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