The Greeting Card Association’s series of blogs covering Sustainability in the Card Industry is designed to share good practice, celebrating the work that is being done in our industry to reduce our environmental impact and inspire others.
This blog looks at the approach of one of the UK’s largest publishers, UK Greetings, and their environmental strategy.
“The strategy at UKG is to create a sustainability pathway where circularity is central to our product design. Product is built using sustainably sourced, recyclable materials that enable meaningful connections without compromising the planet”.
says Chris Shaw Head of Safety & Sustainability at UK Greetings
As a major greetings cards publisher, we’re committed to doing everything we can to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which push for a fairer, sustainable future for all. We know that our customers want to know more about the story behind our cards. And we’re passionate about making a positive impact – taking action that’s good for the environment and smart for our business while caring for our people and the communities where we work and live. Guiding us on this mission are our core values of creativity, collaboration, innovation, people and success.
To deliver on our sustainability commitments, our governance for sustainability goes right to the top of our company, with our CEO James Conn approving and guiding our direction. With a dedicated lead for sustainability in our company, we have a talented team whom lead our individual ‘pillar’ groups covering product, non-product (supply chain), energy & carbon, and people first.
We are focussed on being transparent and informative, so an early project was to create a new sustainability website for our customers and end consumer.
UK Greetings Progress to date
Paper & Board
We now apply a 3-layer approach to the paper and board that we use for our greetings cards. The first, and foundation layer, is ensuring that we source our paper and board from sustainable, well-managed forests. This is the minimum standard for all.
Our second layer was introduced earlier in 2021, when we commenced a long-term partnership with the World Land Trust. This was one of the largest commitments made under World Land Trust’s Carbon Balanced Paper programme, offsetting 12,104 tonnes of CO2e relating to the manufacturing of the board used to produce all our cards in 2020/21. This relates to the protection of 793 acres of threatened tropical habitat in Khe Nuoc Trong, Vietnam. World Land Trust protects the world’s most biologically significant and threatened habitats acre by acre. To learn more please take a look at our eBrochure .
“The money that is given to the World Land Trust, in my estimation, has more effect on the wild world than almost anything I can think of.”
Sir David Attenborough, patron of World Land Trust.
Our 3rd layer, announced in 2021, is the introduction of 100% recycled content board. We began releasing new designs to manufacture on a new grade of our premium paper stock – which uses 100% recycled content.
This approach is enabling UKG to build circularity into its product, so that the products are created with recycled materials, and the finishes do not compromise the recyclability at the end of its life.
We’ve stopped using plastic glitter on our new design releases, and we continue to look for new exciting sustainable and ethical processes and finishes, but also push boundaries with our artisan techniques such as beautiful foiling and embossing. Whilst doing so ensuring that we do not compromise the card’s recyclability or aesthetic integrity.
Supply Chain
Increasing UK manufacture – lowering carbon emissions are key for our business. We are working extremely hard to ensure that manufacturing is increasingly UK-oriented, in order to reduce carbon emissions from shipping.
Conscious of the inbound shipping emissions we were the first UK company to sign up to Keuhne & Nagel’s carbon net zero programme.
Waste
Through the ‘going naked’ campaign, we removed over 250 tonnes of single use plastics, it has enabled us to recycle any waste product by over 90%, which had previously gone for incineration.
Energy & Carbon
By installing smart LED lighting in our distribution centres, and ensuring that we only procure green electricity, we have seen our Scope 1 & 2 carbon emissions reduce by 73%. The team are working hard on methods to decarbonise our reliance on natural gas for heating purposes. Our ultimate aspiration is to become a carbon net zero business.
We are also helping our colleagues make their journeys to our sites, which is why we have been installing EV chargers for them to use free of charge.
We have submitted our Net Zero commitment letter to SBTi (Science-Based Targets Initiative) and are compiling our data in order to set our Net Zero targets in line with our UK manufacturing centric strategy.
People & Communities
People First is our people strategy. At the heart of our vision ‘To cultivate a climate where people can thrive and are fully engaged.’
We are proud to be an inclusive and diverse employer and we are committed to doing more. In partnership with Business in the Community we signed the ‘Race at Work Charter’ and have pledged to stamp out any inequities within our workplace.
We are investing in future talent through apprenticeships, careers talks, site tours and working closely with local educational establishments, such as Madni Academy and University of Huddersfield.
As well as our commitment to offsetting our entire paper consumption and supporting the vital work of the World Land Trust, we are also really proud of the work we do here in the UK to support the environment and our local communities. In March 2022, a team of 25 UKG colleagues planted almost 1000 trees at Dewsbury Park, volunteering their time to expand our UK Greetings Orchard in this space. Each tree planted is helping to create woodland habitats that will benefit people and expand our UKG orchard in this space.
UKG are sponsoring a Snowdog and Snowpup to support The Kirkwood. The Kirkwood provide specialist care, free of charge, to adults in Kirklees with advanced, progressive illnesses at any time from diagnosis to the end of life, respecting their individual needs and wishes. For eight weeks in Autumn 2022, towns and villages across Kirklees will brought to life by a pack of dazzlingly decorated Snowdog sculptures, creating a spectacular free event for our entire community to enjoy.
If you have a story to tell, or information on changes you have made to your business to share, please contact us so that we can share your story to inspire others.
Further information
For latest information and tips on reducing your environmental footprint see the GCA’s Into a Greener Future blog
For other case studies, changes to the law and other important information please visit our members’ library and see our Environment section (please log in to see all relevant information)
