WE ARE COMMITTED
OUR COMMITMENTS
We are a leading British manufacturer of paper stationery recognising the importance of producing sustainable, high quality paper stationery. We started producing stationery in 1837 and the world has changed significantly in that time. It is no longer enough to have an “environmental policy” that simply ticks boxes. We have committed ourselves to a path of sustainability and everything that entails. To do this we have aligned our business to the UN Sustainability Development Goals. Their aim is to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere.
Obviously, Sinclairs as a company cannot do everything to tackle all the world’s sustainability issues. However, as a company we do have impacts and by ensuring we take appropriate actions we can make a difference to limit the negative and advance positive responsibilities for the environment, in our ethics, in our social value and our economics. We have aligned our commitments to the most relevant and appropriate areas of the UN Sustainability Development Goals.
We recognise “Doughnut Economics” and how our business impacts this thinking. The Doughnut envisions a world that meets the needs of all people within the means of the living planet. It's a world that is regenerative, rather than degenerative.
Our FSC Certification is something we pride ourselves on and we feel it is incredibly important to our commitments. We have been featured in a article on their website. You can find that here.
GOOD HEALTH & WELLBEING
We will support and assist initiatives that ensure healthy lives and promote well-being.
> Ensuring our health & safety system and policies remain comprehensive, up to date and relevant.
> Active provision of support to colleagues including flexible working hours where possible, health and wellbeing initiatives and facilities and wellbeing support via a helpline or trained first aider.
> We have recently donated funds to the Wharfedale Men's Shed to help them build new premises. This charity promotes well-being, mental health, friendship, community, a sense of purpose, and the learning of practical skills in a workshop environment.
QUALITY EDUCATION
Developing, producing and supplying tools for learning is a large part of what we do.
> Working with teachers and relevant professionals to develop new educational resources to help students with school, college and home based learning.
> Donating pallets of exercise books each year to UK and global charities where learning resources are scarce. We regularly work with the Gambian Schools Trust to donate pallets of exercise books to school children in The Gambia.
> Supporting schools with sustainability initiatives and projects.
> Helping to make education staff and young people aware of the sustainability options of paper products through marketing and on product messaging.
AFFORDABLE & CLEAN ENERGY
As a modern manufacturer, one of our biggest impacts is the use of electricity.
> Our solar panels generated over 420,000 KwH of clean electricity in 2024. Where this was not used by us, we exported into the National Grid.
> With large new installations in 2022 our solar system size grew to 695,000 kW.
> Continuing to understand and monitor which areas use our electricity and improve housekeeping and replace and upgrade machinery and installations where possible with more efficient versions.
> Replacing our gas powered forklift trucks with electric options as renewed. We will respond to demand for electric charging points for colleague’s vehicles.
> Biomass boilers are installed to heat all our buildings and are used on a flexible basis with our gas boilers to ensure we are using the most energy efficient heating source. We have recently upgraded our heating system to improve efficiency and control with an energy building management system.
> Upgrading existing insulation where appropriate to minimise heat loss.
> To not utilise mass air conditioning in any of our premises.
SUSTAINABLE CITIES & COMMUNITIES
We are situated in the centre of an ancient market town called Otley on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Having being established 185 years we are embedded into our community.
> Support and respond to Otley 2030 to help them to realise their goal to make Otley a carbon-zero, sustainable and fair town by 2030. Otley 2030 works in association with Leeds Climate Commission, the first Climate Commission in the UK.
> Support local groups, clubs and charities with donations and sponsorship.
> Provide storage and workroom for Otley Museum and Archive Trust.
> Provide storage for the 30ft Chevin Cross which has been erected on Otley Chevin at Easter since 1969.
> Support local initiatives, projects and festivals.
> We allow our car parks to be used by community organisations for free to facilitate their events. The rugby club, athletics club, Victorian Fayre, Otley Town Council have all made
use of this.
> We allow the fire brigade to use our cellars for training in enclosed dark areas. They have setup training rigs in our cellars to facilitate this.
LIFE ON LAND
Nature is critical to our future. It is important to us that this is protected and biodiversity increased. Our products are synonymous with forests so protecting and increasing forested areas is important to us.
> Corporate Sponsors of Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust who help care for the Yorkshire Dales including woodland restoration.
> Corporate Sponsors of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust who help protect wildlife and wild places.
> Help to encourage wildlife at our sites by planting wildlife friendly plants and trees, installing owl, kestrel and swift boxes, enhancing our green areas and severely limiting our use of weedkiller. We are looking at the feasibility of a green roof. We have signed up to the Wildlife Friendly Otley pledge to encourage and protect wildlife.
> Discouraging and removing litter from around our sites, regardless of the cause.
RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION & PRODUCTION
Our main impact is the sourcing of significant amounts of raw materials globally and we have great respect for the resources we use. Paper and board derived from responsible and sustainable business practices is highly sustainable.
> Continued development of our environmental management system certified to ISO14001 which is run side by side with our quality system certified to ISO9001.
> Continued certification with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and an agreement to uphold all the FSC values and core labour requirements within the current FSC Chain of Custody Certification Standard.
> Only sourcing paper & board materials made from sustainable and accredited sources where mills have a clear re-forestry plan or utilise reclaimed materials.
> Our Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon footprint has been measured at 101.07 tonnes CO2
in 2024, a reduction of 80% over the past 5 years due to further additions in generating solar electricity and sourcing only clean electricity from the grid.
> A zero to landfill philosophy encouraging waste segregation, recycling and re-use of materials such as donating materials to children’s art charities.
> Constant monitoring and recording of waste to try and look at ways of minimising it in the first place.
> Preventing pollution.
> Packaging guidelines are in place to minimise packaging and reduce plastic.
> Producing and then supplying customers in the UK does allow us to use a lot less packaging than shipping by sea. However, all packaging used should be measured and justified and it should be made from materials that are widely recycled wherever possible.
> Sustainability and impact at the forefront of new product development. Certified materials, bio inks, packaging requirements are all being promoted to customers.
> To not introduce new plastic product innovations and the phasing out of plastic used on products where it is unnecessary.
> Introduction of paper banding machinery to significantly reduce the use of plastic packaging.
> To limit water used in wash-ups and work with Yorkshire Water to ensure discharges are suitable for local sewers. Anything potentially hazardous is disposed of with registered waste disposal providers.
> To ensure we make efficient transport choices for our goods to be delivered and closely work with customers in the UK and Ireland to limit transportation emissions.
> Continued membership of Sedex to analyse and report our sustainability practices with trading partners.
