3 March 2022

WALSTEAD STARTS USING CLIMATECALC TO ACCURATELY CALCULATE ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT

In 2022, contributing to the net-zero transition is more important than ever. Walstead has therefore chosen to use online carbon calculator ClimateCalc to accurately calculate its own carbon footprint, as well as that of customers. 

The events of 2021, including the COP26 summit, really brought the climate emergency into focus and highlighted the increased need for individuals, governments and companies to take action. In the face of this urgency, being sustainable is no longer just a choice: brands have to build environmental policies into their CSR strategies. For Walstead, that means thinking about the carbon emissions we generate with each order. Paul Sorosina, the UK Group HSEQ Manager, says:

"At Walstead, we want to understand our contribution to the current global environmental problem and what we can do to lessen our impact on the environment."

It was therefore important to get the most relevant information possible, which is why a print-specific carbon calculator like ClimateCalc ticked all the right boxes. Not only does it allow Walstead to measure the carbon footprint of the company, but it also calculates the footprint of a specific print job using data on the consumables used to produce it.

As part of this new move, Walstead has passed the audit by the BPIF, which is an annual requirement. Sorosina says: 

“The audit looks at all our inputted data per site such as electric and gas consumption, LPG consumption, waste paper figures and paper delivery figures. It then confirms that the data we have put into the calculator is correct and gives us an accurate CO2 figure.”  Walstead went the extra mile with some of the data in an effort to be as transparent as possible, as

Sorosina explains: “We broke down the total paper into grades and then applied individual paper profiles that we obtained from the relevant mill. We also input accurate delivery mileages from the paper mill to the Walstead facility. To date, we are one of only two UK printers to go to this level of detail, which will give us a far more accurate CO2 figure than printers using worst-case scenario data.” 

Being armed with the calculations from ClimateCalc will allow Walstead to fine-tune its own sustainability strategy, but also help customers to reduce their own carbon footprint. Sorosina says:

"It is important that we are able to provide our customers with information and are able to work with them to also help reduce their environmental impact."

With ClimateCalc, Walstead can provide customers with clarity and help companies lessen their impact before even having to think about ways of offsetting emissions. Sorosina explains: “We are going to be able to communicate with customers on the carbon figure for each job and explore alternative options to perhaps reduce that. ” Walstead might, for example, suggest paper types with a lower carbon footprint. In the process of working collaboratively with customers, Walstead can offer clients choice as well as a competitive edge.

By opting for greener print choices, Walstead’s customers can use this to their advantage when communicating with their own audience. Indeed, sustainability remains high on the agenda for many consumers, and this proportion of people with environmental concerns is only likely to increase.  A new study by IBM found that 44% of consumers choose brands based on how well those brands align with their values. These purpose-driven consumers, who constitute the largest portion of consumers globally, care about sustainability. Using a carbon calculator will help Walstead’s customers to identify the best environmental strategy that will deliver what end-consumers want. 

Walstead is committed to constantly improving its performance. By using ClimateCalc and being audited annually by BPIF Walstead aims to translate sustainability goals into concrete results, but also to forge more meaningful relationships with its customers.

Read the full article here.

For further information on ClimateCalc, please contact Steve Walker, at [email protected].