Almost a decade since its introduction, Premier’s Carbon Capture programme has more than 600 participants. Thinking of swelling that number? Here’s why it’s worth considering.
What started off as a simple idea to give a few businesses the choice to mitigate the CO2 emissions from the materials they buy has blossomed into something very special. Almost ten years on and Premier’s Carbon Capture programme has become one of the printing industry’s leading environmental initiatives, with well over 600 fully signed up and committed to the cause - from printers to sign makers, local authorities to banks and other corporate organisations - all directly supporting the creation and maintenance of local native woodland throughout the UK.
To date, Premier and its customers have raised in excess of £1.22m for the Woodland Trust and have captured over 80,000 tonnes CO2.
For those of you yet to get involved with the Carbon Capture programme, here’s the lowdown on what is a low cost, simple, easy to understand and transparent way of improving your company’s eco credentials, while also helping provide habitat for wildlife via the creation of new native woodland.
Firstly, know that 100% of the Carbon Capture amount goes directly to the Woodland Trust, which operates the scheme under the UK Government’s Woodland Carbon Code, based on emissions data calculated from approved DEFRA criteria.
There are no deductions for marketing, third party carbon trading companies or management fees, and those companies taking part in the programme receive a number of benefits, including:
• Carbon mitigation statements that can be included in annual reports
• Certificates detailing amount of CO2 captured and the area of new native UK woodland created for display and inclusion on websites
• Carbon Capture brochure personalised with your company details
• Carbon Capture branded promotional items to help sell the programme to clients and their employees
• The use of a personalised Woodland Carbon logo for websites stationery and jobs where Carbon Capture material shave been used.
• Woodland Carbon logo for your clients when Carbon Capture material is used for their jobs
As most of you will recognise, the Woodland Trust is a very high profile entity, being regularly featured on national TV news and environmental magazine programmes such as Countryfile. The brand also appears in many retail outlets and in addition there are over 600,000 registered members and supporters of the Woodland Trust throughout the UK.
Like many top household and high street brands that work directly with the Woodland Trust, the brand image of companies and their clients can also be reinforced by engaging in an environmental programme that is very much associated with the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity.
With just 13% tree cover, the UK is one of the least wooded countries in Europe, where the average amount of tree cover is around 35%. The Woodland Trust plants new native woodland here in the UK, creating natural habitats for wildlife and providing places for people to visit and enjoy.
Engaging in the Carbon Capture programme and using the Woodland Carbon logo makes a clear statement regarding your company’s environmental values - values that can be shared with your target customers.
The Carbon Capture programme also provides opportunities to take part in - and to invite your clients to take part in - tree planting events at Woodland Trust sites throughout the UK, often alongside environmental experts such as TV’s Julia Bradbury, to help create and maintain native woodland. Premier provides photographs, video content and press releases to all participants for their own marketing communication use.