News

'm developing a paper policy for my company. It's a complex process and I'm deciding whether to opt primarily for accredited or recycled stocks.

By adopting accredited paper stocks, a company can demonstrate its CSR commitment. I However, choosing an accreditation scheme presents problems. There are still more PEFC-certified forests than FSC, yet most of the general public and some within publishing have not heard of PEFC. Public perception is important and cannot be overlooked.

The issue of recycled paper is also far from straightforward. How do you compare recycled fibre from pre-consumer waste to that of post-consumer? Is pre-consumer waste really waste at all?  Using recycled stocks with post-consumer content can play a genuine role in diverting waste from landfill, yet even this shiny USP can be tarnished if post-consumer waste is transported a long distance to be used in the manufacture of new recycled paper.

Whether recycled or accredited, papers offering the lowest carbon footprint or, increasingly, carbon neutrality, are growing in importance. The carbon footprint of a locally manufactured paper may be higher than a stock transported across Europe, but manufactured in a mill that generates its own heat and power.  

Price and availability are actually the easiest part of the equation to resolve.  More difficult is how best to deliver a product that meets not only a company’s environmental goals, but also quality and colour requirements. The 100% recycled stocks may tick the right environmental boxes, but end users may be more likely to complain about a product being printed on ‘dirty’ paper or looking dull. Perhaps stocks that are both accredited and recycled offer the best solution. 

Diana Levy is the production manager at RHS Publications, the publishing division of the Royal Horticultural Society