he next few years are going to be pivotal as the world sets about halving global
greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. In the face of this unavoidable reality, most
businesses have accepted that they must adapt or rethink their strategy.
The good news is that doing so is not necessarily as difficult or as costly as one might think and there are some fantastic renewable and recyclable solutions such as paper.
Paper is an excellent example of the circular economy model: it is made from wood –
a natural, renewable and biodegradable material – and it can easily be recycled. In fact, the European Paper Recycling Council has found that in Europe in 2021 71.4% of all paper and board consumed was recycled, with paper fibres being used an average of 3.5 times.
In addition, as Two Sides points out, paper production can play a positive role in climate and biodiversity protection: it encourages the sustainable management of forests. Paper producer UPM, for example, plants more trees than it uses. In addition, certification schemes such as the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) or the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) are key in ensuring responsible forestry practices.
Paper mills are also playing an important role in promoting alternatives to fossil-free energy. Currently, the European pulp and paper industry is a key investor in decarbonisation as well as being the largest industrial user and producer of clean energies: paper association Cepi highlighted that 62% of the industry’s primary energy consumption comes from renewable sources. Cepi also found that paper mills have plenty of potential to serve as renewable energy hubs that would provide energy to the grid. In other words, the pulp and paper sector is leading the way.
It’s also worth highlighting that going paperless has an environmental impact which tends to get overlooked. Research has found that every email generates 4g of carbon, while 500 impressions on a Facebook ad produce 23g of carbon. In addition, the European Commission highlighted that the ICT industry accounts for 5-9% of electricity use, thus accounting for more than 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This figure is on a par with all air traffic. If no action is undertaken, the ICT industry's carbon footprint will continue to grow and it could potentially account for 14% of global emissions by 2040.
E-waste – i.e. discarded electronic devices – is also a problem: according to the UN, 53.6 million metric tonnes of e-waste were generated in 2019 and global e-waste is estimated to reach 74 Mt by 2030, posing a serious hazard for both human health and the environment. There is a strong case to be made for using paper, provided it has been sustainably made.
Get in touch with Walstead to discuss making your print communications more sustainable.
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Why paper deserves more attention
At Walstead, we use a range of sustainable papers from different producers including UPM, which reduced its fossil CO2 emissions by 8% in 2021 as it works towards reducing emissions by 65% by 2030.
To fulfil our clients exact needs, Walstead works closely with both paper mills and paper merchants. Denmaur, which provides innovative and sustainable solutions, is amongst the latter. As part of its services, this merchant produces reports that detail the carbon value of each paper grade. Paper made from virgin fibre sourced from well-managed forests can, for example, have a lower carbon output than recycled paper. Julian Townsend, Sales Director at Denmaur, says: “We try to give customers the information they need to make their decision.” The results are telling: “Nine times out of 10 the customer will go for the lowest carbon production value.”
As part of its partnership with the World Land Trust, a body which promotes forest protection and restoration, Denmaur has a Carbon Lifestyle Calculator. Walstead can also help with carbon calculations too thanks to ClimateCalc’s tool. Using a calculator allows clients to assess their impact. Townsend explains that measuring one’s carbon footprint is a crucial first step for establishing or fine-tuning a sustainable strategy: the information allows companies to reduce and, finally, balance their emissions through solutions such as carbon-balanced paper.
Talking about carbon emissions, Townsend says: “The problem is not going to go away. Every company will have to [have a carbon policy] at some point: it’s going to be legislation and [emissions] are going to be taxed.” It therefore makes sense to act now and many businesses already are, as Townsend has witnessed. Interest in carbon balanced paper has snowballed since Denmaur started working with the World Land Trust. “We've almost hit 150,000 tonnes of carbon-balanced paper supply. We probably took three and a half, four years to achieve the first 50: the numbers were slowly creeping up and then it suddenly accelerated,” Townsend says. Some companies started using carbon-balanced paper for one product, before rolling it out across all their paper needs.
Helping you find the right solution
Being sustainable can come with an added cost – carbon-balanced paper can cost an additional 1-2%, for example – but it is worth noting that consumers are willing to pay a premium for products that have been sustainably made. In 2020, McKinsey found that over 70% of consumers would be willing to pay an additional 5% for a green product, as long as it has the same performance standards as a non-green alternative.
In addition, having a good environmental policy can help with cost reduction. McKinsey highlights that there’s a correlation between being efficient with resources and the strength of a company’s financial performance. As previously mentioned, measuring is key and, in that respect, digital tools can be fantastic for those who use print-based marketing methods such as mail. Royal Mail points out that data analysis can not only help companies learn about their customers, but also provides crucial information that allows them to prioritise and test, which will also allow them to be more efficient and, simultaneously, reduce waste.
At Walstead, for example, we work with our clients to adjust paper grades or pagination in line with their requirements. Townsend also advises considering locally produced paper. Consumers often talk about “food miles”; he thinks that we should also take paper miles into consideration since sourcing paper locally can be cost-effective, less impactful and lower risk. Since UPM Caledonian and Palm Paper both manufacture paper in the UK and Walstead offers UK-based web-offset printing, clients can create a printed product from start to finish without having to rely on overseas suppliers. This can be hugely beneficial for companies that have a carbon policy strategy in place.
In addition, more and more research confirms that a sustainable approach creates value. Supporting McKinsey’s findings, the EY Sustainable Value study establishes that climate action boosted both customer and employee value: as a result, 69% of respondents witnessed a larger-than-expected increase in financial value on measures such as revenue growth and earnings. Committing to slowing climate change is, quite clearly, a worthwhile investment that can help businesses succeed in more ways than one.
Embracing sustainability has its benefits
