Clays Ltd - Environmental Statement
Clays works closely with our parent company St Ives plc on ways to reduce the impact the business has on the environment by specifically focusing on the needs of the book publishing industry.
Clays has established the following environmental objectives:
• Continuous improvement and prevention of pollution
• Comply with legal and other requirements which relate to our environmental aspects.
• Improve our energy efficiency.
• Minimise waste through improved waste management and recycling.
• Minimise water consumption
• Reduce the usage of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
• Capital investment programme
• Turnaround time and lot size reduction initiatives
To ensure these objectives are met, environmental performance targets are set and reviewed on a regular basis.
The Environmental Management Representative is responsible to the Manufacturing Director for monitoring and reporting upon the environmental performance of Clays with reference to the above objectives and targets.
A copy of this policy statement is available on request and will be reviewed and updated regularly with changes being communicated to all employees.
materials – wide portfolio of choice
Clays’ objective is to offer a portfolio of alternative materials for all publishers along with their environmental benefits, value profile and performance implications.
We have a programme to identify more environmentally friendly materials which can be used in the book manufacturing process. We have ongoing development programmes with our key suppliers. Each must provide their environmental policy and accreditation status; and all must be able to demonstrate their supplied material’s environmental credentials.
A long term environmental research and development programme is in place which investigates new materials to establish:
• Material suitability for manufacturing
• New technologies required
• Any quality compromise over the life of the product
Clays’ objective is to offer a portfolio of alternative materials for all publishers along with their environmental benefits, value profile and performance implications.
supply chain – reduced “book miles”
Clays are already working with both our customers and suppliers to reduce the carbon footprint of a book in the supply chain. We have an active programme targeting the reduction of “book miles” through effective fulfilment, capital investment and collaborative partnerships.
ISO14001
Clays was awarded ISO14001:2004 certification on 13th August 2008.
corporate social responsibility
At Clays, we’ve long been aware of our responsibility to the environment. That’s why we’ve developed our own environmental policy and a plan of action that dovetails with the St Ives Group Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme.
Download our FSC Accreditation Certificate here
Download our FSC Certifications here
from tree to paper to books & back to tree
For instance, we incinerate all paper dust created through book production, reducing it to around 40 tonnes of ash per year. Instead of sending this waste to landfill, we recently discovered a more environmentally friendly means of disposal. A local worm farm produces a wholly organic, general purpose soil conditioner. We send them our dust ash which they then spread over their worm beds. This helps produce a soil conditioner containing all the nutrients, minerals, bacteria and micro-organisms needed to benefit plant growth. So, from tree to paper to books and back to tree, Clays completes the eco-circle.
Additionally Clays supports green4books. This environmental action group was formed by The Publishers Association and The Booksellers Association to encourage and help the book industry to reduce its carbon emissions, operate more sustainably and reduce the impact of book publishing and bookselling on the environment.
Click here to visit the green4books site
St Ives Group and the environment
The board has established an environmental policy which is implemented through the Group’s existing management structure. The policy concentrates on achieving a deliverable improvement in performance in consultation with suppliers, customers and employees.
Specific areas targeted for continuous attention include the adoption, where practicable, of processes which reduce the Group’s emissions of volatile organic compounds, noise and dust, minimising and recycling of waste products, recycling of water and securing reductions in energy consumption.
The Group continues to make progress towards improving its performance in the areas identified for attention and, during the year, completed Group-wide ISO14001 accreditation.
The targets set for the year to contain the net financial impact on the Group of the Climate Change Levy have been met and new targets set for next year in order to recoup as much of the Levy as possible.
The key performance indicators used to measure environmental performance are:
Waste sent to landfill;
Water consumption; and
Gas and electricity usage per square metre of substrate (usually, but not always, paper or board).
In absolute terms, however, the Group recorded an improvement in all three key performance indicators: total gas consumption at all sites fell, year on year, by 10.4% (2008 – 3.3 per cent fall compared with 2007), total electricity consumption fell by 8.0% (2008 – 0.4% fall compared with 2007) and total water consumption fell by 4.6% (2008 – 1.9% increase compared with 2007). Total waste sent to landfill was reduced by 53.1% (2008 – 13.3 per cent reduction compared with 2007).
Individual targets are set on a site by site basis to improve the Group’s overall environmental performance and these are set out in the Group’s latest Environmental Report which is available, on request, from the Company Secretary or by clicking here.
waste sent to landfill
Waste sent to landfill per metre squared of substrate consumed was reduced by 45%;
water consumption
Water consumption per square metre increased by 10% (in 2008 a 5.8% reduction was achieved)
energy efficiency
Energy efficiency (energy used per square metre) increased by 6% (in 2008 a 3.7% decrease was achieved) compared to the previous year’s figures.
To illustrate the range of our services, of necessity, we have reproduced customers' registered and unregistered trade marks and representations of their brands. The rights that our customers have in their respective trade marks and brands are fully acknowledged.