The BPIF Environmental Forum

Introducing Anthony Rowell, Tradeprint’s Sales & Customer Success Director and The Chair of the BPIF Environmental Forum 2021

Who is the BPIF and why should we be invested in the progress of their Environmental Forum?

The BPIF – British Printing Industries Federation is a best-in-class trade association representing a modern, progressive printing industry.
By investing time and effort into the BPIF’s activities allows us to help inform policy and in particular with the Environmental Forum it allows us to help shape the printing industries approach to environmental custodianship.

What sustainability issues do print manufacturers face?

Carbon and waste are the biggies, but risk mitigation and cost savings are benefits of a sustainable approach to business.

How do you intend to tackle those at Tradeprint?

We are in the Cimpress family of businesses who collectively serve millions of people every year. As part of this relationship we have had some great support from Cimpress to create a baseline and they have helped us develop targets for problem waste reduction and carbon reduction – we contribute to Cimpress’ Net Zero emissions by 2040 target.

How do you feel about your appointment as Chair of the BPIF Environmental Forum?

I feel pretty humble about the appointment as Chair of the BPIF Environmental Forum – it feels like a huge honour and I’m so pleased to be able to help drive positive change in the industry I love.
I enjoy the time I devote to it as it is so important for our future. I know that sounds very grand but open a newspaper, watch the news, or listen to the radio and you’ll hear of the impacts of climate change; we must slow it down because it’s the right thing to do.

What are the quick wins for small print businesses?

Walk around your factory and make sure you are segregating your waste – waste contractors pay more for clean recyclable waste so it’s worth segregating waste for recycling to maximise recycling payments.

In your opinion, what is the future of environmentally credible print and carbon offsetting?

In my opinion, the industry needs to offer more choice when it comes to sustainable alternatives; create demand, be innovative and market what you are doing to raise awareness.
Banish myths and be responsible about the message, applying a ‘greenwash’ to everyday practice is really dangerous. By ‘Greenwash’ I mean attempting to convince your customers that your sustainability efforts are solely for the good of the planet and that you are doing more than you say you are.
Paper is one of the few truly sustainable products. Responsible wood, pulp and paper production ensures healthy growing forests. Between 2005 and 2015, European forests grew by an area the size of Switzerland, 71% of wood and 83% of pulp purchased by the European pulp and paper industry is FSC® or PEFC certified and 91% of production capacity is certified or registered according to the internationally recognised environmental management standards ISO 14001 and EMAS.*

*www.twosides.co.uk

The Forum meets on a bi-monthly schedule with webinars and focus groups in between. Recent focus groups have been on carbon, plastic tax, and the extended producer responsibility levy. The group has been working on an ‘Environmental Roadmap’ to help companies see a pathway to a sustainable future and this includes a ‘toolbox’ of resources to simplify the process of becoming more sustainable.