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 are therefore committing 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, as a company we cannot do everything to tackle all the world’s sustainability issues. However, 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 philanthropic activities and our economics. We have aligned our commitments to the most relevant and appropriate areas of the UN Sustainability Development Goals.

We are also beginning to understand and learn from “Doughnut Economics” and how we structure our business going forward. 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 recently were 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.
> Activities to encourage and support colleagues with healthy living.
> Assisting specialist mental health charity partners with financial and marketing support.

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.
> 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 currently generate over 350,000 KwH of clean electricity per year (up to 2021). Where this is not used by us we export into the National Grid.
> More solar panels are being installed and will be active Spring 2022 to further our usage and export of clean energy. The new installation will take our installations to 695,000 kW and increase our generation of clean power by around 50%.
> 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.
> To replace our gas powered forklift trucks with electric options when 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 remaining gas boilers to ensure we are using the most energy efficient heating source.
> 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.
> Partner with Otley 2030 where appropriate 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, sponsorship and use of our car parks.
> Support local initiatives, projects and festivals.
> The creation of a community hub indoor space within our own building to support sustainability goals.

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, adding bird boxes, introducing planters and reducing our use of weedkiller. 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® (Licence No: FSC-C018241) 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.
> To calculate and understand our carbon footprint using appropriate standards and then use this as a business measure.
> 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.
> Commitment to 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 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 to start phasing out plastic used on products where it is unnecessary.
> To limit water used in wash-ups and work with Yorkshire Water to ensure discharges are suitable for local sewers. Anything 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.
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