We’re good
at carbon
balancing.
NB: We can do pencil balancing tricks, but we
prefer to look at your carbon footprint instead.
What is carbon balancing?
You may have heard a number of similar terms ‘Carbon Neutral’, ‘Carbon Offset’ and ‘Carbon Footprint’ to name a few. Basically, this is a means where the carbon produced by your activities are measured and then offset or balanced through investment in environmental schemes. At NB, not only do we offset the carbon produced directly through all of our business activities but we can also carbon balance the paper that we buy on behalf of our customers.
Why are we carbon balanced?
NB Colour Print has always prided itself on its pioneering approach to Corporate Social Responsibility. So when we wanted to stand out from the crowd in terms of our green credentials, we knew we had to do something a bit special.
For over twenty years NB Colour Print has been an innovative provider of print solutions but has balanced this with a commitment to the very highest environmental standards. We continue to invest in cutting edge technology that not only ensures exceptional print results but also helps us to reduce our waste, eliminate chemical compounds and cut energy use.
We had already eliminated volatile compounds from our litho printing processes through a rigorous waste management programme and introduced an Environmental Management System to enable NB to achieve ISO14001 status. However we felt that we needed to re-emphasise the way environmental considerations were hardwired into all of our processes. Carbon Balanced Publication Printer accreditation recognises excellence in environmental performance across the entire spectrum of a print company’s operations and its services.
How did we gain this recognition?
Status is granted to printers who have mapped their operational carbon footprint to defined boundaries; secured third party verification by the Edinburgh Centre of Carbon Management (ECCM); and balanced (offset) these impacts with the World Land Trust (WLT). As part of the process, NB Colour Print’s unavoidable annual carbon footprint was measured at 184 tonnes. This was then offset through the international conservation charity World Land Trust. Measuring the firm’s carbon footprint was also an excellent way of focusing attention on what more could be done on many aspects of the firm’s work including our logistical processes and use of energy.
C02 Offset
632
Tonnes of carbon offset
since November 2012
This equates to:
238765
of land saved
since November 2012
Who is the World Land Trust?
The World Land Trust is an international charity set up in 1989 to help protect ecologically vulnerable communities through the conservation of plants, animals and their natural habitats. The WLT purchases large tracts of endangered land, thus saving these in perpetuity from development. Through their carbon offsetting schemes, they also enable businesses to measure and offset their emissions. This funds projects around the world in Africa, Asia and Central and South America. The Charity’s patrons include David Attenborough and Chris Packham. Learn more about The World Land Trust and their work.
What is carbon balanced paper?
As well as NB Colour Print gaining accreditation as a Carbon Balanced Printer, we can also supply Carbon Balanced Paper to our customers as well. So when you order print from NB Colour Print, not only will all of the carbon have been offset from our business activities, but the carbon produced in the production of the paper will have also been offset. Some papers may carry a small charge for this. However, most of our popular stocks are FREE to Carbon Balance. When we work out how much paper we need to print your job, we can do a small calculation to determine how much carbon will be offset in the paper’s production and the area of land this actually translated into saving. By choosing a Carbon Balanced Paper, you can also have The World Land Trust logo printed onto your work as well.
How can this help my organisation?
We realise that the use of Carbon Balanced Paper is a great marketing tool for you and you will no doubt want to tell your customers about how you are doing your bit for the environment. Corporate schemes for social responsibility can help promote your business and maybe give you a competitive advantage as your brand’s ethical credentials are highlighted. As well as your Carbon Balanced publications carrying The World Land Trust logo, we will be able to produce an annualised certificate for you that shows exactly how much carbon has been offset by your efforts. The certificate will also show how this translates into an actual physical area of ecologically sensitive land that has been saved forever. The certificate can be put on your website, used in your marketing or hung in your reception. Whatever you choose to do with it, it will help you tell the world that you are doing your bit to help.