for all Internet and Voice over
12 sustainabletimes
IP requirements at a sub-£500 per
month price point. Spitfire’s new
package includes 30 SIP Trunks, 200
DDI numbers and 10mb Ethernet
circuit. The 10Mmb Ethernet circuit
provides resilient Internet access, ideal
for businesses that require guaranteed
throughput bandwidth with SLAs
that support voice, video and mission
critical data applications. This economic
pricing could save customers as much
as 50 per cent when compared to
alternatives such as ISDN30e and
leased line costs.
Businesses that make the switch
to Spitfire’s Converged Voice and Data
Ethernet and SIP Trunk package will
enjoy much lower call costs and a
dedicated broadband connection that
is designed to carry a customer’s voice
and data. Using one network for voice
and data saves duplication, which is
better for the environment and cuts
costs. As a specialist in providing
business network solutions Spitfire’s
SIP Trunk service also includes market
leading service level agreements and
built in disaster recovery.
When switching to Spitfire SIP
Trunks it is possible to port existing
phone numbers from BT and many
other operators, so that businesses
can continue to use existing numbers.
Spitfire can also provide telephone
numbers from geographic areas all
over the UK and route them to a SIP
service, enabling businesses to set up
virtual office numbers anywhere in the
country. This frees businesses from the
need to establish conventional office
premises with associated travel costs
and environmental impact.
Spitfire also offers a hosted
telephony service with phone system
functionality provided remotely. Called
SIP Communicator™, it only requires
SIP compatible handsets, making the
service an extremely cost-effective
solution for business start-ups and
small businesses that are growing and
anticipate moving premises or are
spread over multiple sites.
SIP Communicator™ offers all
the usual phone system features of
holding and transferring calls, and
has a number of additional benefits.
The system can be configured via the
Internet, allowing change of feature
set-ups as when required, without
incurring any engineering charges. SIP
Communicator™ also provides voice
mail, auto-attendant and conference
call functionality.
Designed as an end-to-end service,
SIP Communicator™ is ideal for
multi-site operations such as retail
branch networks or small businesses
employing home workers. Where a
business has home workers or workers
in many different locations, then SIP
Communicator™ provides real business
and economic benefits because staff
can call each other free of charge
and incoming calls can be routed to
any location. By promoting flexible
working patterns hosted telephony
cuts premises and travelling costs and
benefits the environment.
For more information on
Spitfire’s telecommunications services
call 020 7501 3333, or visit
www.spitfire.co.uk
0870 903 9500

13. Sustainable telecoms
Telecoms services including
video conferencing, online
collaboration and cloud
computing play an important
role in delivering sustainability
programme targets such as
energy cost reduction, travel
substitution and fuel efficiency.
The most recent European sustainable
telecoms sector benchmark
conducted by independent analyst
firm Verdantix – The Green Quadrant
Sustainable Telecoms Europe 2011
report – provides a detailed, factbased comparison of ten sustainable
telecoms solutions provided by 18 of
the largest telecoms operators in the
European market.
The study assesses Europe’s largest
telecoms operators across 50 criteria
including a detailed assessment of
network energy efficiency, carbon
reduction strategies and sustainability
reporting. It also includes insights
from interviews with a panel of 15
senior IT and telecoms buyers with
combined revenues of over €175 billion.
Firms included in the study are ATT,
Belgacom, BT, CableWireless, Colt,
Deutsche Telekom, Orange, KPN, SFR,
Swisscom, Telecom Austria, Telekom
Italia, Telecom Portugal, Telefonica,
Telenor, TeliaSonera, Verizon and
Vodafone.
Key findings
The analysis found that ATT, BT,
Orange (France Télécom), Swisscom and
Telefónica will improve their ability to
win contracts for telepresence, cloud
computing, smart meters and web
hosting because they differentiate
their services with superior energy and
environmental performance.
The report stated that these five
telcos lead the European market for
sustainable telecoms because of their
integrated commercial strategies to
apply sustainability right across their
products and services, coupled with
in-depth organisational commitment to
sustainability, resulting in class leading
corporate sustainability performance.
www.binfo.co.uk
Competitive disadvantage
Verdantix Director David Metcalfe says
that the study found that telecoms
operators who can’t communicate
their own energy, environment and
sustainability performance are now at a
competitive disadvantage.
“This is particularly true when
bidding for public sector telecoms
contracts. Bid teams now need training
on how to respond to customers’
sustainability questions. An ability to
communicate the PUE of data centres or
the potential for air travel cost savings
from the deployment of telepresence
suites differentiates core telecoms
services. Among the 18 telcos we
looked at, Orange has invested ahead
of the curve to create sustainability
differentiators for its customers across
a broad portfolio. BT stands out for its
corporate sustainability performance.”
Buyer’s market
According to the report, buyers focus on
the sustainability benefits delivered by
video conferencing, telepresence,
collaboration platforms
and data centre-related
services including cloud
computing. Interviews
with 15 telecoms
buyers representing
multinational
firms with average
revenues of €12
billion uncovered
a growing trend to
include energy and
environment benefits
in the assessment
of overall business
benefits from telecoms
services. These powerful
buying constituencies use
energy and environmental
performance questions
as part of supplier prequalification. Two global
banks told Verdantix they
require telcos to have ISO14001
certification as a pre-condition for
spending money with them.
In the European telecoms market,
ATT, BT, Orange, Swisscom and
Telefonica lead their peer group on
energy, environment and social metrics.
These telecoms providers boast the
broadest portfolio of services that
target sustainability growth markets like
electricity and gas smart metering.
“
Operators
who can’t
communicate
their own
energy,
environment and
sustainability
performance
are now at a
competitive
disadvantage.
They have also invested more than
their competitors to measure and
communicate energy and CO2 benefits
delivered to their customers. For
example, Swisscom’s Green-ICT-check
tool enables customers to assess energy
and CO2 savings across all services in a
consistent way, while ATT, BT, Orange
and Telefonica have appointed a Chief
Sustainability Officer who reports at
Board level and garners investment for
the programme.
Market opportunity
“There is a big market opportunity
for the telecoms sector to act as a
sustainability ‘enabler’ helping customers
to reduce their energy consumption,
fuel costs and CO2 emissions,” says Phil
Sayer, Principal Analyst at Verdantix. “But
customers still need more education to
understand how to define sustainability
benefits in financial terms. Right now
there is a gaping disconnect between
the ambitions of the telcos and the
quality of their eco-marketing. Europe’s
telcos need to work much harder
to articulate how sustainability
performance adds value to
core telecoms services.”
www.verdantix.com
sustainabletimes 13

14. Summer blockbuster
Why window film is a big hit with
businesses during the summer months
Mention window film to people of a
certain age – especially those who
have lived overseas – and they might
well decry the poor adhesive quality,
discoloration, overly dark interiors,
a counter-productive build-up of
heat and potentially even damage to
windows and frames.
Peter Staelens, EMEA regional
manager of window film manufacturer
Solar Gard concedes that there may
have been problems in the past, but
points out that the quality of today’s
products and the expertise of Solar
Gard’s network of specialist installers
have transformed people’s experiences
of window film.
“Quality has improved from the
days when you had reflections and
discolouration. Discolouration is less
and less of a problem but everything
changes when exposed to the sun.
We give warranties of up to 16 years
for some products. Most products will
outlive the window because facades are
re-done and buildings change function,”
he said.
Which is just as well, because
today there are many more reasons
for installing window film. Greater
awareness of skin cancer, rising energy
prices, the threat of terrorism and the
need to reduce carbon emissions all
help make the case for film.
Tangible benefits
According to Staelens, there are three
main areas where window film can
provide tangible benefits:
1. Safety; Solar Gard’s range includes
highly elastic safety film that when
applied to the inside of a window
will keep broken glass in place even
in the event of a bomb explosion.
This is of benefit not only to obvious
terrorist targets, but any organisation
that has a duty of care. “Even away
from a bomb blast, there are schools
and public buildings with glass,
where there’s the risk of broken glass
and the need to protect people,”
Staelens said.
2. UV Protection: Window film stops
ultra-violet light from entering a
building, especially UVA, which,
unlike UVB, isn’t stopped by
glass. “This,” explained Staelens,
14 sustainabletimes
“is important in homes, offices,
museums and retail shops because
UV is 40-50% of what causes fading
and changes in colour. We stop that
and a big proportion of infra-red,
which is reduced by 50%.”
3. nergy: Films can lower solar gain
E
in buildings, thus reducing the need
for cooling in offices that have air
conditioning and creating a more
comfortable working environment in
ones that don’t. “You can save 30%
on cooling,” said Staelens. “If you
look at the energy consumption of
buildings, you could save up to 5%
of total energy consumption.”
“
Quality has
improved
from the days
when you had
reflections and
discolouration.
Film vs Glazing
New types of glass provide some of
these benefits. So is there an advantage
in using film rather than glazing, either
in a new build or as a retro-fit?
“Glazing can solve a lot but it can’t
solve everything,” explained Staelens.
“Glass with shades or film could be
the most cost-efficient solution. The
level of protection film can offer can’t
be matched by glazing: it’s about costefficiency – pounds and dollars – and
the environmental costs.”
He estimates that a square metre
film installation costs £40-£90 and
that the financial payback in reduced
energy costs could be as little as
four to five years. The environmental
payback, Staelens suggests, could be
even sooner.
“We have developed tools to help
decision-makers assess the investment,
including a new Environmental
Product Declaration (EPD). In purely
environmental terms, payback – the
energy saved versus the energy used
to make and distribute the product – is
about one year, at which point the film
becomes carbon neutral.
“It costs 1 kilo of CO2 to make
a square metre of window film but
2-3 kilos of CO2 to make a window,
so it’s better to put film on than buy
new windows. And window film is
simple. You can install it without any
disruption, but if you want to put new
windows in you may have to close your
office or restaurant,” he said.
The next time employees or
customers complain about the heat,
forget your prejudices and pick up the
phone to the nearest window film
provider. Doing so could bring more
benefits than you think.
www.solargard.co.uk
Touchdown PR, which represents Solar Gard in
the UK, applied Sterling 40 Solar Film to the
windows of its Farnham offices when employees
complained of headaches and dizziness caused
by glare from their Mac monitors. As well as
solving this problem, the retro-fit has created
a more comfortable working environment,
especially in the summer months.
Frasers Menswear retro-fitted a clear,
UV-blocking film to its shop windows to
prevent clothing used in window displays
from fading and to create a cooler shop
interior for customers. The film also
satisfied Frasers’ insurers which had been
urging the retailer to replace its two large
window panes with laminated glass.
0870 903 9500

15. Looping the loop
Recycling bins are a part of the
furniture in modern offices.
But what happens to the paper
that is collected in them?
The UK Confederation of Paper
Industries and the European
Confederation of European Paper
Industries (CEPI) both recently
published annual reports on paper
recycling.
In the UK, eight million tonnes of
waste paper and board (not just office
paper) was collected for recycling in
2010. This was 150,000 tonnes fewer
than in 2009, which, combined with
a 1.2% increase in paper and board
consumption, meant that the UK
recycling rate declined slightly from 67%
to 65% (source: CPI).
Due to a lack of capacity in the UK
paper recycling industry – domestic use
of recovered paper fell by 1.5% in 2010
– most (54%) of the waste collected in
the UK is sent overseas for recycling.
Some goes to Europe, but more than
three quarters (77%) is sent to the Far
East, especially China which takes 61%
of exported waste paper and board or
almost one third of all the waste paper
and board collected in the UK.
This sounds a lot but rising demand
for recovered paper in Europe, which
took 22% of the UK’s waste in 2010
compared to 14% in 2009, meant that
the proportion being sent to the Far East
was 8% lower than in 2009.
All this underlines that waste is a
global business – as is the manufacture
of recycled paper.
Following m-real’s decision a few
years ago to move the production of
market leading Evolve recycled paper to
Alizay in France, there are no recycled
office papers made in the UK. (Evolve
and the Alizay mill are now up for sale
and could disappear/be closed if m-real
doesn’t find a buyer of the brands and/or
mill by the end of September.)
Closed loop
Evolve caught the imagination of paper
buyers when it was launched because
it was made in the UK from UK waste.
This closed loop concept is still used as a
marketing tool by a number of suppliers
even if the paper is now made abroad.
Today, Banner Business Services and
Robert Horne offer closed loop systems
combining waste paper collection,
www.binfo.co.uk
recycling and paper sales in a single
service.
Banner Business Services, part of the
office2office contract stationery group,
has been offering a closed loop recycling
service since February 2010 when it took
delivery of 16,000 boxes of copier paper
made from waste paper collected from
public sector organisations including
HM Customs and Excise.
One of the strengths of Banner’s
offering – essential considering its
customer base – is the option of
document shredding at a secure
shredding facility or on the customer’s
premises using one of sister company
Banner Document Services’ mobile
shredding units.
To meet customers’ concerns about
data security, Robert Horne has now
added document shredding to its yoyo
service in a three-year partnership
with The Shredding Alliance (TSA), a
network of independent document
shredding and recycling companies.
Under the terms of the agreement, TSA
will provide a collection service from
customers’ premises, secure destruction
of confidential waste paper either via
on-site or off-site shredding and a
guarantee that yoyo sourced paper is
returned to the fibre bank for recycling
into yoyo paper.
Critics of closed loop recycling
schemes question how it is possible to
trace waste through recycling, pulping
and re-manufacture and argue that
closed loop is just a marketing ploy –
albeit a compelling one. But if it prevents
waste going to landfill and encourages
people to buy 100% recycled paper at
a time of stagnant demand, does that
matter?
Robert Horne
has added secure
shredding by The
Shredding Alliance
to its yoyo service
“
In the UK,
eight million
tonnes of
waste paper
and board was
collected for
recycling in
2010.
The greenest of
them all
There are a number of tools
available to help businesses
find the most sustainable
brands. One of the best is a
new online database set up by
the Worldwide Fund for Nature
(WWF) in co-operation with paper
manufacturers.
Check Your Paper ranks papers
according to the source of the
fibre used, recycled content, CO2
emissions, waste to landfill and
water pollution. At launch, there were
100 papers with Good or Excellent
scores in all the main categories,
including coated and uncoated papers,
newsprint, tissue, packaging and board
papers and specialty papers.
Premier Paper marketing director
Dave Jones is a fan of the site but
points out that the selection is limited
and does not include every instance
of a particular paper. For example,
Premier’s new Evolution paper (not
listed) is the same paper as the
Number 1-ranked Lenza product.
Jones says that the best place
to get advice is from your normal
supplier. “If the merchant or supplier is
any good, it will have that information
available and be able to tell you about
CO2 emissions, energy consumed
and things like that. Such information
is included in the Paper Profile, a
standardised format supported by
almost all manufacturers,” he said.
http://checkyourpaper.panda.org
sustainabletimes 15

16. cover story
The power of
positive printing
Rising energy costs, environmental concerns
and Government directives have led to an
increased demand for sustainable business
IT operations. Toshiba TEC is no stranger
to efforts designed to increase the overall
efficiency of printing environments – from
cutting costs, to meeting shrinking budgets,
to consuming fewer resources.
The adoption of green initiatives by
businesses is driven by a combination
of strategic factors including brand
enhancement, regulatory compliance,
or even a desire simply to do the
right thing. Organisations choosing
a Toshiba e-STUDIO multifunctional
“
Human activities are causing the global
climate to get significantly warmer
– making finding ways to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions vital.
product (MFP) can print, copy, fax
and scan in confidence. Toshiba
offers the complete package –
fantastic products, competitive
pricing, outstanding support and
no detrimental effect on the
environment.
Carbon Zero Scheme
Thanks to a partnership with carbon
offsetting experts, co2balance, the
carbon footprint of any Toshiba
e-STUDIO MFP plus the first million
pages is offset by Toshiba. The scheme
covers all associated emissions including
procurement, manufacturing, logistics,
power, paper, servicing, spares and
consumables for the machine and the
first one million prints.
Human activities are causing the
global climate to get significantly
warmer – making finding ways to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions vital. This is
where carbon offsetting can help. Carbon
offsetting allows for the investment in
projects that save the emission of, or
absorb, an equivalent amount of CO2
to that of an MFP’s footprint plus the
first million pages. Through this process
the emissions are balanced to become
carbon zero, which allows for positive
printing and copying, with no negative
effect on the environment. As Marketing
Manager Jeremy Spencer says: “You can’t
do without a copy and print capability in
your business – so you may as well feel
good about it.”
Toshiba is supporting a number of
projects in the UK and developing world
to help offset this carbon including the
African Energy Efficient Stove Project
which supplies energy efficient cooking
stoves to villages in Kenya. The stoves
result in a 50-70 per cent reduction in
the need for firewood, saving carbon as
well as providing a more cost and time
effective method of cooking. Each stove
prevents 15 tonnes of carbon over five
years and generates many additional
social, health and community benefits.
While there is no agreed
international standard for measuring
the carbon footprint of an MFP, the
Toshiba methodology works because
the data calculations used are based on
independent analysis which is in turn
independently audited by internationally
accredited organisations. So the offset
is total.
Since the scheme started Toshiba and
its dealers have helped to reduce carbon
by 23,282 tonnes and, in the process,
have helped more than 1,000 families
in Africa.
Carbon Zero: Key Benefits
n ave the planet – take positive action to reduce the impact of
S
your carbon footprint and help tackle climate change
n taff engagement – positive environmental action can generate
S
real interest amongst staff, aiding recruitment and retention
n eet customer expectations – a significant rise in demand
M
for suppliers that take steps to reduce their impact on the
environment
n arketing benefits – going carbon zero provides your company
M
with an edge in a competitive market
n usiness policies – help to fulfil your environmental strategies
B
16 sustainabletimes
0870 903 9500

17. NEW e-STUDIO4540c and
e-STUDIO6550c series
Toshiba’s eight new
colour systems – the
e-STUDIO4540c series and
the e-STUDIO6550c series
– are extremely productive,
high quality devices that
have been designed for
modern, digital networked
document workflows.
Improved User Experience
n niversal driver – a single driver installation
U
for Toshiba MPS environments
n ustomisable user settings – properties
C
allow the administrator to control
functionality per user
n ultiple overlays – the end
M
of pre-printed stationery, up
to six templates can be used
in any one document
n emplates – users’ driver
T
profiles appear in the
templates tab and are
customisable
n andem Print – split a
T
job between two Toshiba
systems – print speeds can
be increased up to 170ppm
n y Menu Screen – individual
M
user profiles in the menu
screen
n -FILING thumbnails –
e
helps to identify the correct
document before printing
n rint around – allows jobs to
P
print ahead of ones that have
stalled due to running out
of staples or a certain paper
size for example
Extensive feedback from technicians
worldwide has resulted in significant
changes to the engineering of the
new products – the benefits of which
include crystal clear images, improved
reliability and higher productivity.
www.binfo.co.uk
This brand new range delivers print
and copy speeds from 20 to 65 pages
per minute and boasts the very latest
technology, including a completely
new operating system from VxWorks
to Linux, ensuring the new products
are future proofed for the software of
tomorrow.
Energy consumption is reduced
by 400 per cent from 22W to 5W in
sleep mode. This delivers additional
cost savings on typical running costs –
around 20 per cent – as well as reduced
carbon footprint. Plus the balance of
the carbon produced and one million
pages is offset by Toshiba’s Carbon Zero
scheme.
n SB direct scan/print – save scanned data
U
into the USB flash drive, no need to print from
the PC
n ecurity – IEEE2600.2-.4 (ISO standard
S
for hard copy devices) delivered out of the
box IEEE2600.1 (ISO standard ‘Top Secret’)
compliant when the data overwrite key is
installed
www.toshiba.co.uk/imaging
sustainabletimes 17

18. COPY RIGHT
100% recycled, high quality office papers,
available from the
For further information or samples please email marketing@paper.co.uk
18 sustainabletimes
0870 903 9500

19. Going green can save £s
Industry analysts IDC say that as a result of the recession, most OEMs
(original equipment manufacturers) reported significant drops in sales of original
consumables, with toner sales suffering the most. Compatibles, on the other
hand, thrived in the worsening economic climate, with all EMEA markets reporting
significant increases in sales.
Toner unit sales dropped by 11.7 per
cent year on year in 2009, while OEM
sales were down by 20.6 per cent.
Ink dropped 6.8 per cent with OEM
sales down by 16.7 per cent in the
same period. IDC predict that the
ink market is expected to develop
at a CAGR of 1.4 per cent to 2014
while the toner market is expected
to grow at 3.4 per cent. And whilst
OEMs are expected to regain some
market share, those compatible
vendors that managed to establish a
strong presence in the crisis years will
continue to perform well.
“
Refilling inkjet
cartridges is
more straightforward and
can even be
done on a DIY
basis.
All change
The printer consumables market is one
that has undergone dramatic changes
over the last couple of years. Consumers
now have much more choice and long
gone are concerns about counterfeit
compatible products, poor quality
and low print yields. The UKCRA (UK
Cartridge Remanufacturers Association)
estimates that the number of recycled
cartridges sold each year now exceeds
1.5 billion.
A compatible cartridge, either new
or recycled/remanufactured, is one
that is not produced by the original
manufacturer, but is still developed
specifically to suit the product for which
it is designed. Toner cartridges for laser
printers, photocopiers and plain paper
fax machines can’t be refilled. However,
most types of toner cartridge can be
remanufactured. The cartridges are sent
to a factory where they are completely
dismantled and cleaned, any worn
parts are replaced and then they are
refilled with fresh toner. Refilling inkjet
cartridges is more straightforward and
can even be done on a DIY basis. There
are a number of companies such as
Kleen Strike UK, a member and General
Secretary of UKCRA, who offer an inkjet
refilling service to a guaranteed quality
standard, or www.inkfactory.com and
www.cartridgepeople.com who supply
the ink and refilling equipment.
Eco-nomical alternatives
Armor Office Printing (www.armorprint.com), a leading manufacturer of
compatible consumables for inkjet,
laser, fax and dot matrix printers, has
the capacity to produce more than
24,000,000 inkjet cartridges and
1,500,000 laser cartridges a year.
All ARMOR remanufactured
cartridges are made from
empty cartridges that
have been
collected with
as much as 70 to 90 per cent of the
components being re-used. According
to Etira (European Toner Inkjet
Remanufacturers Association), this
process results in 60 per cent less CO2
and 16,000 tonnes less waste compared
to the amount of CO2 generated by the
production of original laser cartridges
and saves more than 30 per cent of the
energy used to produce original supplies.
End-of-life laser cartridges are sent
to a specialist industrial partner and to
ensure that 100 per cent of the cartridge
has been recycled, the recycling
company delivers a materials report
back to ARMOR, in which the input
weight of the cartridges to be treated
must be equal to its output weight after
dismantling.
Headquartered in Minneapolis, Katun
Corporation (www.katun.com) supplies
OEM-compatible imaging supplies and
other select products and services for
the office equipment industry.
ISO 9001 certified Jettec (www.
jettec.com) is one of Europe’s bestknown compatible inkjet cartridge
manufacturers. The specialist ink used
in their printer cartridges is carefully
formulated to match the performance
of each printer type. Each month the
firm recycles 500,000 ink cartridges and
in its manufacturing facility in Boston,
Lincolnshire produces over two million
compatible inkjet cartridges, 700,000
remanufactured inkjet cartridges and
100,000 laser toner cartridges. Sister
company, The Recycling Factory (www.
therecyclingfactory.com) works with
charities, businesses, schools, clubs,
societies and individuals, helping them
to recycle and at the same time earn
money. To date they have raised over
£1.5 million for charity.
Key facts
n Over 45 million cartridges go into UK landfill
sites each year
n It is estimated only 15 per cent are recycled
or re-used
n By 2012, 500 million laser cartridges and 1.8
billion ink cartridges will be dumped in landfills
worldwide
n Each cartridge thrown into landfill can take up to
1,000 years to decompose
n In just 12 months, cartridge recycling could save
15 million litres of oil in the UK
www.binfo.co.uk
sustainabletimes 19

20. advertorial
OKI
Delivering Optimum
Printing Value for SMEs
OKI is a global business-tobusiness brand dedicated
to creating cost effective,
professional in-house
printing solutions. The
company’s portfolio of
award winning products,
solutions and total
managed print services
assist organisations of all
sizes and budgets. One
of its key target sectors,
however, consists of busy
SMEs. These organisations,
drawn from the full
spectrum of industry
sectors, typically have a
continuous, intensive need
for high-quality but costeffective printing solutions.
20 sustainabletimes
The majority of SMEs claim
to have control over all their
expenditure. Most know how
much they spend on staff,
business rent and rates and
phone and electricity bills. Very
few, however, have a precise
understanding of what is
incurred on printing.
In fact, for many
SMEs, print is their
largest unknown cost.
And with budgets tight
and economic conditions
still challenging, this is a serious
issue.
OKI can address it, however, by
offering SMEs an approach based
around managed print services
(MPS). Typically, this will consist
of a portfolio of programmes
which together help to reduce
print-related costs and the
environmental impact of printing
for all kinds of organisations
including SMEs.
OKI first discusses the
individual business’s output
requirements and then
recommends a solution
0870 903 9500

21. advertorial
to cater for its specific print needs.
It then works directly with the
organisation, or in collaboration
with a professional partner, to carry
out an assessment of current print
output. OKI analyses the volumes
currently being printed, in A4 or A3,
black white or colour, and agrees
a plan to suit the customer’s needs.
This approach has the potential
to bring SMEs a range of benefits.
First, it makes the often unseen
costs of printing highly visible: not
just of hardware and consumables
but also of storage space and
man-hours spent supporting and
maintaining a variety of disparate
systems. What’s more, it shows
SMEs just how much they could
save by bringing in the latest high
speed, energy efficient products
that require a minimum level of
support
Going Green
OKI’s MPS offering also encourages
proactive media management, by
allowing the user to choose the
right format for the job, effectively
reducing paper wastage and time
spent on getting the print right.
The use of the latest
technologies reduces the carbon
footprint of the business’s printing
activities. In addition, as part
of a broad series of initiatives
to improve environmental
performance, OKI’s programme for
MPS also provides advice, help and
training on waste reduction, expert
disposal of redundant equipment
and a national programme for
recycling used consumables.
It also offers SMEs a range of
other print solutions that SMEs
can use to achieve more energy
efficient, environmental friendly
printing.
Driven by a combination of
industry legislation, a focus on
value for money and a desire to
improve environmental credentials,
SMEs are steadily migrating
towards greener printing solutions.
Today, they are typically
demanding the highest levels
of power management. OKI is a
pioneer in this space and many of
its latest devices feature an ECO
mode to help conserve energy and
resources and a deep sleep mode
to reduce power consumption to
negligible levels when printers are
not in use.
“
... print solutions
that SMEs can use
to achieve more
energy efficient,
environmental
friendly printing
continued…
www.binfo.co.uk
sustainabletimes 21

22. advertorial
OKI –
Delivering Optimum
Printing Value
for SMEs
Further benefits can be garnered
by setting printers appropriately.
Devices can be set to print in
mono as standard, allowing SMEs
to reduce unnecessary colour
printing, but enabling them to
use colour when required. Duplex
(double-sided) printing capability
is increasingly seen as a standard
requirement for devices. OKI print
devices can also be set up to print
double-sided, as a default option,
allowing SMEs to make further
cost savings while cutting paper
wastage by up to 50%.
Under a Tight Rein
One of the great benefits of MPS is
its ability to provide organisations
with tight cost control. As part
of its own MPS implementation,
OKI can provide specialist advice
on the best use of resources and
information that allows users to
know and control costs. Audits are
ongoing and a regular part of most
MPS implementations.
This kind of approach also allows
SMEs to benefit from the use of
cost recovery software, which
enables them to quickly and easily
monitor and track costs and their
impact on the bottom line.
As part of any MPS
implementation, OKI typically also
offers a range of multifunction
products (MFPs). These all-inone devices are often key in
busy SMEs, helping firms to drive
productivity by enabling them to
scan documents to PDF or email.
These devices are compact, easy to
manage and increasingly feature
integrated control functions,
capable of restricting the volume
and type of printing individuals are
allowed to engage in.
So, in summary, opting for a
MPS approach from OKI Printing
Solutions can bring a range of
benefits to SMEs, helping them
monitor, control and cut costs,
drive efficiencies and achieve more
secure printing. In other words, it is
an approach that will clearly benefit
almost every SME operating today.
www.oki.co.uk
“
One of the great
benefits of MPS is
its ability to provide
organisations with
tight cost control.
As part of its own
MPS implementation
erform
22 sustainabletimes
0870 903 9500

23. Power to perform
ML5700eco – ultra reliable, fast,
high duty desktop dot matrix printers
9 or 24-pin, wide or narrow carriage, the ML5700eco Series offers a range of
fast, reliable dot matrix printers, all with truly versatile paper handling and
low running costs. And with low power consumption, long life ribbons and
the ability to print up to 7 part forms, they keep productivity levels high and
environmental impact low.
To find out more visit
www.oki.co.uk or call 01753 819856

24. Green
notepads
One product that often gets flak for being bad
for the environment is paper, but contrary to
many misconceptions, paper has some incredible
environmental credentials. It is natural,
bio-degradeable, comes from a renewable
resource and is recyclable.
Paper was invented nearly two
thousand years ago and is still today
an integral part of our daily lives.
According to The Confederation of
Paper Industries, paper and board
consumption in the UK rose by 1.2
per cent to 10.6 million tonnes last
year and the average amount of
paper used per person, per year is
200kg.
One of the most widely debated
myths is that we should only produce
and use recycled papers.
We’re good at recycling – Europe
recycles more paper than any other
region in the world and has a recycling
rate of 68.9 per cent. But the fact is
that paper can only be recycled around
four to six times before the fibres
weaken and lose their papermaking
qualities. Virgin pulp is an essential
ingredient in the paper making
chain, so buyers should be looking at
sustainably sourced as well as recycled,
papers and paper products such as
notebooks and pads.
What’s interesting is that a
recent round of discussion groups
conducted by Hamelin Brands (www.
hamelinbrands.co.uk) revealed that
many consumers assume that all paper
products are environmentally-friendly
these days.
Hamelin has several recycled
offerings in its most popular notebook
ranges such as Black n’ Red, Cambridge
and Oxford Office and says that it
aims to help educate customers on
the accreditations that products have,
as well as any other environmentallyfriendly features, so that they can make
eco-responsible choices.
Made in the UK
UK-based stationery manufacturer
Sinclairs (www.sinclairsproducts.
com) produces the Silvine brand of
notebooks and pads. The firm has
achieved ISO14001 and is also one of
only a few stationery manufacturers
to have FSC accreditation. Its
environmental offering is impressive
and offers choice. Notebooks, pads,
exercise books etc. come in Everyday
and Premium options and feature three
paper types – recycled, FSC-certified
and C02 neutral.
But the entire Silvine range, not
just the recycled variants, has green
credentials and enables companies to
meet their environmental procurement
objectives. Marketing Manager Simon
Medley says that 99.99 per cent of
Silvine products are made with care in
the UK. “We only knowingly buy paper
from responsible suppliers, so even if it
doesn’t state recycled, CO2 neutral or
FSC-certified on the cover, customers
can rest assured that the paper is still
from sustainable sources.”
its most popular products. Its Recycled
range constitutes roughly 15 to 20 per
cent of its total pad sales.
All of the pads in the Recycled range
feature 100 per cent recycled paper
but the firm said that a standard Pukka
Pad is still quite green. All of the paper
used in its non-recycled paper pads and
notebooks originates from sustainable
sources and all its products are made
in mills with ISO9002 and ISO14001
accreditations.
A second life
Remarkable (www.remarkable.co.uk),
a quirky company that turns everyday
waste materials into recycled products,
uses more recycled paper and card than
anything else. Up to three tonnes of
recycled paper are used each day to
make notepads and notebooks.
Remarkable’s colourful offering
includes A4, A5 and A6 perfect bound
notepads with covers made from
recycled leather or recycled card and
100 per cent recycled paper inside,
as well as wiro bound notepads with
covers made from recycled packaging.
When it reaches the end of
its lifecycle, paper that is sent
to landfill or incinerated will
produce further greenhouse gases
(carbon dioxide or methane) as
it degrades. Produced in equal
amounts, methane is 25 times
more harmful than carbon
dioxide in terms of contributing
to the greenhouse effect. That’s
why it’s so important to recycle
paper and give it a second life!
Not just recycled
Pukka Pads (www.pukka-pads.co.uk)
says that recycled products have
become increasingly popular with
both retailers and consumers in the
UK market and in order to meet that
demand it offers recycled versions of
24 sustainabletimes
0870 903 9500

25. advertorial
Bong AB becomes Europe’s first
supplier of mailing solutions
to carry the Carbon Trust’s
Carbon Reduction Label
Bong AB today announces that it
has been awarded the right to carry
the Carbon Trust’s Carbon Reduction
Label on its mailing solutions made
of DuPont™ Tyvek®. The products
covered by the Carbon Reduction
Label are manufactured from Tyvek®
material made by DuPont de Nemours
(Luxembourg). They are the first
mailing products to achieve Carbon
Trust certification and are marketed
throughout Western Europe, Poland,
and Russia, exclusively by Bong AB.
“We knew that Tyvek® mailing
solutions performed well from an
environmental point of view because
independent experts had already tested
them for DuPont™,” says Bill Callcut,
European Product Manager – Security, at
Bong AB. “That gave us the confidence
to go one step further and measure
our own greenhouse gas emissions
and seek independent certification
from the Carbon Trust Footprinting
Certification Company. We’re delighted
with the result. It gives our customers
reliable and independently verified
data on which they can make decisions
about the environmental benefits of
competing mailing solutions. And it gives
us a benchmark against which we can
measure our success at further reducing
the carbon footprint of our warehousing
and distribution processes.”
As part of the footprinting project,
DuPont™ de Nemours (Luxembourg)
achieved a Carbon Reduction Label for
Tyvek® as a raw material sold on the roll.
The label applies to Tyvek® produced in
Luxembourg.
To achieve certification and
qualify for the Carbon Reduction
www.binfo.co.uk
Label, the footprint of the products
was independently certified by the
Carbon Trust Footprinting Certification
Company. As well as undergoing the
rigorous footprint assessment behind
Carbon Reduction Label certification,
manufacturers must commit to actively
reduce the carbon footprint of the
labelled products over time.
According to research undertaken
by the Carbon Trust, almost nine out
of ten consumers want their favourite
brands to help combat the threat of
climate change by reducing their carbon
footprints.
Harry Morrison, Director,
Certification, the Carbon Trust, said:
“We congratulate Bong AB on the
certification of these products. This
achievement proves that by working in
partnership with the supply chain, it is
possible to measure and reduce entire
product lifecycles, from the development
of raw materials, right up to the finished
products that are sold and disposed of
by consumers.”
Bill says: “Over the next two years,
Bong AB intends to improve on its
environmental performance by cutting
the carbon footprint of its warehousing
and distribution. That’s the commitment
we make by displaying the Carbon
Reduction Label. We want mailing
solutions made of Tyvek® to be the firstchoice material for European businesses
that want a robust mailing product with
strong green credentials.”
visit www.bong.com/tyvek
sustainabletimes 25

26. advertorial
Neopost supports the
environmental challenge for SMEs
According to research by
the European Commission,
reducing environmental
impact is a high priority for
SMEs and this pressure will
continue in the coming years
from both the market place
and legislation.
How Neopost can help our
customers
Franking machines may be best known
for saving money and making mail
processes faster and more efficient, but
choosing a Neopost franking machine
also helps our customers meet green
objectives.
Improve energy efficiency
The Neopost Group is authorised to
use the Energy Star label around the
world for its entire digital franking
machine range. The Energy Star
program encourages corporations and
individuals to protect the environment
through initiatives aimed at saving
energy.
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We value
Potential improvements can be found just about
anywhere – in any product, solution or service. So,
through a genuine lifecycle vision and environment
mindset, we’ve made it our goal to discover them,
wherever they’re hiding.
post
www.neo
TurNING IdEAS
INTO ACTION
E YOur
WE VALu
bACkEd bY
SOLId rESuLTS
By implementing a comprehensive lifecycle-analysis tool, with the support of the
French Environmental Protection Agency (ADEME) and CODDE Bureau Veritas,
we’ve been able to thoroughly examine every aspect of our business, from
manufacturing to hardware components, packaging to transport, usage and
end-of-life. This allows us to maintain a rigorous eco-design approach, through
which we constantly enhance the efficiency and recyclability of our entire range.
A 65% drop in juSt Five yeArS
CO2/ton
POWER IN NUMBERS!
CO2 portion in tons of total transport weight
3
2009
transport ratios
2.5
29%
9%
2
2004
transport ratios
1.5
23%
32%
Sea
Air
62%
Ground
45%
1
Sea
Air
Nurturing research partnership with universities and other
industrials is a valuable way to develop successful initiatives.
Neopost recently teamed up with SUPMECA Ecodesign of
Systems to design the remanufacturing and the reverse logistics
of our products. Also, following a two-year multi-brand research
project co-funded by ADEME, Neopost is currently part of the
Synergico consortium(1), working with Sagemcom and two
laboratories from the University of Grenoble, G-Scop G2ELab,
to explore new methods to boost energy efficiency at the
product-design phase.
Taking action is critical, but it’s only the first
step! It’s equally essential to constantly track
progress and make sure we’re making a real,
measurable difference we can be proud of.
Fortunately, the hard work is paying off.
One of our most notable achievements has
been our eco-design approach, which has had
a tremendous impact. Through a massive
upgrade of our product range(2), we’re now
using 44% less material and 10.5% fewer
components than before. Packaging has been
reduced by 7%, and all packaging is now 100%
cardboard and fully recyclable. On average,
our machines are up to 78% recyclable.
And, largely thanks to the user-friendly sleep
mode, they consume up to 50% less energy.
Furthermore, by putting greater emphasis on
shipment forecasting and optimised pallets,
we’ve been able to radically reduce airfreight,
from 32% of all transport activities in 2004
to just 9% in 2009, which has had a significant
contribution on carbon-footprint reduction.
(2) Comparative study between IJ-70 and IS-480 based on
life cycle assessment.
Since 2007, Neopost’s French subsidiary, Satas, has been
donating €5 from each sales contract to the French SOS
Children’s Villages organisation to assist
in the construction of new villages.
Located throughout the world, these
villages allow brothers and sisters
who’ve been separated from their
parents to continue living together in
a safe and happy environment. The
program has already raised €125,000
and continues to go strong.
• Support the Hospices
Chosen by its employees as the
‘Charity of the Year’, Neopost UK
is backing Help the Hospices, an
aid organisation that supports
213 member hospices. Via this
program, Neopost offices
throughout the UK work to raise
money through awareness events,
such as company BBQs, raffles
and even dress-down days.
• Ninth year of the bikes for Tykes program in uSA.
Neopost USA employees in Milford and Oaks raised money
among themselves to purchase 162
bicycles for local children. The Milford
NeoLife committee arranged for two
truckloads of bikes to be delivered to a
Connecticut-based charity which helps
economically vulnerable families. In
the nine years of our Bikes for Tykes
program, our employees have donated
811 bikes to their communities.
AWARD-WINNING RECOGNITION
0
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
CO2 portion in tons of total transport weight
To learn more visit our website www.neopost.com
It’s a major honour for us to see our eco initiatives recognised by reputable environment-focused organisations. Recently in the
Netherlands, Neopost Technologies won the Sinnestriel award, granted by the Friesian Environmental Federation to companies
that innovate in the field of sustainability and energy. The honour was presented at the annual Sinnewiken Event, which draws
attention to climate change and promotes measures to minimise it. Neopost also took second place in France’s prestigious
Prix de la Croissance Verte Numérique(3) awards, organised by ACIDD, an impressive performance within a steep competition
of numerous respected brands.
(3) www.prixdelacroissancevertenumerique.eu
26 sustainabletimes
REACHING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS
A HELPING HAND
FOR PEOPLE IN NEED
(1) http://synergico.g-scop.grenoble-inp.fr
Ground
0.5
Scope:
transport from production sites to logistic centers
and Folder/Inserter product-distribution centers
We’re doing our bit
Neopost has cut fuel consumption
by 10% in 2 years by choosing more
fuel efficient vehicles and setting up a
dedicated helpdesk to resolve customer
queries, meaning less need for engineer
visits.
www.neopost.co.uk/SUST
EVErYONE
IS A WINNEr!
When it comes to corporate responsibility, it’s not
only about obligations. And the environment isn’t the
only beneficiary. Responsible initiatives offer a real
win-win situation for everyone – our business,
your business, your budgets and bottom lines,
end-users, society and the planet.
• SOS Children’s Villages
mAIL
For example, in addition to reducing the amount of material used, we’ve
optimised the recyclability of our products by replacing elements that previously
required glue, as well as metal inserts into plastic, and reduced the number of
screws required. What’s more, in most countries we offer our customers a free
cartridge-collection program, which minimises waste and makes it easy for them
to get involved and be part of the solution.
led paper.
Cut paper use
myneopost+ is a FREE online service
which allows Neopost customers to
analyse postal expenditure and manage
their postal equipment on-line, a
feature no other franking machine
supplier provides. Accessing recent
invoices and credit notes on-line
eliminates the need for paper copies
to be sent or stored, saving paper and
space.
Challenge · Action · Results
Neopost have produced a brochure
outlining their commitments to
high impact business initiatives
including innovative eco-design
enhancements throughout their
range. To find out more, contact
Neopost on 0800 731 1334
quoting SUST.
e 1920s
ts
g produc
Reduce landfill by recycling
The ink used in Neopost cartridges
is specially formulated to comply
with Royal Mail specifications and is
not hazardous to the environment.
To reduce landfill, Neopost recently
introduced a new system for recycling
addressing and franking ink cartridges.
This FREE service gives our customers
a postage paid envelope to return used
cartridges. More than one cartridge
can be sent back at once, reducing the
carbon from transport used.
Cut journeys
Reduce fuel costs by not driving to the
post office to buy stamps. A franking
machine can be re-credited on line
24/7. Since April 6th it has been even
cheaper to frank than stamp:• ave at least 8p on every 2nd class
S
letter
• ave at least 14p on every 2nd class
S
large letter
• ave at least £1.19 on
S
every 2kg packet.
• neopost products are now designed to
conform to the most stringent and
respected international environmental
standards in the world – even the products
that aren’t required. Among these standards
is included the prestigious Energy Star
certification, which set the benchmark for
evolving government regulations.
energy Star
roHS - Restriction of Hazardous
Substances
weee - Waste of Electric and Electronic
Equipment
erp - Energy Related Product
reACH - Registration, Evaluation
and Authorisation of CHemical
• our vast certification program covers the
entirety of neopost’s organisations, including
all subsidiaries and key suppliers:
ISO 9001:2008
ISO 14001:2004
OHSAS 18001:2007
Today, when customers purchase
a Neopost product, they’re
acquiring a solution that saves
them more money in energy costs
and emits less C02 than current
market standards. So being
responsible is more than just good
ethics – it’s also smart business!
LIGHTENING uP
ON PAPEr
Reducing paper waste during mail processes can
actually be more effective than all other measures
combined. That’s why Neopost also offers software
solutions that clean and verify addresses, filter double
addresses, and group multiple pieces when it’s the
same address – all intelligent ways to cut down
on paper and costs at the same time.
Our VISION
FOr THE FuTurE
We’ve come so far and we don’t plan on stopping.
Environmental and social improvement is a key part
of who we are as a business. So we’re not just taking
temporary steps. For Neopost, this is a serious
commitment and an ongoing journey.
We’ll continue to invest our time, money and RD
effort into finding smarter new ways to minimise our
impact, protect our planet and resources, and work
to make society a better place. We hope you’ll join us!
0870 903 9500

27. Carbon Management:
the basics
Steve Hewson, sales and marketing director of
co2balance, considers carbon offsetting’s place within
an overall carbon management strategy
The best carbon
offsetting projects
bring social,
health and welfare
benefits, as well as
carbon reductions:
co2balance’s project
to supply Kenyan
villagers with energyefficient stoves
reduces the time and
effort spent gathering
firewood and reduces
the risk of smokerelated health
problems.
Many businesses looking to minimise
the environmental impact of their
activities follow the established
methodology of reduce, reuse and
recycle. This has significantly more
effect if you add the additional step of
“measure” at both the start and end of
the process and then repeat the cycle.
By measuring your environmental
impact and acting upon it, you
move from simple, random – if well
intentioned – activities to a more
focused carbon management strategy.
I use the term carbon management
advisedly because not all actions have
a visible carbon connection but carbon,
or more strictly tonnes equivalent
to CO2 ( T CO2e), is the measure in
common usage, often quoted as a carbon
footprint. Fitting water butts to the down
pipes on your premises to save water
may seem removed from changing to
more efficient light bulbs. However, both
actions will have a measurable effect
within a carbon management strategy.
A good starting point is to have a
baseline assessment of your business.
A properly conducted Greenhouse Gas
Audit (conforming to the greenhouse gas
protocol) will measure your energy usage
from all sources – gas, electric, oil – as
well as water and business travel. This
will produce a carbon footprint for your
business expressed in TCO2e.
www.binfo.co.uk
A carbon management strategy looks
at these cost elements and devises a
series of actions to make total carbon
reductions. Often, these are simple
cultural changes such as shutting off
unused IT equipment out of hours or
opening windows instead of using air
conditioning. Others will require capital
investment, for example changing from
halogen spot lights to new ultra low
energy L.E.D. bulbs or fitting motion
detection systems for the lights in
a meeting room. In most cases, the
return on investment (ROI) is achieved
relatively quickly.
The ROI from a human perspective
can be significant too. Studies have
shown that a majority of consumers will
choose an environmentally conscious
brand over another providing it falls
within acceptable price parameters.
The same is true for employee job
satisfaction. When an organisation
actively promotes environmental
awareness and actions alongside other
corporate and social responsibility
actions, employee satisfaction figures
rise, as does the desirability for
candidates to join such organisations. In
this way a carbon strategy can save your
company hard cash and help to retain
and improve your most valuable asset,
your people.
“
…a number
of so called
carbon
emission
reduction
projects
turned out to
be scams.
Next steps
An organisation that has taken steps
to reduce its carbon footprint and
established a culture that actively looks
for further efficiencies will eventually
reach a level where further reductions
will impede their ability to operate
effectively. For businesses that want to
carry on shrinking their carbon footprint
or even achieve carbon zero status, the
last option to consider is carbon offset.
Carbon offset is a very simple
concept: first calculate the value of
carbon associated with a product, service
or business that you cannot reduce any
further; then invest in a project that
reduces carbon, or prevents its release
into the atmosphere, at an equivalent
value to your product. By balancing
carbon emissions created with emissions
saved, you can achieve CarbonZero
status for your product, service or
business.
The offset concept got off to a
bad start in the late 1990s when a
number of so called carbon emission
reduction projects turned out to be
scams. This caused many environmental
organisations and NGOs to claim
that offsetting was no different to the
practice of selling indulgences in the
Middle Ages when the rich could pay
someone to pray on their behalf.
However, since the full introduction
of the Kyoto protocol in 2005 reputable
international standards bodies have been
established to regulate the industry.
Governments, too, have encouraged the
creation of a robust and accountable
regulatory framework within which to
operate their own carbon ‘Cap and Trade’
programs, including the UK’s mandatory
climate change and energy saving CRC
Energy Efficiency Scheme (formerly
known as the Carbon Reduction
Commitment).
Today, it is a fairly straightforward
process to find a reputable carbon
offset project and supplier. The cost of
each Tonne of carbon credit will vary
depending on the standard you wish
your credits to comply with. The better
programs, such as those that comply
with the Swiss-registered Gold Standard,
offer significantly more social, health
and welfare benefits to the communities
where the projects take place. If your
purpose is to promote your business or
product through a strong positive CSR
message, this is the standard to go for.
In the next issue, Steve Hewson
will look in more detail at Carbon
offsetting and how to market your
investment to get the best return.
sustainabletimes 27

28. task environments
“
Task Systems is one of the
UK’s leading office furniture
suppliers. For 30 years we
have offered clients a complete
service, including the supply of
office furniture, space planning,
installation and support.
We take responsibility for every stage
of a project, from the design of our
products to their manufacture and
disposal at end of life, and aim to
exceed customers’ expectations in all
areas, including environmental
performance.
As an ISO 14001 company, we
constantly monitor and control the
impact of our activities on the
environment. Our commitment to
continuous improvement underpins
everything we do, influencing the
design of our products, the materials
used and our choice of
manufacturing partners.
We are now taking this to the next
level by calculating the carbon
footprint of every product in our
portfolio, with the intention of
reducing Task Systems’ CO2
emissions by 20% within the next
five years.
As well as identifying areas where
improvements can be made and
helping Task Systems with its own
targets, this information will prove
invaluable to clients with carbon
reduction programmes of their own,
enabling us to offer an even better
service to our customers.
”
Costas Karavias and Tony Daltrey,
joint managing directors, Task Systems

29. The product lifecycle
Intro
Task Systems is committed to
reducing the environmental impact of
our activities at every stage of a
product's lifecycle from its design and
manufacture to its delivery and
installation and disposal at end of life.
As an ISO 14001 accredited
company we have an environmental
management system in place and a
culture of continuous improvement to
drive further performance
enhancements. This includes an
ambitious programme to reduce
carbon emissions by 20% over the
next five years.
Design
Task desking and storage products
are created in-house by a team of
talented furniture designers. The
design stage is fundamental to a
product's overall environmental
impact and decisions made at this
stage will influence up to 70% of a
product's total carbon footprint.
Because we design all of our
products ourselves, we have
complete control over every aspect of
the product lifecycle, from the
materials used, to ease of assembly
and recycling at end of life. This
allows us to minimise our use of
resources and gain maximum value
from those that we do consume.
Materials are carefully chosen for their
sustainability. Frames are made from
steel, which is long-lasting, has a high
recycled content and is 100%
recyclable.
Desk surfaces are made from FSCcertified board that can be re-used at
end of life, ground up and composted
or incinerated and converted into
energy.
Plastic has been virtually eradicated
from our products and any plastic
parts that are used are designed for
easy separation at the recycling
stage.
Manufacturing and the
supply chain
Manufacturing is outsourced to
specialist steel and board suppliers
offering the economic and
environmental benefits of economies
of scale. This is reflected in the
carbon footprint of our products and
in their strength and durability.
Our supply chain is carefully vetted
for its environmental performance.
Manufacturing partners are
encouraged to maximise the use of
recycled material in both steel and
chipboard and all wood must be
FSC-certified, indicating that it comes
from forests managed to the highest
environmental and social standards.
Task's seating suppliers share our
commitment to sustainability and are
complaint with leading environmental
accreditation schemes, including
The Furniture Industry Sustainability
Programme (FISP) and Forest
Stewardship Certification (FSC).
For businesses that have their own
carbon reduction programmes,
Task even offers a selection of carbon
neutral chairs.

30. Logistics
The warehousing and delivery of Task
Systems products are designed to
minimise the use of energy, helping to
reduce carbon emissions.
Recently Task Systems moved to a
22,000 square foot, energy-efficient
warehouse in Galleons Reach,
Becton. The warehouse is built to the
latest thermal efficiency standards
and incorporates high racking to
maximise space utilisation.
As part of our carbon reduction
programme, all lighting is controlled
by PIR sensors and turns off
automatically if no one is present.
From the warehouse, furniture is
delivered to the customer's site using
a modern fleet of diesel trucks and
Sprinter vans. Delivery routes are
planned using the latest GPS
systems and route planning software.
This eliminates unnecessary journeys
and improves fuel efficiency.
Installation
Once furniture has been delivered
and installed its impact on the
environment is neutral. However, the
way it is laid out is significant and can
have a major impact on a customer's
own carbon footprint, as well as the
comfort and well-being of its
employees.
Task Systems’ space planners are
trained to help customers reduce
their own CO2 emissions by devising
office layouts that make maximum
use of natural light and minimise the
need for air conditioning.
All cardboard and plastic packaging
is removed from the customer's
offices and processed as part of Task
Systems cardboard and plastic
recycling scheme.
Disposal
Our desks and filing products are
designed to last 20 years. But we
know customers have much shorter
furniture replacement cycles.
As part of our environmental
obligations, Task Systems works
closely with customers to maximise
the useful life of our products and
prevent waste going to landfill.
Our desktop replacement service
allows customers to extend the life of
desks and tables by keeping the
desk frame and simply changing
the top.
If a customer requires new desks, we
take away the old furniture and resell
it, or if it is damaged beyond repair,
recycle steel and aluminium parts and
dispose of the board in an
environmentally responsible manner.
To help customers comply with their
own CSR policies, we can arrange for
unwanted furniture to be donated to
charities and social enterprises.

31. Task Systems Ltd
Head Office: Unit 3 4, Block C, Gemini Business Park, Hornet Way, Beckton, London E6 7FF
T: +44 (0)20 7540 6400 F: +44 (0)20 7540 6440
Showroom: 85 Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch, London EC2A 3HY
T: +44 (0)20 7749 1960 F: +44 (0)20 7749 1961
www.tasksystems.co.uk
Administrative offices
At Task Systems, we don't just
monitor the environmental impact of
our furniture products: we also
attempt to minimise the impact of our
administrative and office-based
activities.
Our in-house CSR team makes sure
that all employees are aware of our
environment policy and put the
environment at the heart of all
decision-making, from their use of
printers and PCs to how they get to
work in the morning.
Showers and bicycle racks at our
offices encourage employees to use
sustainable means of transport, while
our support of the Government 'cycle
to work' scheme provides employees
with a convenient, low cost and taxefficient means of acquiring a bicycle.
Last year we moved our
administrative offices to the Beckton
warehouse. Combining the two parts
of our business in one building has
produced significant energy savings
and eliminated journeys currently
made between our Shoreditch and
Becton sites, greatly reducing travelrelated emissions.
Motion-controlled lighting and stateof-the-art insulation at the new site
will reduce energy consumption,
while office recycling schemes will
minimise the amount of waste sent
to landfill.
• ISO 14001 accreditation
• Documented environmental policy
• A culture of continuous
improvement
• Carbon footprints of every product
• 20% reduction of carbon emissions
by 2012
• FSC-certified board
• 100% recyclable steel
• Carbon neutral seating
• Energy-efficient warehouse
• Combined office and warehouse
• Sensor-controlled lighting
• Cardboard recycling
• Supporter of Government
‘cycle to work’ scheme
• Furniture refresh scheme
• Old furniture donated to charity