Green Policy

BIG is highly committed to minimising the impact of its activities on the environment and we are guided by the promotion and execution of environmentally friendly process and procedures in reducing our carbon footprint. Our green policy:

  • PREVENTION
  • REDUCTION
  • REUSE
  • RECOVERY
  • DISPOSAL

We always aim to:

  • Minimise waste by evaluating operations and ensuring they are as efficient as possible.
  • Minimise toxic emissions through the careful selection and use of its printers and print technology.*
  • Actively use and promote recycling, and the use of recycled and FSC managed materials both internally and amongst our customers and suppliers.
  • Source and promote a product range to minimise the environmental impact of both production and distribution.
  • Meet or exceed all environmental legislation that relates to the company.
  • Save energy with ‘auto’ switch off equipment.
  • Minimise road miles through digital delivery of material for collaborators, customers and suppliers via FTP services.
  • Use of VoIP, e.g. Skype, Zoom, Microsoft Teams for meetings, and training to reduce road miles when appropriate and possible.
  • Use renewable energy wherever and offset carbon footprint whenever possible.

 

Travel

It’s important that we use our planet’s resources as carefully as we can. Here is our Travel Policy, which seeks to manage our consumption. We work from home based studios in and around York and, as such, incur no commuting costs for our permanent members of staff.

Wherever possible we adopt the following transport policy:

  • Short journeys up to 2 mile walking
  • Journeys within City of York walls bicycle – admin office only
  • Journeys to Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham, London by train
  • Journeys over 2.5 – 3 miles by public transport
  • Journeys over 3 miles by car – car share wherever possible.
  • Use of low emissions vehicles.

 

Print Policy

As our activities involve printing and publishing we are very aware that we need to make all the progress we can to minimise our impact in this resource hungry area. As such we have a separate, more detailed Print Policy.

Internal:

  • Avoid printing out of emails.
  • Use recycled stock printer paper.
  • Purchase new printers with ‘sleep’ function to cut energy use.
  • Printer cartridge use reduction, design studio has reduced printing so toner usage has reduced from 1 set of cartridges every 6 weeks to 1 set every 3 months. Colour print only when required, printing in mono wherever possible.
  • Colour print outs only when needed for client facing documents.
  • Re use of paper with both-side printing for drafting and client documents where appropriate and re-use of used paper for written note taking.
  • Scanning and email of documentation to reduce paper consumption and reduce postage.
  • Programme of paper use reduction for design studio – usage has gone from 5 reams per month to under 1 ream.

External

  • Engage printers with sound environmental ethos around resource use, FSC managed stocks and recycled stock – currently Colour Options, Elvington, Mixam, Watford.
  • Using recycled paper stock with minimal bleach used in recycling process, if bright white stock required we will use FSC managed stock, whereby a minimum of two trees is planted for every one felled and considerably lessened environmental impact due to less bleach used in the process of making new high white coated paper than high white recycled paper.
  • Undertake regular print buying strategy and review with clients to help educate and ensure minimal wastage of stock.
  • On longer print runs we aim to source litho printers you are using low impact print techniques, for example: dry litho, environmentally friendly digital inks, formal recycling policies, signed up to Dept. of Environment paper schemes.
  • Printing within the UK to reducing delivery miles.
  • When producing with larger display printing, pull-up banners etc. we source biodegradable material and water-based inks. We also encourage clients to invest banner pop-ups which have the ability to replace graphics when needed rather than replacing the whole pop-up unit.

 

Switch it off Policy

What do we mean by Switch It Off Policy?

  • Ensure all lights are switched off when not in a room.
  • Ensure all equipment is either off or in eco sleep mode if not in use during the day, including monitors, printers, copiers, computers.
  • Ensure all equipment is switched off in evenings and at night.
  • Charge mobile phones, iPads and related chargeable equipment during the day making use of solar energy at Admin site whenever possible.

We are registered business members of Earth Hour. A global movement to draw attention to our wasteful habits and the needs of the planet.  Find out more about Earth Hour.