We do take out social responsibility very seriously. Many initiatives are underway and many more will come in the future.
Our environmental footprint has been minimised in many ways. The most significant developments being from the use of split printing through our global print network, whereby work is printed as near as possible to the final recipient, thus reducing the carbon emissions arising from long haul distribution. This environmental impact is reduced further by the use of digital rather than lithographic production with its lower energy and chemistry use and then further improved by the use of the PowerSquare finish which allows for a perfect binding effect without the use of hazardous chemicals.
During 2006 Chris Fowler International was proud to join one of a small group of UK printers who have been accredited with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) - Chain of Custody. This allows us to provide our Clients with paper that comes from forests which are managed according to internationally agreed principles and criteria of good forest management. This includes compliance with national legislation, respect for local people's rights, ecological integrity, economic viability, and the need for adequate planning and monitoring of operations. By November 2007 70% of London’s controlled paper use is FSC accredited, with a similar development underway in New York and Hong Kong.
The culmination of all our environmental, corporate and social responsibility initiatives in 2007, is the news that our London print facility has been awarded the ISO14001 accreditation, demonstrating that our environmental management system meets exacting international standards.
The next planned environmental initiative will be to gain the alternative chain of custody accreditation for paper supply, PEFC. This will be followed by carbon emissions control which will allow us to assess our production of carbon emissions from all sources and allow us via the Woodland Trust, to plant sufficient trees each year to absorb that level of emitted carbon; through this we will become carbon neutral. As well as, of course, a whole host of minor initiatives implemented on a regular basis.
Since Christmas 2005 we have been working with Oxfam to support their worldwide charity work as an alternative to giving our Clients gifts at Christmas. At Christmas 2005 we funded the building of a school in a developing country. In 2006 we equipped the school and provided the children with a daily meal – you can’t study if you are hungry. This year we have decided to focus more on the health aspect so we are funding the building and maintenance of a well to provide safe water for the children. We are also funding 6 essential medicines and medical equipment packs. These packs can make a big difference to the everyday life of the children.
We are currently working with schools on an ongoing basis, in the deprived borough of Southwark where we operate, to assist them with training and development of their pupils and to raise the profile of the print industry as a career opportunity. This project will be augmented in 2008 with the introduction of a digital apprenticeship scheme.