Environmental

Throughout the production process, we actively work to minimise our impact on the environment whilst continuing to reduce our carbon footprint. By working closely with all our suppliers, we maintain our policy of purchasing Chain of Custody certified papers along with those containing a recycled content. The papers which we use can also be carbon-balanced via World Land Trust with all donations being put towards the many conservation schemes which they support.

We are a large user of paper and compostable magazine-wrappers which can both be recycled easily in a variety of different ways. We offer eco-friendly coating solutions and have two in-house baling plants to assist with the removal of waste paper. Our reel-to-sheet Cutstar presses have a variable cut-off facility which also helps reduce paper waste.

When this process is combined with the latest Heidelberg press technology, the amount of “make-ready” sheets is kept to an absolute minimum; therefore, we generate far less waste than those suppliers who operate conventional sheeted or web-offset presses.

We possess ISO14001:2015 GB07/72753, ISO9001:2015 GB95/6121, Chain of Custody certified since 2007.

In addition, Stephens and George Ltd will endeavour to:

• Reduce carbon emissions via energy efficiencies;
• Comply with all relevant environmental legislation, regulations and approved codes of practice.

• Protection of the environment by striving to prevent and minimise our contribution to pollution of land, air, and water.

• Minimise waste production and encourage recycling throughout the site.
• Lower solvents usage by implementing new technology.
• Conserve natural resources used in manufacturing and despatch operations.
• Maintain Duty of Care requirements through the safe storage and disposal of waste.
• Reduce noise to the lowest levels practicable.
• Retain best housekeeping standards in and around the site.
• Operate in a responsible manner communicating best environmental practice to all employees.

• Maintain an environmental management system that reflects the principles outlined above.

Key Achievements:

• Replacing 5 compressors with 1 large variable drive compressor for max efficiency as it runs only as fast as usage dictates, 1 normal and 1 slave compressor reducing total energy used.

• Forklift trucks powered by LPG gas replaced existing diesel trucks, reducing certain emissions including NOx, Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and fumes.

• We hold a Climate Change Agreement; and the Company improved its energy efficiency significantly in 2019 and 2020 by 39.7% compared to its base year of 2008. This was against a target of 8.4% set by the Environment Agency. This meant the site overachieved its energy efficiency target by 810 tonnes of Carbon and 2973 tonnes of CO2. Over the four measuring periods the Company overachieved against its targets to the value of 3745 tonnes of Carbon and 13,734 tonnes of CO2.

• External lighting has been replaced with more efficient LED fittings; internal lighting has all been fitted with movement sensors. All production areas have been fitted with new LED fittings, replacing the inefficient T5 tubes.

• Investment in new more efficient technology has also reduced consumption of energy from 6,594.977Kwh in 2017and C02 emissions of 3,567.8 tonnes in 2017, to 6,172,722 Kwh in 2019 and CO2 emissions of 1,647.09 and 449.17 tonnes of carbon in 2019. * In 2020 electricity usage was 4,223,239 Kwh, CO2 emissions of 1,031 which produces 281 carbon. *Covid reductions apply in 2021*.

• Company commercial vehicles fitted with Euro 5 or Euro 6 engines and ECO Drive systems.

• 50% of our Company vehicles are electric/ hybrid.
• We have installed 12 electric car charging points at various locations of the factory.
• Daily site inspections, reports issued to management with findings used to generate environmental non-conformances.

• Monthly compliance review ensuring we act in accordance with all relevant environmental legislation. All NCRs in line with ISO procedures.

• Our IPA solvent usage on presses is 4-4.5%.
• 100% of all waste is recycled. Achieved through implementation of waste segregation system within the factory where different streams of paper, card, plastics, wood and chemicals are collected and stored until collected by our waste partners. Paper is returned to the mills, wood is sent for chipping, plastics and card sent to recycling, chemical waste sent for recovery or utilised in a cement kiln for recovery in energy form. All domestic waste is now incinerated to provide energy (Virridor the energy plant where this is sent is producing energy from waste of 1,807GWH equivalent to powering 500,000 homes.)

• Members of Paperpak scheme – Packaging Waste Regulations meeting our obligations.

• Our printers’ pallets purchased are made to order and re-used. Any broken wood/damaged pallets are collected by our pallet supplier on a weekly basics and chipped for agricultural and industrial use.

• Records kept and analysed on Energy usage, waste streams, verification of waste collections and waste carrier’s licences, Duty of Care visits undertaken.

• Conventional plate processors replaced with processor-less units using only water and non-chemical-based gum to protect the plates.

• In-house barcode system allows us to track all paper usage from storage to press minimising paper waste.

• Reduction in plastic wrap for mailing with introduction of compostable wrap and paper wrap.

• An example of how investment in our manufacturing equipment has benefited the environment. The purchase and installation of paper-wrapping and mailing equipment in 2018, means that since 2017 the shrink wrap and poly-film purchased for mailing and despatch was 86.9 tonnes in 2019 this had reduced to 39.6 tonnes and in 2020 this was 21.02 tonnes.

• Our combined usage of compostable poly and paper wrap was up 32% to 43% and our normal poly usage was down by 13% (figures based on May 2020 – May 2021

• As a result of our closed loop system in press hall we have reduced our consumption of water. As a consequence, we only use 0.001602 litres of mains water per sheet.

• We have installed 5,561 solar panels on our roof space, operation should start in October 2022. This installation is projected to produce some 18% of our total energy consumption.
• We are replacing all of our old air conditioning units from R22 gas which is extremely harmful to the environment to R32 units or the equivalent.

We are able to form additional relationships with those who seek to re-use or recycle our resources when the printing process is complete. We work with specialists in waste management companies. who utilise and dispose of our spent resources not only allowing the materials to be re-used, but allowing another company to develop its own business strategy and benefit financially from what would otherwise have been sent to a landfill site. We employ a dedicated Environmental and Quality Manager who constantly reviews, assesses and updates our environmental and quality procedures.

Stephens & George are members of not-for-profit, global initiative “Two Sides“ seeking to minimise and reduce the environmental impact of our business activities so that we contribute to sustainable development.

CERTIFICATES

Click here to view our ISO14001 2015 certificate
Click here to view our FSC certificate
Click here to view our PEFC certificate

POLICIES

Click here to view our Environmental Policy 2023

Click here to view our Quality Policy 2023

Click here to view our Corporate Social Responsibility Statement 2023

Click here to view our Core Labour Statement