How Eco Friendly Printing Can Help Achieve Your CSR Goals
The print industry is not, by reputation, one of the most environmentally aware nor eco-friendly industries. The industry, in general though, has made great strides in recent times to tackle these issues and become a much more sustainable and eco-friendly business – the drive for digital innovation though is not practical in going completely paperless. There are ways though that companies and organisations can introduce more sustainable printing practices – the key is to integrate sustainability into a corporate Mission Statement or Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plan which will allow all stakeholders to be better aligned with the broader corporate goals both economically and environmentally. Implementing sustainable programs based on environmental best practice for printing and document processing will result in a better corporate sustainability strategy as well as conserving energy, control costs and increase productivity whilst reducing material waste. Here are some helpful tips for eco-friendly printing.
Optimise Printers
Assess your device usage and placement within the office – this will allow you to identify those copiers and printers that may be under-utilised and perhaps introduce more efficient multi-functional printers that perform all copying demands and will limit the use of single-function devices.
Asset Management
Ensure that all equipment is properly managed and monitored – good asset management will make it easy to identify when repair or upgrading is necessary – and ensure any disposal of decommissioned machines is done in an approved environmentally-friendly manner.
Minimise Power Consumption
Use industry-approved machinery around the workplace – modern printers are equipped with energy saving modes and ‘quick start-up’ technology which means when not in use they convert to ‘sleep’ mode thus reducing both energy used and costs!
Reduce Paper Usage
Many modern multi-functional printers will have paper-saving features – duplex/double-sided printing, combined print, lock printing and scanning – these features can help prevent unnecessary reprinting as well as reducing paper for overall initial printing.
Cost Effective Devices
Rule-based printing will automatically redirect print jobs to the most suitable device that will optimise energy consumption and control access to colour output.
Print On-Demand
Instead of printing large volumes of documentation and corporate literature and storing it, make use of digital print technology to produce your marketing, advertising, and corporate documentation on-demand – this is more economical and ensures that all the information contained in these corporate materials are current and accurate.
Re-Set Default Settings
Modern printers have variable settings for high-speed duplex printing and toner saving modes – using the correct settings can have a considerable beneficial impact on your paper, toner cartridges and carbon footprint.
Measure
Accurate measurement of your usage of these machines and materials is important – carbon offsets and other environmental initiatives cannot be effectively implemented without this measurement and reporting. Your document printing processes must, not only reduce overall energy consumption, carbon footprint and hard copy output, but also address any future recommendations. Implement integrated real-time monitoring and reporting tools that will provide all the relevant information on improved sustainability performance that will be visible for relevant stakeholders to demonstrate and showcase your environmental achievements.
Greenhouse Graphics
If you are searching for a reputable sustainable printing company, then you should consult with Greenhouse Graphics – they are recognised as a leading eco friendly printing company in the UK. Their experienced and knowledgeable staff can advise you on all aspects of printing for all business arenas and provide a comprehensive range of sustainable printing services and products.