Fespa UK has announced the next stage of its waste academy project with the introduction of one-day supplier courses available from 30 November.
To be held in the sustainability training room at the Fespa UK HQ in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, Jon Hutton, the association’s sustainability lead, will deliver these courses, which have been designed to either integrate a mixed group of businesses and provide them with the opportunity to network and share ideas, or which can be adapted to focus on an individual supplier and their products.
“With retail and consumer focus firmly fixed on the damaging environmental effects of manufacturing around the world, brand owners, print consumers, printers and suppliers are seeing the demand for being more environmentally aware. This is not only impacting directly on supply chain choices, but also needs to be promoted and reinforced by key suppliers to ensure the changes are implemented. Now is therefore the perfect opportunity for suppliers to understand and promote the environmental credibility of their products,” said Hutton.
“Customers wanting to know the truth about the sustainability of supplier’s product’s is now high on the agenda, and the truth is often challenging due to the complexity of graphics materials and the waste and recycling industries limitations. Forthcoming greenwashing regulations have added an extra layer to the whole topic of providing accurate information around the subject. This course will deliver answers to all these areas and give suppliers the confidence they need to address and navigate these subjects of their products and services.’’
Fespa UK managing director Suzi Ward added: “Suppliers are in a unique position to offer change. They have a responsibility, and now opportunity, to educate themselves and their customers in sustainability and best practices. We look at the life cycle analysis of products with them to not only consider material options, but also waste and end-of-campaign. They will attain the knowledge to look at what the client currently has in place and confidently discuss environment impacts. While it is preferable to promote sustainable materials such as fiberboard, we all know that these products aren’t always a valid option and plastic may be more relevant to a job, so suppliers should be able to advise their clients on the reality, and often overall benefits, of their products choices.
“The supplier course has been written to help educate suppliers to understand how to confidently promote and sell their products from a sustainable position. It will arm them with the knowledge of what can be achieved and the reality and understanding of the UK waste and recycling industries. By supporting their clients in this way, they will increase customer confidence in their brand.”
The new supplier courses follow on from Fespa UK’s development of waste management accreditation’ over two years ago, and are relevant to business owners, managers, and teams who visit and discuss product options with clients. They focus on disposal options for paper and board, rigid plastic, flexible plastic and self-adhesive and will run 10am-3pm.