| London office supplies: What does it
| |
| | products used mainly by creative
|
| mean to be green?
| |
| | companies do not have green alternatives,
|
| If the worrying predictions of climate
| |
| | but there are indications that this
|
| scientists are correct, London will be
| |
| | situation is changing. Xyron systems
|
| severely affected if measures are not
| |
| | present a viable alternative to spray
|
| taken imminently to address the threat of
| |
| | adhesive. The machines apply a sticky
|
| global climate change. Whole swathes of
| |
| | layer to materials but do not contaminate
|
| the city could be submerged by 2050 if
| |
| | the air or emit the CFCs that destroy the
|
| forecasted sea-level rises are accurate.
| |
| | fragile ozone layer. Many products may
|
| The lush green expanse of Hyde Park could
| |
| | not be particularly
|
| more resemble the dry, dusty plains of
| |
| | environmentally-friendly, but there are
|
| sub-Saharan Africa. Every individual,
| |
| | plenty of initiatives that can be taken
|
| family and organisation needs to play
| |
| | to limit waste. Many types of toners can
|
| their part; including companies whose
| |
| | be recycled for instance. Instead of
|
| trade is to supply the city's offices
| |
| | plastic packaging, reusable cardboard
|
| with the products they need to operate.
| |
| | delivery boxes can be used instead. When
|
| There are clear indications that some of
| |
| | the customer is finished with them, the
|
| London's office suppliers are taking
| |
| | boxes can be returned when the delivery
|
| their environmental responsibilities
| |
| | driver makes the next delivery.
|
| seriously. The changes in attitude are
| |
| | Alongside the office suppliers who are
|
| partly being led by industry leaders, but
| |
| | making genuine efforts to change their
|
| also by their customers who, for a number
| |
| | businesses to meet these aspirations,
|
| of reasons, expect the trade to help them
| |
| | there are others that are, perhaps
|
| achieve their environmental objectives.
| |
| | cynically, using green language and
|
| The image-conscious industries of London
| |
| | hollow gestures to present an image of
|
| including advertisers and marketing
| |
| | environmental virtue. There are signs
|
| consultants are keen to show potential
| |
| | that green window dressing is no longer
|
| clients their green credentials to help
| |
| | good enough to win the custom of
|
| win business. Charitable organisations
| |
| | environmentally-conscious customers. An
|
| consider their responsibilities to the
| |
| | increasingly well informed customer is
|
| environment an integral part of a broader
| |
| | emerging who is prepared to challenge the
|
| moral purpose. Generally speaking, there
| |
| | claims made by companies in the industry.
|
| is a growing awareness by London's
| |
| | My employer recently had a customer who
|
| companies of the connection between their
| |
| | felt our use of plastic packaging to
|
| activities and the potential consequences
| |
| | deliver her goods contradicted our ethics
|
| outlined earlier in this article.
| |
| | that we so proudly display on our
|
| There is a huge business potential in the
| |
| | website. All her company's orders are now
|
| supply of green office products. A swarm
| |
| | delivered in the distinctive red reusable
|
| of online retailers who offer a range of
| |
| | delivery boxes. For unscrupulous
|
| everyday products that are green in
| |
| | customers, the shallow claims made by
|
| varying degrees has emerged to capitalise
| |
| | some office suppliers are enough to
|
| on the demand. These companies are very
| |
| | satisfy their green aspirations. The
|
| keen to trumpet their virtues, but are
| |
| | office suppliers who have a genuine
|
| not so willing to acknowledge that their
| |
| | interest in reducing their carbon
|
| goods tend to be delivered in diesel
| |
| | footprint will have to work hard to help
|
| transit vans that spew out carbon
| |
| | inform customers and potential customers
|
| emissions to and from their destinations.
| |
| | about what they truly need to do to be
|
| In the office supply trade
| |
| | green. At one end of the spectrum, RED
|
| product-sourcing and delivery make the
| |
| | BOX has a customer who spends around 26%
|
| largest contribution to a company's
| |
| | of their stationery budget on green
|
| carbon footprint. If London's offices
| |
| | products, but there are companies of a
|
| want the goods they buy to be greener,
| |
| | similar size and budget who spend as
|
| they need to look beyond what their
| |
| | little as 3.6% or lower.
|
| products are made from and examine the
| |
| | For many office suppliers, the logical
|
| broader implications of production and
| |
| | conclusion of efforts to become greener
|
| delivery.
| |
| | is to reach carbon-neutrality and in turn
|
| More established office suppliers are
| |
| | sustainable growth. Almost all human
|
| gradually making important changes to
| |
| | activity in some way generates a degree
|
| their businesses to address environmental
| |
| | of carbon emissions. In the case of
|
| concerns. If your company's trade is to
| |
| | office suppliers, the greatest
|
| supply office products, van deliveries
| |
| | carbon-burden is released through the
|
| are a necessity, not an option. Companies
| |
| | sourcing of products. Office product
|
| that run their own fleet of vans, such as
| |
| | manufacturers are under pressure to
|
| my own employer, are better positioned to
| |
| | produce their goods in countries with low
|
| reduce their carbon footprint. RED BOX,
| |
| | labour costs such as China and parts of
|
| whose large and varied customer base is
| |
| | Eastern Europe to remain competitive.
|
| located within Greater London, once
| |
| | Unfortunately, the products have to
|
| prided itself on the same-day delivery
| |
| | travel a considerable distance to reach
|
| service that it could provide. The
| |
| | their markets in places such as London
|
| company now actively encourages its
| |
| | with the emissions that this movement
|
| customers to opt for next-day delivery.
| |
| | produces trailing behind. Once the
|
| The streamlined delivery schedule reduces
| |
| | products land in places like the UK, they
|
| the number of split deliveries, but still
| |
| | must be distributed to distribution
|
| provides the level of service that
| |
| | centres and then onto suppliers,
|
| demanding London companies expect. It
| |
| | sometimes through wholesalers on the way
|
| also enables the company to reduce costs
| |
| | - these journeys also accumulate carbon.
|
| that can be passed onto the customer in
| |
| | Addressing the issue of sourcing presents
|
| the form of savings.
| |
| | the greatest challenge to the industry.
|
| Green alternatives to commonly-bought
| |
| | Drastic measures to reduce the carbon
|
| products are also being introduced by
| |
| | footprint will not make a company
|
| established office suppliers. Last year,
| |
| | completely carbon-neutral. It's
|
| 34% of RED BOX customers bought green
| |
| | inevitable that commercial enterprises
|
| products; now the figure is closer to
| |
| | will generate some carbon. Initiatives
|
| 40%. In 2006, the average spend on green
| |
| | such as carbon-offsetting and
|
| products was 5.6%. As customers are being
| |
| | carbon-capture schemes can help to
|
| made aware of green ranges and in some
| |
| | compensate for this. In short there is
|
| cases demanding them, the figure has
| |
| | plenty still to do.
|
| risen to 6.3%. Unfortunately many
| |
| |
|
