What is Sustain?

POSITIVE+ is proudly subscribed to Sustain®, POPAI’s eco-design indicator tool.  But what is it and how can it measure the environmental impacts of your next Point of Sale project?

With sustainability a key topic for our clients and retailers, it is becoming increasingly important for us to measure the environmental impact of display items. 

We use Sustain® to generate scores for the following areas:

  • Design– Measures the number of components and materials used in a display, analysing its complexity and the design’s environmental impact.
  • Supply chain logistics– The tool measures the weight of each component, transport method and distance between supplier and manufacturer.
  • Materials, processes & packaging– For each component, the tool calculates the carbon and water content, renewability, recyclability and recycled content.
  • Delivery logistics– Analyses the efficiency of the logistics between supplier and customer, by measuring both distances and optimisation of vehicle load.
  • Recycled content– Measures the recycled content by percentage weight of both display and packaging materials.
  • End of life- This includes ease of disassembly and how the materials will be disposed of; recycled, reused, incinerated or landfilled.

The ability to compare displays against proposed alternatives is a key feature in Sustain®. Once we’ve got the initial results, we can offer recommendations to improve scores, such as how to reduce the carbon footprint and increase the recycled content and recyclability.

Tony Dennington, Chief Commercial Officer & Sustainability Officer at POSITIVE+ said: “Several retailers are now insisting on a sustainability rating for Point of Sale displays.  By using Sustain® we can accurately calculate the environmental impact and make recommendations on where further improvements can be made.”

POSITIVE+ help clients build strong brands by combining creativity with the highest quality print and production. All with professionalism, efficiency and our commitment to sustainability. We are proud to be an approved supplier to Boots, Superdrug, The Fragrance Shop, The Perfume Shop, Fenwick, Harvey Nichols, House of Fraser and other retailers.

From creative design and in-house production to liaising with retailers and installation, we take care of the whole process. If you need a sustainability rating for your next Point of Sale project, we would love to hear from you.   Contact Tony Dennington today on 020 8544 5500 or email tony@wearepositive.com

FSC Certification

How can FSC® boost your brand?

FSC® Forest Week 2023 is taking place 23rd-29th September.  But how can the trusted tree logo help you and boost your brand’s eco-credentials?

The Forest Stewardship Council® helps take care of forests and the people and wildlife who call them home.

The FSC® system allows businesses and consumers to identify, purchase and use wood, paper and other forest products made with materials from well-managed forests and/or recycled sources.

The respected “tick tree” logo is used to indicate that products are certified under the FSC® system. When you see the logo on a label, you can buy forest products with confidence that you are helping to ensure our forests are alive for generations to come.

So how can choosing certified materials help your brand’s eco-credentials? 

A lot of FSC® certified materials now have a very high percentage of recycled materials and can also be easily recycled, which can really help your brand to achieve your sustainability targets.  

Plus, subject to a short approval process, you can add the respected “tick tree” logo to your design, which is a great way of communicating your brand’s eco-credentials to your customers.  

At POSITIVE+ we stock a vast range of FSC® materials and we are FSC® Chain of Custody Certified.  This ensures that materials have been checked at every stage of processing, so you can be confident that all of our FSC® labelled products are genuinely certified.

And if you would like to add the coveted “tick tree” logo to your design, we can handle the approval process for you. 

If you would like to use FSC® certified materials in your next project,  call Tony Dennington, Chief Commercial & Sustainability Officer today on 020 8544 5500 or email tony@wearepositive.com. 

Find out more on our Sustainability Page.

Boost your brand’s eco-credentials

With consumer concern for the environment at an all-time high, it’s now more important than ever to ensure that your brand’s printed items are as sustainable as possible.  But what materials should you choose and what do the logos and jargon actually mean?

5 ways to boost your brand’s eco-credentials:

  1. FSC® certified- paper and card ensure that our forests will be alive for generations to come. The “tick tree” logo is used to indicate that products are certified under the FSC® system.
  2. 100% recycled– materials have improved in recent years and now come in a vast range of sharp, bright and smooth paper stocks, meaning there’s no compromise on quality. 
  3. Recycle logo– if you have opted for recyclable materials, adding a recycle logo can help remind your customers to recycle the item at the end of its life. 
  4. ISO 14001 printing– guarantees that there is a robust environmental management system in place, with an efficient use of resources as well as waste reduction processes. 
  5. Carbon offsetting– balances carbon emissions through schemes designed to make equivalent reductions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. 

Following these simple tips should really help to boost your brand’s sustainability credentials. If you opt for FSC® certified paper or card, speak to your printer about seeking approval to add the converted “tick tree” logo to your design.

At POSITIVE+ we offer a wide range of FSC®, 100% recycled and recyclable materials.  All of our processes adhere to the highest environmental standards and we are ISO 9001, ISO 27001, ISO 14001, Fogra and FSC® certified.

In 2020 we offset 5,013kg of carbon emissions through the Antalis Future Focus Campaign. This enabled Forest Carbon to plant 20 new trees, creating a new woodland area of 125m2 at Lone Tree Thimby, Penrith, England.  

We would love to help you boost your brand’s sustainability.  Call Tony Dennington, Chief Commercial Officer today on 020 8544 5500 or email tony@wearepositive.com

Customer views on sustainability

The recent ‘Sustainability in Retail’ white paper from shop! and POPAI looks at the importance of sustainability from the perspective of customers, brands/retailers, designers and suppliers.  In this blog post we pick out the key customer views on sustainability, review how some brands are addressing sustainability and cover how to develop a sustainability plan for your business.

Customer views on sustainability

Studies show that many consumers value products and brands that are environmentally friendly. Brands, retailers and their suppliers can win the trust of consumers—and even cut long-term costs—by embracing sustainable practices and materials. 

A survey on customer views conducted by IBM and NRF found that:

  • 60% are willing to change shopping habits to reduce environmental impact.  
  • 80% believe sustainability is important.
  • 70% of sustainability believers would pay a 35% premium for sustainable brands.
  • Support for sustainability crosses all age groups.

How some brands address sustainability

Levi’s is a leader in reducing chemical and water use in products (did you know a pair of jeans can take 90 gallons of water to produce?). The company uses more than 20 water-saving finishing techniques and shares them with the industry.

H&M conscious collection green hang tags highlight products containing at least 50% sustainable materials.

Stella McCartney is leading the way in sustainable flagships. The London store is lined with recyclable foam and wastepaper from local offices and uses biodegradable mannequins.

Lush naked or plastic-free stores remove the need for packaging. The store fixtures are primarily made from re-employed, reused wood.

 IKEA has committed to using only renewable and recycled materials and to reduce the IKEA footprint by ~70% per product by 2030.

Developing a sustainability plan

According to the ‘Sustainability in Retail’ white paper, companies should begin their sustainability journey by identifying their largest environmental impact areas. For example, their biggest goal might be to reduce energy use and emissions in manufacturing or to minimize material use by improving product design.

Next, they need to research how to make measurable improvements to their products or services that will assist with the development of their green initiatives. When it comes to developing an organization’s sustainable initiatives, no one size fits all. Companies need to strive for eco-efficiency in their own way.

Finally, companies need to convey their sustainability message to their internal and external stakeholders without falling into the greenwashing trap. The sustainability communication strategy needs to address the motivations of the specific stakeholders.

The  ‘Sustainability in Retail’ white paper is available for POPAI members to download from https://bit.ly/2XW3tnC

POSITIVE+ is proud to be a member of POPAI UK & Ireland, a progressive industry association, promoting best practice and dedicated to enhancing the total shopper experience.

If you need help to boost your brand’s eco-credentials call Tony Dennington today on 020 8544 5500 or email tony@wearepositive.com

Carbon Offsetting

What is Carbon Offsetting?

In 2020 POSITIVE+ captured 5,013kg of CO2e through the Antalis Future Focus Campaign.  This enabled Forest Carbon to plant 20 new trees, creating a new woodland area of 125m2  in the UK. But what is carbon offsetting?

Carbon Offsetting is the action or process of compensating for carbon dioxide emissions arising from industrial or other human activity, by participating in schemes designed to make equivalent reductions of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

It has long been the case that printers could carbon balance paper products, but we’re now able to go further by offsetting the carbon on papers, packaging and plastics, thus protecting and promoting vital forestry worldwide and at home.

The Antalis Future Focus Campaign scheme enables us to offset the carbon generated across a wider product range; through a choice of the planting new indigenous woodland across the UK and Ireland, or through the protection of forestry at risk of deforestation in South America.

Forest Carbon are certified to the standards of the Government’s Woodland Carbon Code. This means that the right trees have been planted in the right place, the estimated carbon capture is conservative and scientifically sound, and the woodland is protected for the long-term. 

POSITIVE+ is proud to be part of the Antalis Future Focus Campaign.  In 2020 Positive and Colouration founded POSITIVE+ to offer clients an even wider range of creative solutions, with more capacity for larger projects, as well as access to the most sustainable design and manufacturing practices.

To find out more about carbon offsetting or to boost your sustainability email Tony Dennington, Chief Commercial Officer tony@wearepositive.com or call Tony on 020 8544 5500. 

Sustain logo

How sustainable is your Point of Sale?

POSITIVE+ is proud to present Sustain, POPAI’s eco-design indicator, which has been specifically developed for the Point of Purchase industry.

Sustain logo

The eco-design indicator lets us simultaneously measure up to six versions of your project and discover their environmental impacts – so we can work with you to adjust your designs for optimum results.

Sustain will generate a score for products and packaging separately, based on a number of criteria. These are:

  • Design– Analyses the list of materials in each component, counting number of unique types and measuring ease of disassembly.
  • Materials & processes– For each component, Sustain calculates the carbon content, renewability, recyclability and recycled content.
  • Supply chain– The tool measures the weight of each component, transport type and distance between supplier and manufacturer. 
  • Delivery logistics– Establishes quantity of product in container, along with transport distance and transport type. 
  • End of life– This includes ease of disassembly and how the material will be disposed of, such as reuse, recycle, incineration and landfill.

Once we’ve got your statistics, we will offer some recommendations to improve your scores, such as how to reduce the carbon footprint and increase the recycled content and recyclability.

Tony Dennington, Chief Commercial Officer at POSITIVE+ said, “Many of our clients are looking to reduce their environmental impact this year.  By using Sustain we can accurately calculate a sustainability rating for point of sale projects and make recommendations on where further improvements can be made”. 

In 2020 Positive and Colouration founded POSITIVE+ to offer clients an even wider range of creative solutions, with more capacity for larger projects, as well as access to the most sustainable design and manufacturing practices.

POSITIVE+ is proud to be a member of POPAI, a progressive industry association, promoting best practice, dedicated to enhancing the total shopper experience.

To improve the sustainability of your point of sale materials please email Tony Dennington, Chief Commercial Officer tony@wearepositive.com or call Tony on 020 8544 5500. 

Estee Lauder Christmas display

Estée Lauder boost sustainability

Estée Lauder is committed to building a sustainable business with respect for people and the environment.  POSITIVE+ worked in partnership with them to produce sustainable Christmas displays. 

The founding values of Estée Lauder inspire their commitment to operate responsibly and motivate them to build a sustainable business based on uncompromising ethics, integrity, fairness, diversity and trust.

They wanted to increase Christmas sales through sustainable point of sale materials.  We worked in partnership with Estée Lauder to help them achieve their ambition of using responsibly sourced paper products whenever possible.

We sourced corrugated cardboard from well managed forests with a high percentage of recycled material.  Corrugated cardboard is one of the most highly recycled materials on earth and is also biodegradable.  It is both strong and lightweight which also makes it easily reusable. 

The point of sale materials were manufactured with our specialist cardboard engineering processes.  We implemented our ISO 14001 environmental management system to minimise the impact of the production process. 

See the Estée Lauder Christmas displays in selected Boots, Debenhams, John Lewis, House of Fraser, Selfridges and Bentalls stores across UK now!

Benefits to the client:-

  • Bespoke retail displays designed to increase sales
  • Responsibly sourced, recycled, recyclable, reusable and biodegradable material
  • ISO 14001 certified sustainable production methods. 

Founded by Positive and Colouration, POSITIVE+ provides creative design, print, production, installation, direct mail, online ordering and multichannel marketing solutions to clients in the retail, beauty, fragrance, leisure, media, financial, charity, health and wellbeing sectors.

To bring your creative ideas to life call us today on 020 8544 5500 or email hello@wearepositive.com

Positive Planet

The Positive Print Group is proud to launch our Positive Planet initiative!  Positive and Colouration became partners in the Positive Print Group earlier this year.

The new initiative is a commitment by the group to continue to reduce our environmental impact and produce sustainable solutions for our clients, ourselves and the future of our planet.

2019 has seen an increase in consumer concern over sustainability, with the EU and several other governments committing to banning certain single use plastic items.

Tony Dennington, Managing Director of Colouration said “Sustainability will be a key priority for our clients in 2020.  The Positive Print Group is able to utilise the latest innovation, technology, knowledge and materials to reduce our environmental impact and offer our clients a range of new and exciting sustainable solutions.”

Both Positive & Colouration have a long history of environmental responsibility and Forestry Stewardship Council® (FSC®) accreditation.

Danny Sullivan, Managing Director of Positive said Our mission is to provide our customers with the products and business solutions to enhance their business operations. Our success is driven by our management systems, which specify our internal procedures, controls and gold standards”.

The Positive Print Group boasts a range of business management accreditations including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001 as well as FSC® chain of custody certifications.

The group strives to implement a circular business model by using sustainable materials, sustainable production methods and working with a sustainable supply chain.

POSITIVE, founded in 1994, provides the full range of commercial design, print, direct mail, web2print and multichannel marketing solutions for clients in the retail, media, financial, charity, cosmetics and health and wellbeing sectors.

COLOURATION, founded in 2001, offers the complete spectrum of in-house production facilities, from bespoke and premium large format print and cardboard engineering to manufacturing counter units and floor standing permanent and semi-permanent POS for clients in the beauty, fragrance, retail and events industries.

Looking for a sustainable solution?  Call Sarah Carter today on 020 8544 5500 or email sarah@wearepositive.com

For further information visit our sustainability page. 

Is digital marketing greener than print?

Digital marketing has grown significantly over the past 10 years, with a digital marketing platform being created every hour it seems. But is it better for the environment?

Many of the environmental costs of going online are hidden from view. Nonetheless, with high energy use and low recycling rates, electronic communications are taking their toll in the planet. This is something to consider when looking for dental marketing ideas, as the idea you may have could potentially be more harmful than you realised – or more beneficial!

Here are our top 10 facts that demonstrate print is actually greener than digital marketing:

1. Displaying a page for 3 minutes on a screen consumes more energy than a printed version. For any business looking to implement better marketing strategies, going digital is an option. But so is getting in touch with a square booklet printing company, for example, to have physical copies of marketing material that can be given to clients, being able to form better working relationships. With this being said, it is up to the business how they choose to advertise their services and products.

2. An electronic invoice sent digitally releases 242g of CO2, the equivalent of printing and posting 15 paper invoices

3. Just 18 % of electronic equipment is recycled compared to 70 % of paper and board

4. Paper can be recycled 7 times

5. Paper takes just 3 months to biodegrade and does not generate polluting waste

6. If the estimated amount (20-50 million tonnes) of yearly discarded electronic equipment (e- waste) was put into containers on a train, it would go once around the world

7. Sending 20 emails a day over a year emits as much CO2 a year as driving 1,000 km by car

8. With just 1.1% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, the pulp, paper and print is one of the lowest industrial emitters

9. Estimates now place servers at between 2-3% of global energy use, roughly equivalent to the energy used by the aviation sector

10. Three to four trees are replanted tor every tree logged in managed forests. European Forests have actually grown by over 30% since 1950.

Two Sides, an initiative by companies from the Graphic Communications Supply Chain concludes that “from newspapers to magazines, from photocopies to leaflets, we believe Print and Paper cannot be beaten for sheer flexibility, impact and sustainability“.

In reality it doesn’t need to be a “either or” situation. There is a place for both printed and digital marketing. However, when it comes to making a decision based on environmental factors, the idea that online use is automatically greener just isn’t true.

ABOUT POSITIVE

At Positive we believe strongly that being environmentally responsible is as important as being technologically advanced. As a FSC® certified company we only use paper that has come from responsibly managed and sustainable forests.

By investing in the latest technology we have been able to eliminate the use of developer fluid, minimise alcohol usage, reduce waste and improve efficiencies. For more information visit our environmental page.

We can offer our clients the reassurance that their printing project will be environmentally sound as well as of the highest quality. We provide lithographic printing, digital printing, direct mail and large format. All of our services are carried out in-house to enable tight quality control throughout the production cycle.

Call us today to discuss your next campaign on 020 8544 5500 or email hello@wearepositive.com

Sources

  1. Antalis, UK- Did you know video?
  2. Greenpeace, The E Waste Problem
  3. World Resources Institute, 2013
  4. Cepi Sustainability Report, 2011
  5. BPIF, UK Printing Facts & Figures
  6. Two Sides
  7. Time Magazine, April 2014