The aim of project, undertaken for the PPA (the UK magazine publishing trade association), was to build a comprehensive yet accessible tool for calculating the carbon footprint of magazines.

 

The project was described by judges as “demonstrating an outstanding environmental initiative that benefits their members' sector and the wider world.”

 

Working closely with the PPA’s Carbon Footprint Working Group, Edge has developed the Carbon Calculator in compliance with emerging national and international carbon footprinting protocols and using the best available data and techniques. The Carbon Calculator means that all types and sizes of publishers within the PPA’s membership can calculate their environmental impact without employing major resources.

 

The Carbon Calculator builds on previous collaborations between PPA and Edge. Over the past two years, Edge has been working closely with the PPA to help build a better understanding of the environmental impacts of magazine publishing, printing, distribution and disposal in the UK. This work included building a profile of the total material flows and quantifying the total carbon footprint of the entire UK magazine supply chain. The subsequent Carbon Calculator is an important first step on the carbon journey for magazine publishers. Once the carbon footprint has been quantified and understood, publishers can begin to make informed decisions about how to reduce this footprint in the future and engage with supply chain partners to achieve their future environmental aims.

 

PPA’s environmental manager, Rose Benjamin said: "The PPA Carbon Calculator is another example of how a trade association can help members to work together for the good of the entire industry. We are now working on phase three to refine the print and paper data and enhance the functionality of the calculator." The calculator, which was launched at the FIPP World Magazine Congress in May, is free to all PPA members and allows publishers to calculate the carbon footprint of a title and to understand the impact of each part of the magazine production process. So far, over 300 PPA members have taken advantage of the tool.

 

The collaboration between Edge and the PPA will continue, as the calculator will be continually developed to respond to user requirements and sector-wide developments. The possibility of developing the calculator for the magazine supply chains in other European countries is also being investigated.

Michael Sturges, the Edge project manager, says, “It is great news that this initiative has won this award. I have been providing support on environmental and sustainability issues to the PPA for a number of years and during this time they have always taken the sector’s environmental responsibilities seriously and have never been afraid to take a position of leadership. Developing the calculator has been a real challenge. There have been difficulties with data and methodology to overcome, but the end result has been extremely well-received in the industry. “

 

For more information about Edge’s carbon footprinting and other environmental services, please contact Michael Sturges on +44 (0)7787 531141, or email