Leading the Way: Signal First in Gloucestershire to Achieve Net Zero. From ISO 14001 to Net Zero.
Spring Environmental initially worked with Signal to manage their ISO 14001 certified environmental management system, a framework that identifies and manages a corporation’s environmental performance.
Learn more about the foundational work and our initial partnership with Signal in the previous case study.
When setting objectives for the Environmental Management System in 2021, Spring Environmental engaged with the Signal board to discuss how to aim higher and maintain Signal’s position as “best in class” in all facets including environmental performance. A lengthy EMS objective-setting session examined how Signal could achieve the new Net Zero corporate standard from the Science Based Targets Initiative. At the time of the objective setting, the standard was still in draft form and itself was not formally published until later in 2021 at the time of COP26 in Glasgow.
Spring Environmental undertook a structured approach to provide the evidence to the Signal board. This include assessing the value chain of Signal and its associated emissions, reviewing any weaknesses in data methodologies and highlighting the sources of significant emissions and reduction plans. The evidence pack created, sailed through the assessment with the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) without question and Net Zero Corporate Status was granted in September 2022.
Net Zero: The Challenge for Signal
Signal’s long term requirement Net Zero targets are to reduce the carbon footprint by 90% by 2035. This is a significant challenge because the vast majority of its footprint is in the supply chain, as is the case with many service companies.
Signal operates in the marketing and promotional sector which includes the design and creation of large volumes of direct mail packs. The use of paper and the carbon footprint involved in producing paper obviously creates a significant environmental impact.
Added to this, Signal works with several suppliers and third parties for its printing and production. Effective and proactive supply chain engagement is crucial when working with suppliers to identify and source environmentally friendly alternative products and processes to help reduce Signal’s carbon footprint.
The Signal approach is to both influence their clients to design greener while reducing the impact of the printing process itself.
Print Impact Calculator and Alternative Design
To identify the carbon footprint of each mailer that was being created by Signal, Spring created a bespoke print impact calculator. This allowed the design team to input the credentials of its proposed prototype and the calculator would accurately identify the amount of carbon that would be created once produced. This then allowed for modifications to be made to the design to identify an environmentally friendly option that looked at alternative size, paper and quality until the team found the best compromise between form, function and environmental impact.
Carbon Smart
It became evident very quickly that Signal’s clients liked being able to see the environmental savings that could be made by altering its approach and designs and so, with Spring’s help, Signal created Carbon Smart.
Carbon Smart is now a market-leading, client-facing product that can be used to identify the environmental impact of the whole process of creating a mailer, right from cutting down the trees to disposing of the packs, with the aim of making every product net zero.
Three key environmental approaches are used within Carbon Smart – Measure, Reduce and Offset:
- Measure: the Print Impact Calculator measures the environmental impact of the campaign
- Reduce: explore alternative designs that will reduce the impact
- Offset: for those clients who want their communications to be carbon neutral, Signal will offset the emissions associated with lifecycle impacts.
The Signal and Spring Environmental team are conscious that offsetting can be seen as corporate greenwashing. Following a review of the certification schemes and their due diligence, a decision was to settle on a Gold Standard project with additional internal due diligence activities to ensure the project meets our high standards.
Net Zero and the Positive Business Impact
Signal has benefited in ways it had never expected when starting on the ‘NetZero journey’. Rather than the traditional perception of environmental assessments, systems and processes being onerous and costing a large amount of time and money, Signal’s corporate desire for Net Zero has led to new strategies and sales opportunities for clients.
Barney Hosey, the CEO of Signal said,
“We are absolutely delighted to be leading the way in sustainability. Achieving Corporate NetZero Status is hugely rewarding after all our hard work alongside Spring Environmental.
We always knew that our efforts to significantly reduce the company’s carbon footprint would be received positively by our clients, but we didn’t anticipate the new sales opportunities and business benefits it would provide.
As a NetZero corporation, we now have an additional USP ; a CarbonSmart product that clients can buy into and an opportunity to impress new clients. Our Net Zero has already supported Signal break new ground in the public sector.
We’d like to thank Chris and the Spring Environmental team for all their hard work and intend to continue working with Spring Environmental to deliver our long term Net Zero strategy.”
The success of Signal’s Net Zero achievement, built upon their existing ISO 14001 framework and the innovative Carbon Smart initiative, demonstrates a clear pathway for other organizations to follow with the right guidance and dedication.
Inspired by Signal’s success?
Contact Spring Environmental today to explore how we can help your business define and achieve its own ambitious sustainability targets.
This case study was provided by Spring Environmental.