Let’s change
for good.
Our ongoing commitment to providing quality
print solutions that don’t cost the Earth.
Sustainability
Report
2009/10
Deforestation can’t go on foreve
Using print means using paper, and us
using trees. At EarthColor, we recogni
to the environment and have made po
significantly minimize negative impac
This report documents our continuing
excellent print solutions that don’t cos
er.
sing paper means
ize our responsibility
ositive decisions that
ct on the environment.
g efforts in providing
st the Earth.
We keep the environment in mind
with every decision we make.
Sustainable printing may
sound like an oxymoron,
but that is far from the truth.
As a manufacturer of large
quantities of printed products,
our choices and decisions as
well as those of our clients
during the procurement,
production, manufacturing and
finishing processes can and
do make a difference.
For example, over the course
of 2009-2010 these efforts
translated to the equivalent
of 465 acres preserved via
managed forestry.
For EarthColor, sustainability is broader than just the
environment, extending into other spheres far beyond
our borders, such as economics and social responsibility.
It is clear that our industry is commercially and financially
reliant on the continued abundance of paper, yet we also
fully comprehend that trees and forests are vital to the
existence of life on Earth. Protecting our natural resources
and preserving them for future generations is a necessity,
not a luxury or a trend.
Sustainability and resource management are global
problems, and the print communications industry is just
as accountable as anyone else for doing the right thing.
EarthColor is committed to our shared environment and
dedicated to striving towards a cleaner, healthier, better
tomorrow. We hope that you will join us.
In the pages that follow, we outline our achievements,
successes, challenges and any shortcomings over the course
of 2009 and 2010. We analyze where we are, what we should
be doing and how we will get there. Above all, we aim to
emphasize the important role that each individual plays in
making sustainability a reality and encouraging positive
change.
What's inside:
Introduction6
Mission & commitment
8
Sustainability efforts, initiatives & strategies
9
Performance10
Performance highlights
10
2010/11 goals and targets
12
The EarthColor sustainability ecosystem
14
Governance and ethics
16
Responsible forestry
18
Environmental protection
22
Resource stewardship and energy management
26
Workplace enrichment
32
Beyond our borders
34
GRI context index
36
The Earth.Aware calculator
38
A message from our
Chief Executive Officer
Today we live in a society that has greater
vigilance and awareness of the impact we as
humans have on our environment. When we
reflected on our business and our industry we
found ourselves strategically positioned in the
communications supply chain for both print
and digital formats.
We recognized early on that we could work
with our clients and supply chain partners to
profoundly change for the better the way we
do business and the overall environmental
impact and footprint that we left behind for
future generations. When it came down to tough
decisions where it was not a clear win win, we
have been guided by this simple thought: Let’s
‘Do the Right Thing’ for our environment, for our
children, and for our shareholders and investors.
At EarthColor, we recognize our obligation
to ensure the prudent and rational utilization
of natural resources and to protect those
entrusted to our stewardship. That is why
sustainability embodies one of the core
values which underpin our company.
Robert Kashan
“We are guided
by this simple
thought: Let’s
‘Do the Right
Thing’ for our
environment,
for our children,
and for our
shareholders
and investors.”
A message from our
Director of Sustainability
In line with our vision for the company, we have
been diligently working to weave sustainability
into the fabric of our organization and supply chains.
The printing industry is an important part of the world’s
manufacturing community, playing a vital role in communication,
education and daily life.
Interestingly enough, despite the widespread implementation
of electronics and digital media, our society is far from ‘paperless’
with demand and consumption increasing in proportion to G.D.P.
per capita.
EarthColor’s core values include a genuine dedication to responsible
business practices. With sustainability at the forefront of the
company’s agenda, we believe that all business should be conducted
with consideration and respect for the environment and our
natural resources.
To this end, we have implemented comprehensive sustainability
initiatives, which encompass every stage of our manufacturing
process — effectively reducing the environmental footprint of our
end products and providing our customers with high-quality
printed materials that are more environmentally friendly all while
meeting and exceeding our clients’ expectations.
Our work is certainly not over and we continue to voluntarily
develop, implement and maintain green principles, striving to be
a standard setter within the print communications industry.
David Podmayersky
Introduction
EarthColor is a privately held commercial printer headquartered in
New Jersey with facilities in New York, Florida, Texas and Arizona.
We have been in business for over twenty-five years and specialize
in providing one-stop printing solutions of electronic prepress,
printing and finishing, primarily of promotional products.
Through the years we have worked hard to
incorporate sustainable practices and strategies
into our manufacturing and logistical processes,
transforming our business from the inside out.
Our sustainability efforts have manifested into
one of our major strengths: managing and
producing high-quality, complex, demanding
print projects which meet the best possible
sustainable solutions at a cost-effective price.
“I look at things in the
absolute. We don’t just
want to reduce harm
to the environment in
the future; we want to
know how to improve
immediately.”
— Robert Kashan, CEO.
We acknowledge that alongside our
achievements and successes, there are also
shortcomings and obstacles to overcome, but
real change in our industry is possible and we are
proud to be a part of that change.
We have made it our business to make sustainability
issues a priority. This dedication and our overall
business culture of leading by example has
positioned us as an industry leader in the United
States for sustainable print solutions.
five firsts
We’re proud to be considered leaders in our industry and are
constantly looking for ways to improve environmental standards
in both our company and in the print industry as a whole. Here
are some positive changes we have made that also happen to
have been firsts for the print industry:
1
First in our industry to release a
sustainability report detailing our
efforts, results and targets
We published our first sustainability
report in 2004 ‒ and we’ve done so
ever since.
Read more about our Earth.Aware
calculator on page 38, or try it out
for yourself at earthcolor.com
2
First to offer a carbon-managed
web paper stock, our very own
brand: Earth.Aware®
3
First to adopt technological
innovations for carbon
sequestration and bio-oxidation
4
First to launch a calculator detailing
the environmental savings impact
for the entire print supply chain
5
First to systematically apply
the Twelve Principles of Green
Chemistry in our facilities and
processes
Sustainability Report 2009/10
7
Mission and commitments
EarthColor’s core mission and values include a genuine
dedication to sustainable and responsible business practices.
We’re committed to minimizing our environmental impact and
promoting sustainable printing and responsible forestry for our
company, our industry and the community at large.
» Protect the Earth’s natural resources
» Promote forest conservation
» Fight for clean air and water
» Support biodiversity
»
Sponsor sustainable development
and poverty-alleviation
Our mission is to lead
the print communications
industry towards a more
sustainable future.
That includes achieving
carbon-managed and
climate-balanced printing
through the development
of innovative technology
and implementation of
thorough environmentally
sustainable and socially
responsible business
practices and standards.
EarthColor is committed to people, planet, and performance.
8
EarthColor
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Let’s change for good.
Sustainability efforts,
initiatives and strategies
Actions speak louder than words. We’ve proactively transformed
EarthColor to become a leader in sustainability within the print
communications industry, setting a new standard for printers,
our suppliers and our customers — and for ourselves.
These are just some of our
achievements to date
which are explained in
more detail in the
following pages.
We’re proud of our
successes so far and are
constantly thinking of
ways to improve further
in the future.
» Greenhouse gas management plan
» Tri-certified in international forestry standards
including FSC®, SFI and PEFC
» Renewable energy management plan
» Comprehensive wood pulp & paper merchandise
management policy
»
Earth.Aware® paper — the first carbon-managed
web paper on the market
» Successful employment of green chemistry principles
» 98% of manufacturing waste is recycled
» Zero stormwater exposure to industrial materials policy
» State-of-the-art technology innovation for on-site
real-time greenhouse gas sequestration
» Minimized airborne emissions
» Partnered with leading NGOs supporting forest conservation,
sustainable development and poverty-alleviation
Sustainability Report 2009/10
9
Performance highlights
During the course of the last year we have built on our past
achievements and addressed shortcomings from 2008.
Our environmentally sustainable values continue to
permeate every aspect of our business.
465
acres
preserved via managed
forestry — an increase of
460% from 2008
-4,346
3 tons of greenhouse gas
7
offset — the equivalent of taking
4,346 cars off the road for a year
Water use by more
than 3 million gallons,
a savings of 32%
98.6%
Liquid and semi-solid
waste production by
more than half
reduction in volatile organic
compounds at web plants and
75% at all sheetfed plants
204,346
This year
we have
also reduced:
million BTUs
293,209
less energy used, the
equivalent of powering
2,245 homes for a year
via pre— and post–consumer
recycling
less trees consumed
Total energy use
by 4.5%
Consumption of natural
gas by 11%
Total greenhouse gas
emissions by 2,700
metric tons
awards
2009:
Gold in American Printer’s Environmental Excellence Award
for Most Environmentally Conscious Printer
Gold in American Printer’s Environmental Excellence Award
for Best Environmentally Produced Product
Environmental Protection Agency’s Award for Green Power
Purchasing Leadership
2010:
WhatTheyThink Environmental Innovation Award
for Thought Leader
In 2009 we also launched our innovative
Earth.Aware calculator which computes the
real environmental savings for a specific print
job when choosing to print with EarthColor.
Read more about our Earth.Aware
calculator on page 38, or try it out for
yourself at www.earthcolor.com
Sustainability Report 2009/10
11
2010/11 goals and targets
We take pride in our achievements to date, while recognizing that
we still have a long way to go with many obstacles ahead of us.
These challenges present a unique opportunity for improvement,
moving us a step closer to where we want to be.
One of our biggest goals in 2010 and 2011 is to further
expand our corporate social responsibility arm. Our primary
focus thus far has been on our environmental
sustainability initiatives and programs, which we now feel
have very solid foundations allowing us to branch out
further. We endeavor to be a conscious corporate citizen
understanding that our decisions and actions have an
impact on not only our employees but also on communities
well beyond our borders. We are looking to ensure that
impact is a positive one.
In addition to expanding our support of initiatives and
programs that strive to curtail world deforestation,
we are also exploring possibilities for the promotion of
environmental sustainability through public awareness
as well as the meaningful involvement of our senior
management in community and social initiatives.
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EarthColor
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Let’s change for good.
Other targets for 2010 and 2011 include working harder to
minimize our environmental impact. Where there is a will,
there is a way, and we aim to do this by further decreasing
our emissions, water consumption, and energy usage,
while increasing and upping our waste management and
recycling programs. We also aspire to expand our employeeoriented sustainability initiatives to really engage our staff
with the intent of building greater momentum for green
projects within our facilities.
5
%
That’s our goal for the coming year. We hope to reduce
consumption and emissions of the following by at least 5%
and we look forward to keeping you informed of our progress
in next year’s sustainability report.
Reduce energy use by at least 5%
Reduce total water use by at least 5%
Reduce natural gas use by at least 5%
Reduce total greenhouse gas emissions
by at least 5%
Reduce volatile organic compound emissions
from sheetfed and web presses by 5%
Reduce liquid and semi-solid waste
by at least 5%
Sustainability Report 2009/10
13
The EarthColor
sustainability ecosystem
Sustainability is a baseline requirement in all our operations
at EarthColor. Our sustainability initiatives and programs are
composed of six pillars which permeate every aspect of our
operations — a structure that has become the blueprint
of our business.
Positive
decisions
for a
positive
impact
Transparency
40% by revenue $
We have proactively quantified and
publicly reported the impact of our
environmental strategies since 2004.
Our public declaration to reduce
carbon emissions by 2012.
460% increase
40% of our workforce is from
minority groups and 30% of our
senior management are women.
A huge increase from 2008 in the
amount of land we have preserved
via managed forestry — a total of
465 acres.
4.5% decrease
Our energy saving programs have
reduced total energy usage by
4.5% in 2009.
Diversity
Education
We actively educate clients
and vendors on how to utilize
sustainable strategies ‒ this is
our responsibility as a driver of
sustainable change.
six pillars
Governance and ethics
We have worked hard to gain credibility and a good reputation within the print communications
industry. That is why good governance, ethics and active engagement underpin not only our
sustainability policies and initiatives, but also our entire business.
Responsible forestry
Realizing that our business and industry is heavily reliant upon one of the world’s most
important natural resources — trees — we are committed to supporting and
promoting responsible forest management.
Environmental protection
We aim to be the print communications’ industry leader in environmental sustainability
and climate protection. We are committed to growing our business while making a positive
difference for the environment and the communities in which we operate.
Resource stewardship & energy management
Natural resources are finite and to this end we are continuously striving to reduce consumption,
seeking environmentally friendly and sustainable material sources, efficiently managing and
reducing our energy use, and embracing renewable energy sources.
Workplace enrichment
We foster a diverse yet inclusive work environment which inspires creativity and innovation,
adds value to our business, drives our growth and provides professional development
opportunities for our employees.
Beyond our borders
Our choices and decisions have an impact well beyond our borders and we are committed to not
only minimizing negative impact but also working with our partners and clients to inspire and
motivate positive change that benefits all.
Sustainability Report 2009/10
15
Governance and ethics
Responsible business conduct requires accountability, honesty
and integrity in all matters. Open and honest dialogue with
our stakeholders, partners, clients and employees has been
instrumental in driving the success of our environmental
programs — we are ready to advance that conversation further.
Accountability
EarthColor’s CEO Robert Kashan has been constructive in
the realization of the company’s numerous sustainability
programs and initiatives. Our Corporate Social Responsibility
Policy is implemented and overseen by the Sustainability
Department in conjunction with the Human Resources
Department and the Environmental Engineering and
Compliance Department. Our Director of Sustainability
coordinates and manages all aspects of the company’s
sustainability efforts, programs, initiatives and policies in
collaboration with senior management across the company.
All company directors and managers are responsible for
integrating our environmental and social responsibility
compliance policies through day-to-day operations and
decision making.
16
EarthColor | Let’s change for good.
Going a step further, we have made compliance to our
environmental and social responsibility policies and
procedures a condition of employment. Staff are trained and
directed to perform their functions in a way that protects
the environment and encouraged to contribute to the early
identification and solution of environmental problems.
We also encourage our employees to become proactively
engaged in our environmental sustainability programs and
readily welcome any new ideas.
The bottom line: sustainability is an integral part of
our business, company values, governance, vision and
performance. It’s simply the way we operate — from
the top down and the bottom up.
Transparency
Transparency is an essential part of our commitment to
environmental sustainability and social responsibility. Along
every step of the way, we have voluntarily opened our doors
to publicly transparent reporting, regulation and auditing
of our facilities and environmental strategies to ensure
accountability and effectiveness.
We proactively quantify the impact of our environmental
strategies for every calendar year (from January to December)
utilizing the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards. The
indicators that we currently report on are outlined in the
GRI context index found on pages 36 and 37. The results are
reported annually mid-year from our corporate headquarters
in the form of our sustainability report.
In addition, EarthColor’s environmental strategies are
comprehensively peer-reviewed by a collaborative panel
of top industry experts and scientists on a regular and
on-going basis to ensure their effectiveness and efficiency.
Moreover, we employ third party compliance management
consultants to further regulate and monitor our adherence
to all federal and state standards. Any and all corrective
actions and/or recommendations are actively addressed
and enforced by EarthColor in a continuous effort to strive
towards the realization of sustainable printing.
We have voluntarily
opened our doors to
publicly transparent
reporting, regulation
and auditing of
our facilities and
environmental
strategies to ensure
accountability
and effectiveness.
Sustainability Report 2009/10
17
Responsible forestry
It is no doubt that the print communications industry is heavily
reliant upon one of the world’s key natural resources — trees.
At EarthColor, we understand the effect our industry has on the
environment and are constantly making decisions that actively
support responsible practices.
Sustainable sourcing
EarthColor has a comprehensive Wood Pulp & Paper
Merchandise Management Policy which is implemented
throughout the entire company as part of our commitment
to the environment and responsible forest management.
The purpose of the policy is to ensure that any paper, pulp
or fiber from controversial sources, specifically from illegal
logging, does not enter into any of our facilities. All of our
procurement practices adhere to this policy.
To this end, any and all vendors are required to undergo a
complete vetting process prior to the establishment of a
working relationship. In addition, all vendors are required
at a minimum to be completely compliant with the Lacey
Act and are obliged to sign a contract of compliance to our
terms and conditions as outlined in our policy. No working
relationships are undertaken with any vendors that are
considered high-risk nationally or internationally.
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EarthColor | Let’s change for good.
As a company, we are genuinely committed to responsible
forest management and are proud to be tri-certified in
national and international responsible forestry standards,
namely, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Sustainable
Forest Initiative (SFI), and Programme for the Endorsement
of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC). We take our forestry
certifications very seriously and ensure that full compliance
to the standards to which we subscribe is followed
throughout all of our facilities. This is also verified
through annual audits by our certification bodies.
0
%
Paper, pulp or fiber from
dubious origins such as
illegal logging.
As trees are a primary resource for our industry,
it was an obvious decision to make it a policy that
all paper, pulp and fiber entering our facilities
come from noncontroversial sources. No working
relationships are undertaken with any vendors that
are considered high-risk nationally or internationally.
PEFC/29-31-22
Promoting Sustainable
Forest Management
www.pefc.org
The FSC is a global organization
that sets standards for guiding
and coordinating the development
of responsible forest management
throughout the various biogeographic
regions of the world. The FSC’s principles
and criteria span economic, social,
and environmental concerns, and its
measures are implemented through
“chain-of-custody” certification.
SFI is a globally recognized
organization dedicated to promoting
responsible forest management as
well as sustainable environmental,
social and economic interests. The
organization’s forest certification
standard is not only based on
principles that support forest
conservation but also includes
measures to protect water quality,
biodiversity and wildlife habitats.
The PEFC Council is a global non-profit
organization promoting responsibly
managed forests through independent
third-party certification. The PEFC is
the world’s largest certification system,
accounting for more than 200 million
hectares of certified forests producing
millions of tons of certified timber for
the market place.
Paper purchased in 2009
Total paper purchased
49,787 tons
of which FSC-certified
23,143 tons
In 2009, we purchased 23,143 tons of
FSC-certified paper. To put that into
perspective, nearly half of the total
paper we purchased was certified,
helping us to preserve 465 acres — an
increase of 460 percent from 2008.
Sustainability Report 2009/10
19
Responsible forestry
Earth.Aware
®
Launched in 2007, our Earth.Aware carbon-managed paper stock
offers clients a more socially responsible and environmentally
sustainable alternative. The key idea behind the initiative was
to offer a greener printing package that encompassed the entire
print supply chain.
Considerable time and effort was devoted to the composition
of Earth.Aware in order to reduce its carbon footprint. We
analyzed the material sources used to produce the paper,
examined the entire supply chain from production to
transport to logistics and trimmed down on carbon emissions
wherever possible, such as choosing rail over freight.
We also looked internally and evaluated our own production
and manufacturing processes to see where we could make
improvements. The end result was a greener paper line that
met high environmental standards.
Our Earth.Aware paper is:
»» Forest Stewardship Council chain-of-custody
certified
»» Elementally chlorine free
»» Manufactured using a minimum of
10% post-consumer waste
»» Carbon-managed and climate-balanced.
But we haven’t stopped there — where emissions cannot be
eliminated from our Earth.Aware paper line, we proactively
purchase carbon offsets that support Conservation
International’s Makira Forest Initiative in Madagascar.
We chose Madagascar because it is a biodiversity hotspot
with critically endangered animal species, such as the
Madagascar Serpent Eagle and Silky Sifaka, a lemur
known for its rattling calls to warn of aerial predators. The
Forest Initiative works on the ground to promote forest
conservation, afforestation, preservation of critical habitats
for threatened species, and protection of biodiversity.
The project also focuses on local communities providing
education and training for sustainable agricultural practices
and effective resource management.
2009 saw further evolution of our Earth.Aware program
with the launch of our innovative Earth.Aware calculator,
which utilizes patent-pending algorithms to calculate the
real environmental savings impact for the entire print supply
chain. This means we can demonstrate to clients through
tangible results that by choosing to print with EarthColor
they are proactively making a positive impact.
Read more about our Earth.Aware calculator
on page 38, or try it out for yourself at earthcolor.com.
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EarthColor
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Let’s change for good.
12,547 tons
of carbon offsets purchased by EarthColor in 2009 supported
Conservation International’s Makira Forest Initiative in Madagascar.
Since its inception, our Earth.Aware program has been well
received by many of our clients and in 2009 we purchased
12,547 tons of carbon offsets, the equivalent of taking 2,281
cars off the road for a year.
We are looking to expand our Earth.Aware program in 2010
and 2011 to include more forest conservation projects.
We are currently in the process of adding domestic carbon
offsetting options and we hope that support for our
initiative will continue to grow amongst our clients.
EarthColor is a staunch advocate of
the emerging REDD+ framework a
suite of policies and programs aiming
to provide incentives to developing
countries for preventing and reversing
the destruction of their forests.
Deforestation is a major problem
in the developing world and is also
the largest source of global carbon
emissions — accounting for up to 25
percent of global greenhouse gases.
Stopping deforestation and promoting
responsible forest management is a key
global challenge.
Sustainability Report 2009/10
21
Environmental protection
EarthColor is staunchly committed to environmentally sustainable
and socially responsible business practices. Our manufacturing
efforts are geared towards protecting human health and we are
actively involved in reducing our impact on the air, soil and water.
Responsible product design
We are an active leader in promoting the use of
“sustainable design” concepts, endorsing the use of single
composite products that are easily recyclable. Putting
words into action, we have implemented a number of
ongoing programs to measure, minimize and reduce the
environmental impact of our operations.
Our company employs a comprehensive umbrella program
called DEPCOR (Design, Engineer, Procure, Consume, and
Recycle) providing structure for integrating sustainable
design, engineering, procurement, consumption and
recycling. The key idea behind this program is to evaluate
the life cycle assessment of products and materials that we
use and produce — sort of the cradle-to-grave concept. In
other words, everything is geared to drive efficiency and
sustainability throughout our entire business.
Our manufacturing process entails the successful
employment of a Green Chemistry Principles Program,
through which EarthColor embraces state-of-the-art
environmental technology opting for lean manufacturing
that serves to:
»» Reduce waste and emissions
»» Design safer chemicals and products
»» Design less hazardous chemical syntheses
»» Use renewable feedstocks
»» Use catalyst, not stoichiometric reagents
»» Avoid chemical derivatives
»» Maximize atom economy
»» Use safer solvents and reaction conditions
»» Increase energy efficiency
»» Analyze in real-time to prevent pollution
22
EarthColor | Let’s change for good.
EarthColor uses on-site distillation to clean and reuse
prewash, which is reducing chemistry consumption by
88 percent in the plants where is it is currently deployed.
We also utilize fountain solution filtration systems which
are reducing chemical consumption by 80 percent on the
presses in which they are presently installed.
EarthColor is also making an environmentally friendly
impact with our recent installations of state-of-the-art digital
presses in both our New Jersey and Texas digital facilities:
the dry inks used are non-toxic and have a transfer efficiency
rate approaching 100 percent; their operation creates little
waste emits 80 percent less noise than a conventional offset
press and neither generates nor uses hazardous materials.
Our environmentally sustainable strategies extend all the
way down to our inks and coatings, which is why we offer
a wide array of environmentally friendly ink options and
aqueous-based coatings. Our facilities have the capability to
print with zero volatile organic compound (VOC) and biobased inks, which are primarily composed of vegetable oils,
resin and rosins. We also offer soy-based inks and EarthColor
has a Soy Ink Association certification which certifies that
the soy inks which we carry are at minimum 30 percent soybased.
Managing our carbon footprint
EarthColor is dedicated to minimizing our environmental
impact and promoting sustainable printing and forestry for our
company, our industry and the community at large. We act to
ensure all steps are taken to preserve, protect and improve the
quality of the environment. We are committed to being a leader
in our industry and work to control and reduce the production
of greenhouse gases from our operations and products.
To this end, we are a member of the Environmental Protection
Agency’s Climate Leaders Program and have made a public
declaration of our goal to reduce carbon emissions by 40% by
revenue dollar by 2012.
In collaboration with top engineers and scientists, we
have implemented innovative bio-oxidizers and prototype
carbon sequestration devices in our printing press rooms
which effectively capture and reduce our emissions
through applied bio-physics. In essence, VOCs and carbon
emissions are captured as they are emitted and broken
down organically by enzymes and natural bacteria into nonhazardous solids.
Printing is a carbon-intensive manufacturing process, yet through
the embracement and adoption of state-of-the-art technology we are
managing and reducing the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and
greenhouse gas emissions resulting from our operations.
Sustainability Report 2009/10
23
Environmental protection
VOC emissions (Sheetfed press)
Recorded emissions
Actual emissions
In addition to effectively reducing our emissions, a key
benefit of this technology is that it has rendered our
pressrooms odor-free and non-hazardous, creating a
company-wide environment that is conducive to a healthy
work atmosphere. Indeed, if you walked into any of our
facilities you would not feel as if you were in a commercial
printing plant — the air inside is clean and free of odors.
VOC emissions (Web press)
Recorded emissions
Actual emissions
75%
98.6%
2008 totals
24
2009 totals
EarthColor
|
2010 goals
Let’s change for good.
2008 totals
metric tons
metric tons
2009 totals
0.49
33.47
metric tons
35.23
metric tons
decrease through
thermal-oxidation
35.27
metric tons
7.18
metric tons
11.98
metric tons
27.3
metric tons
28.74
47.94
metric tons
decrease through
bio-oxidation
2010 goals
metric tons
In 2009, EarthColor produced 18,600 tons of greenhouse
gases resulting from energy use, transportation,
refrigeration, thermal oxidation, as well as mobile, stationary
and indirect sources. However, our emissions were reduced
by 22,450 tons through the purchase of renewable energy.
In addition, carbon offsets totaling 4,552 tons were also
purchased. Taken together, our carbon footprint was
effectively minimized. In 2010, EarthColor aims to reduce
its total greenhouse gas emissions by 5 percent.
In 2009, VOC emissions produced by EarthColor’s sheetfed
presses were recorded as totaling 28.74 tons, while web
presses produced a total of 32.23 tons. Yet through an
innovative process of bio-oxidation, VOC emissions resulting
from sheetfed presses were reduced by 75 percent, actually
totaling 7.18 tons. Also, a process of thermal oxidation
applied at web press facilities resulted in reducing VOC
emissions by 98.6 percent, totaling less than a ton. In 2010,
EarthColor’s goal is to reduce VOC emissions resulting from
our sheetfed and web presses by 5 percent.
0.49
Our on-site employment of this technology has been
completely voluntary and EarthColor is presently hosting
the technology development of these apparatus. This
innovative technology really works and has effectively
increased the remediation of airborne emissions and
pollutants in our facilities.
Bio-oxidizers capture and consume airborne volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) and particulates in an EarthColor pressroom.
As an additional safety precaution, all of our facilities
administer a Periodic Monitoring System, a state approved
PC-based system that constantly monitors airborne
emissions to ensure they are within compliance of federal
and state requirements. Should non-compliance occur,
the system is programmed to automatically shut down.
EarthColor realizes that zero (actual) carbon printing —
although a major goal for our company — is seemingly beyond
the grasp of our industry at the moment. Yet this reality
does not discourage our efforts in the least. As previously
mentioned, all airborne emissions are precisely monitored
and where they cannot be eliminated, we proactively
purchase carbon offsets supporting Conversation
International’s Makira Project in Madagascar, which
combines a multifaceted and multidisciplinary approach
to forest conservation and natural resource management
centered on community-integrated sustainable
development and poverty alleviation.
Greenhouse gas emissions & offsets
CO2 Emissions from
energy and transport
2008 totals
2009 totals
CO2 reduction via
renewable energy
metric tons
4,552
metric tons
4,376
metric tons
22,450
metric tons
21,773
metric tons
17,670
metric tons
Offsets
18,600
21,363
metric tons
Emissions
We are really excited about the success thus far of this
innovative technology and are currently working with the State
of New Jersey on an emerging technology permit to get both
state and federal government to understand and recognize
bio-oxidation as an effective tool for the remediation of
airborne pollutants.
If you walked
into any of our
facilities you
would not feel as
if you were in
a commercial
printing plant —
the air inside is
clean and free
of odors.
CO2 offsets
purchased
2010 goals
Sustainability Report 2009/10
25
Resource stewardship
and energy management
Reduce, reuse, recycle has become something of a mantra to us.
But we don’t stop there ‒ we actively seek out environmentally
friendly and sustainable material sources and embrace
renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and biomass.
Water conservation
Water is an important aspect of our manufacturing
process. It is also a vital natural resource which sustains
all life on Earth. Increased demand driven by a growing
global population – coupled with climatic changes, such as
spreading desertification – is straining supply, making water
ever scarcer.
We understand our responsibility to minimize our water use
and reduce our impact. We are committed to responsibly
managing water use in our direct operations and are
continually striving to drive improvements and efficiency to
reduce our consumption of water.
All of our facilities source water locally from the town water
system and adhere to strict water quality standards. A
significant portion of our water usage is for the purposes
of our manufacturing processes. Our goal as a responsible
corporate citizen is to ensure not only that we reduce our
water usage, but also to make certain that our wastewater
meets or exceeds applicable laws and regulations before
being returned to the environment.
32%
reduction
Total water savings across all our operations,
a total amount of over three million gallons.
We aim to continue this trend in 2010.
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EarthColor | Let’s change for good.
We have taken a number of steps to improve water
stewardship as a company, some key examples being:
»» Installation of water-reducing fixtures and
technology, including motion-activated faucets and
toilets during recent renovation of our headquarters
»» Implementation of an effective water filtration
system that provides clean drinking water for our
employees — a more sustainable alternative to the
traditional office water cooler
»» Replacement of water coolers used to cool down
our print presses – which ran 24 hours and used
thousands of gallons of water – with air coolers.
Looking at our Earth.Thebault facility in particular,
this change amounted to a total savings of
4,844,500 gallons in just one year.
These changes and improvements have resulted in tangible
savings — over the course of 2009, we have reduced our
water use by more than three million gallons, a savings of
32 percent from the previous year.
There is still plenty of room for improvement and there
are additional steps we are exploring as a company to
further increase our water efficiency. These include: new
technological innovation which would replace remaining
water-dependent manufacturing equipment; the reuse and
recycling of our own wastewater for utility purposes within
our facilities; and the capture and reuse of rainwater. We
hope to move forward on at least one of above-mentioned
initiatives in the coming year and reduce our water usage in
2010 and 2011 by at least 5 percent.
Total water consumption
4,844,500
less gallons
2009 water savings in our Earth.Thebault
facility thanks to replacing print press
water coolers with air coolers.
Gallons of water
15m
10m
5m
0
2008
2009
Sustainability Report 2009/10
2010 goal
27
Resource stewardship
and energy management
Waste management program
EarthColor implements comprehensive waste management
and recycling programs within all our facilities through
which we effectively reduce and recycle materials used
during our production and manufacturing processes. As
a result of our efforts, approximately 98 percent of all our
manufacturing waste is recycled including paper, liquids,
semi-solids, aluminum plates, wood pallets, and end-of-life
computer components.
In 2009, we recycled 98 percent of paper waste from
our sheetfed and web presses, totaling 14,285 tons. Our
paper waste recycling efforts saved: 242,844 mature
trees, 6,613,941 gallons of oil, 342,837 gallons of gasoline,
58,568,377 KwH of electricity, and 49,997 cubic yards of
landfill space. We aim to continue our waste recycling
program in the coming year with the goal of reaching
99 percent.
EarthColor produced 548 tons of liquid and semi-solid waste
in 2009 — less than half of the amount produced in 2008 —
97.5 percent of which was recycled. We incurred no significant
spills and no monetary fines for environmental offenses. In
2010, our goal is to reduce our liquid and semi-solid waste
production by at least 5 percent, of which we aim to recycle
99 percent.
We recycled 46 tons of aluminum plates – or 99.75 percent – in
2009. Out of the 67,398 wood pallets purchased, 65 percent
were made of recycled material, while 35 percent were
internally recycled. In addition, we recycled 99 percent
of all end-of-life computer components.
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EarthColor
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Liquid & semi-solid waste recycling
2008
97.5%
99%
2009
2010
1209 tons
1185 tons
548 tons
534 tons
Amount of waste produced
goal
529 tons
521 tons
Amount of waste recycled
Sheetfed and web paper waste recycling
98%
recycled
Thereby saving:
242,844 mature trees
49,997 cubic yards of landfill space
In 2009 EarthColor recycled 14,285 tons of
paper waste from sheetfed and web presses–
that’s 98% of total waste. But we’re not
stopping there and aim to hit 99% in 2010.
2009 manufacturing waste recycling
99.75% recycled:
Aluminum plates totalling 46 tons.
100% recycled:
End of life computer components
Recycling, reducing, reusing efforts
Although a significant portion of our waste creation is a
by-product of our manufacturing processes, our waste
management and recycling programs also extend into
our production and administrative end. We believe that
reducing and recycling waste is a key business principle —
not only it is environmentally and socially responsible,
it is a smart way to foster efficiency and reduce costs.
Our waste management and recycling programs vary from
facility to facility, yet the main aim of all these programs is
to encourage and promote waste reduction and recycling
through simple everyday choices. Programs are driven by
awareness campaigns that intend to educate our employees
and promote recycling of such things as office paper, food
and beverage containers, cardboard, office equipment and
batteries. Our aim is to increase awareness and change
behaviors into positive action not only within our facilities,
but also beyond our borders.
Notable examples of our waste reduction and
recycling efforts include:
»» At our Earth.Thebault facility, which is also our
headquarters, we purchase and use recycled
toiletries, specifically toilet paper made from 100%
recycled content, which adds up to a lot of pounds
of paper over the course of a year. We also raise
awareness among our clients through the provision
of highly visible and colorful recycling bins in our
client rooms.
»» At our Earth.Digital facility, we have implemented
an innovative waste-to-energy process through
which waste resulting from the refreshment service,
such as used Flavia, Keurig and Lavazza packets, is
combusted at a high temperature creating steam
that turns turbines to generate electricity. This is
then fed into the grid and used to power homes.
One of the key aspects of our awareness campaign is
focused on encouraging the use of reusable drinking cups,
mugs, canteens and utensils by our employees. However,
due to the high volume of clients, merchants, vendors, and
visitors that come through our offices and facilities, we
continue to provide paper and plastic cups and utensils for
refreshment purposes. We realize that over the course of
a year this adds up to a large amount of waste and we are
exploring more sustainable options.
Sustainability Report 2009/10
29
Resource stewardship
and energy management
Improving energy efficiency
Case study
Our waste reduction and recycling efforts have
been mainly company-focused as once the materials
we produce leave our facilities we relinquish control
over their use and eventual disposal.
The unfortunate reality is that a large portion of
these materials most likely end up in landfills. So
when one of our clients, a Fortune 500 company
reached out to us noting that they had a warehouse
full of packaging and printed material that needed
disposing of, we were more than willing to help out.
We recycled the material on their behalf conserving:
»»
500 mature trees
»»
122,000 KwH of electricity
»»
13,000 gallons of oil
»»
700 gallons of gasoline
»»
209,000 gallons of water
»»
100 cubic yards of landfill space.
We were happy to be of service to our client and
ultimately the environment and we are eager to extend
such efforts to more of our clientele.
30
EarthColor
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With nationwide facilities, large press rooms running 24
hours a day, an extensive computer system as well as our
full-time office-end activities, we use a significant amount of
energy. The majority of the world’s energy originates from
the burning of fossil fuel. This truth coupled with growing
global demand comes at a high cost to the environment.
We believe that the necessity to reduce our energy use,
especially our use of energy sources which are debilitating
to the environment, cannot be overstated. We are
committed to reducing energy use and driving energy
efficient improvements into all aspects of our operations.
We have taken a number of steps in this direction, including:
»» Installation of occupancy sensors for lighting in
areas such as executive offices, conference rooms
and client rooms.
»» Installation of programmable thermostats, set to an
energy-saving temperature during non-office hours.
»» Replacement of incandescent light bulbs with
energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs
and/or LED lighting.
»» Purchase and use of Energy-Star compliant
equipment where possible.
These improvements coupled with behavioral changes
such as switching off unnecessary lights or shutting down
computers when not in use, have led to a 4.5 percent decrease
in our energy use in 2009. Our goal is to further decrease our
energy use by 5 percent in 2010.
All industry needs power, but at what cost? In 2007 we committed to
using wind power, offsetting 100% of our electricity usage. In 2009
we purchased 32 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy. It is
this level of commitment combined with our proactive promotion of
renewable energy sources that was recognized in 2009 by the EPA
through the Green Power Purchaser of the Year Award.
In addition to reducing our energy use, EarthColor
actively embraces renewable energy sources, which in
our case is wind power. In April 2007, we committed to
purchasing 25 million kilowatt hours of Green-e® Energy
Certified wind-generated Renewable Energy Certificates
(RECs), offsetting 100% of our electricity usage — all
production, manufacturing and administrative-end work,
every kilowatt of energy we consume as an organization.
We remain committed to wind power and since 2007 we
have continued to purchase RECs: 32,000,000 kilowatt
hours in 2008; 32,996,000 in 2009 and 31,000,000 for both
2010 and 2011. It is this commitment, combined with our
proactive promotion of renewable energy sources that
was recognized in 2009 by the EPA through the Green
Power Purchaser of the Year Award.
The estimated environmental benefit of EarthColor’s wind
energy commitment in 2009 is equivalent to planting over 2.9
million trees or not driving over 38 million miles every year!
Total energy usage
Natural gas usage
EarthColor customers have the option
to apply a "Printed Using 100% Wind
Power" logo to their printed materials to
demonstrate the difference they too are
making by choosing an environmentally
friendly printer.
We also use natural gas, although in much smaller
quantities. In 2009, we used a total of 76,811 decatherms of
natural gas, a decrease of 11 percent from 2008. We aim to
reduce our consumption of natural gas in 2010 by 5 percent.
100,000
Decatherms
Kilowatt hours
35,000
4.5%
decrease on 2008
17,500
0
75,000
11%
decrease on 2008
25,000
0
2008
2009
2010 goal
2008
2009
Sustainability Report 2009/10
2010 goal
31
Workplace enrichment
We believe all employees have the right to work in a professional
atmosphere which promotes equal opportunity and prohibits
discrimination. We strive to be a great place to work by fostering
a safe, dignified and inclusive work environment.
Fostering an inclusive workplace
Managing workplace safety
Our Employee Policy & Procedures Handbook details our
dedication and comprehensive approach to fair employment
practices through the promotion of open and direct
communication as well as the fostering of a respectful and
dignified workplace. Our handbook also confirms EarthColor’s
commitment to adhere to all applicable labor laws and
regulations and outlines our policies and principles in regard
to: code of conduct; code of business ethics; open door policy;
environmental sustainability; health and safety; discrimination;
hours and compensation; employee benefits; and employee
benefits. All employees are provided a copy of our handbook
upon hiring and/or during orientation.
EarthColor is committed to providing a safe and healthy
work environment and we make certain to comply with all
applicable federal and state occupational health and safety
laws and regulations.
EarthColor is intrinsically committed to diversity, which is
reflected in our workforce — approximately 40 percent of
our employees are from minority groups and 25 percent of
our employees are women. Our commitment to diversity
is also reflected in our senior executive management with
30 percent coming from minority groups and 30 percent
being women. As a company we are proud of the diversity
of our workforce, particularly as the printing industry has
traditionally been male-dominated.
32
EarthColor | Let’s change for good.
All our employees are trained on an annual basis and
directed to perform their functions in a manner that
ensures a safe, efficient and productive work environment.
Employees are encouraged to be both knowledgeable and
aware of the safety requirements of the company and are
responsible for using the proper safety equipment assigned
for each specific duty and following all safety procedures.
The company is responsible for providing the necessary and
appropriate personal protective equipment. Responsibility
and accountability for accident prevention is assigned to
all management and supervisory personnel within their
individual areas of operation.
In addition, we have established and maintain an "open
door" policy through which all employees are encouraged
to contribute to the early identification and solution of any
unfair employment practices or occupational health and
safety problems without fear of retaliation.
We are committed to providing a safe, healthy, respectful and
dignified work environment that actively promotes diversity.
Our goal is to run our operations with zero work-related
injuries on the part of our employees. We are happy to
report that our overall incident rate is lower than the
industry average by approximately 14 percent upon
examination of our workers’ compensation experience
rating factor.
A major concern for us as a printing company is the air
quality within our facilities as well as our impact on the air
quality outside, which has clear implications not only on
the health of our employees, but also on the communities
within which we operate. As mentioned previously,
EarthColor utilizes state-of the-art technology and employs
a number of programs that serve to create a healthier
environment for our employees both in our pressrooms
and throughout our facilities. This technology has effectively
reduced VOCs and greenhouse gases in addition to
eliminating odors, making the air we breathe cleaner
and healthier. In addition, since VOCs and greenhouse
gas emissions are captured as they are emitted, they are
consequently not released into the air outside, reducing our
impact on the local community.
In line with our commitment to ensure high air quality
standards within our plants, we have implemented and
maintain specific requirements for all internal renovations
within our facilities in order to reduce toxins and VOCs while
promoting environmental sustainability.
These requirements were strictly adhered to during the
renovation of our client rooms at our Earth.Thebault facility
in 2009 and included:
»» Energy efficient lighting and HVAC
»» Low or no VOC paints and adhesives
»» FSC- or SFI-certified wood products
»» Floor score certified tiles
»» Minimum 30 percent recycled material for textiles
We are continuously striving to improve our health and
safety program and record. We monitor and track our
performance internally identifying areas for improvement.
Our policies and performance is also independently
evaluated on an annual basis by a third party for
compliance.
40
%
30
%
of our employees
are from minority
groups
of our executive
management are
women
Sustainability Report 2009/10
33
Beyond our borders
We recognize that our choices, actions and practices affect people
and the environment far beyond our immediate locale. As a
result, we make every effort to ensure a minimal negative impact,
as well as a strong positive one.
Supply chain management
Our choice of suppliers and vendors with which we work
is vital — they provide us with the materials and goods
necessary to run our operations. It goes without saying that
if the ingredients used are not sound, stable, and responsibly
sourced, these limitations will clearly affect the quality of the
final product. That is why we hold our suppliers and vendors
to high standards proportionate to our operations.
EarthColor has an extensive Client Education Program,
through which we proactively and eagerly work with our
clients to help provide a better understanding of how to
utilize environmentally sustainable strategies and paper
while reaching cost effective solutions that successfully
meet business needs. Increased awareness of environmental
sustainability within the business world coupled with
our Client Education Program has served to enhance the
willingness of clients to increasingly choose certified and/or
recycled raw materials over non-certified/virgin fiber.
Going a step further, we have expanded our sustainability efforts
to encompass our entire chain-of-custody. EarthColor promotes
responsible purchasing of forest products in our supply chain
through a broad education program encompassing responsible
forestry standards and management, the Lacey Act as well as the
emerging REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and
Degradation) framework. Our program has been extended to
both clients and supply chain partners to raise awareness and
knowledge of responsible forest management.
We also have a vendor and supply chain green development
strategy in place, through which we educate our suppliers
and vendors on proper responsible forestry standards and
work with them to ensure that they are progressing towards
certifications (if they are not already certified) and are in fact
compliant with forestry standards.
34
EarthColor | Let’s change for good.
As a company we cannot operate successfully as an
isolated enclave — the fact is that our business runs in
collaboration with and is in part dependent upon the larger
business community. Subsequently, what goes on beyond
our borders has clear implications for us as a company. Yet
this interdependency presents us with a great opportunity:
as a large commercial printer we are able to help drive
sustainability in the print supply chain by holding our
suppliers and vendors to high environmental standards.
We have made good on this opportunity understanding
that our sustainability efforts can only go so far without the
collaboration of those around us.
Supplier Diversity
EarthColor is committed to supplier
diversity and to this end has a 49
percent ownership in Nicholas Earth
Printing, a certified Minority Business
Enterprise (MBE) by the State
of Texas and California Public Social responsibility
EarthColor has kicked off our
Social Responsibility Program
this year through a collaboration
with the Institute for Sustainable
Communications (ISC). We
enthusiastically back ISC’s SOS reach
and Urban Scholars program, which
support the academic and career
development of promising young
scholars and professionals who are
at a serious financial disadvantage
Utilities Committee (CPUC). Nicholas
Earth Printing is not a division
of EarthColor, it functions as an
independent company with all
business decisions coming from its
Chief Operating Officer. Rather, it is a
strategic partnership created in 2004
to assist diversity efforts within
the printing industry. Through this
alliance, EarthColor has shared
capacity and best practices with a
certified diversity supplier which
wouldn’t have had access to such
benefits on its own.
through programs providing
mentoring, internships, scholarships
and fellowships. This was a great
opportunity for EarthColor to
make a positive impact well
beyond our borders.
by EarthColor to ISC have been
specially designated as scholarships
for these students to help them
continue their education.
We worked closely with ISC and two
very talented students in producing
an early version of this report,
providing real-life work experience
for the students and a very positive
experience for us. Funds contributed
We would like to give a special
thank you to Mel and Shadman for
their hard work and effort. It was a
pleasure working with you. We wish
you all the best in your studies and
future endeavors.
Engagement
The business community has a significant impact on
society and for that reason corporations and companies
are being held accountable for making a real commitment
to environmental sustainability and social responsibility.
Looking at the larger picture, sustainability is not a standalone issue it is intrinsically interrelated to a number of
business issues: and therefore cannot and should not
be considered separate from overall business strategy,
particularly in a world of ever-more limited resources. The
bottom line: sustainability makes business sense and affects
future profitability and vitality.
We believe that as a business, EarthColor is responsible
for being a driver of sustainable change with the print
communications industry. Our business operations can
and do make a difference as demonstrated throughout this
report. Although we still have a long way to go, we hope
that our story will motivate others to make a commitment to
more sustainable business strategies. After all, it will take all
of us working together to make this world a better place.
In an effort to further drive improvements within our
own company, the print communications industry
and the larger business community, EarthColor is
proud to support and collaborate with the
following organizations:
Forest Stewardship Council, Sustainable Forest Initiative,
Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification
Schemes, SmartWood, Rainforest Alliance, SGS, Canopy,
Ceres, EPA Climate Leaders, EPA Green Power Partner,
Conservation International, Community Energy and
the Institute for Sustainable Communications.
We would like to give a special acknowledgment to Ceres,
whose review and comprehensive feedback helped us to
produce a more vigorous disclosure of our sustainability
efforts. We look forward to continuing our relationship in
2010 and 2011 and with their collaboration aim to have a
more robust report next year.
Sustainability Report 2009/10
35
GRI content index
We track and report our environmental performance through
a company-wide data matrix based on the Global Reporting
Initiative. We chose to use the GRI G3 Guidelines because they
provide a transparent, quantifiable and globally recognized
methodology for tracking environmental and sustainability
performance. Outlined below are the sections/indicators that we
have reported on within the context of this year’s disclosure.
GRI Section/Indicator
Page
Strategy and Analysis 1.1
GRI Section/Indicator
Governance, Commitments, and Engagement
Statements from the most
senior decision-maker of
the organization about the
relevance of sustainability to the
organization and its strategy.
4
4.1
Governance structure of
the organization, including
committees under the highest
governance body responsible
for specific tasks, such as
setting strategy or
organizational oversight.
16
4.8
Internally developed statements
of mission or values, codes of
conduct, and principles relevant
to economic, environmental,
and social topics.
8, 16-17
4.12
Externally developed economic,
environmental, and social
principles, or other initiatives
to which the organization
subscribes or endorses.
9, 19
Organizational Profile
2.1
Name of the organization.
1, 6
2.2
Primary brands, products,
and/or services.
6
2.3
Operational structure of the
organization, including main
divisions, operating companies,
subsidiaries, and joint ventures.
6, 35
2.4
Location of organization’s
headquarters.
6
2.10
Awards received in the
reporting period.
11
Reporting period (e.g., fiscal/
calendar year) for information
provided.
1-2, 17
3.3
Reporting cycle (annual,
biennial, etc.)
17
3.12
Table identifying the location
of the Standard Disclosures in
the report.
36-37
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EarthColor
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Management Approach and Performance Indicators
Environmental
Report Parameters
3.1
Page
EN1
Materials used by weight
or volume.
19, 28
EN2
Percentage of materials used
that are recycled input materials.
28-29
EN3
Direct energy consumption by
primary energy source.
30-31
EN5
Energy saved due to
conservation and efficiency
improvements.
30-31
GRI Section/Indicator
Page
GRI Section/Indicator
Management Approach and Performance Indicators
Management Approach and Performance Indicators
Environmental
Environmental
EN6
Initiatives to provide energyefficient or renewable energy
based products and services,
and reductions in energy
requirements as a result of
these initiatives.
30- 31
EN8
Total water withdrawal
by source.
26-27
EN14
Strategies, current actions,
and future plans for managing
impacts on biodiversity.
18-25
EN16
Total direct and indirect
greenhouse gas emissions
by weight.
24
EN18
Initiatives to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions
and reductions achieved.
23-25
EN19
Emissions of ozone-depleting
substances by weight.
24
EN22
Total weight of waste by type
and disposal method.
28-29
EN23
Total number and volume of
significant spills.
28
Page
EN26
Initiatives to mitigate
environmental impacts of
products and services, and
extent of impact mitigation.
9-10,
22-25
EN29
Significant environmental
impacts of transporting
products and other goods
and materials used for the
organization’s operations,
and transporting members
of the workforce.
24-25
Labor Practices and Decent Work
LA7
Rates of injury, occupational
diseases, lost days, and
absenteeism, and number of
work-related fatalities by region.
Sustainability Report 2009/10
33
37
Earth.Aware calculator
Amount of
energy saved
Greenhouse gas
reduced or offset
Gallons of
water saved
In 2009 we launched our innovative
Earth.Aware calculator. This application
computes the real environmental
savings impact for a specific print
job by taking into account the
environmental attributes engineered
into the paper along with the
environmentally designed, low
impact printing systems (LIP) utilized
at EarthColor. The calculator is not
limited to jobs which use our Earth.
Acres preserved
and trees saved
What this means for our clients is
that we can show them the tangible
positive impact they are making by
choosing to print with us. In addition,
through our newly designed website,
our clients can log into their accounts
and view their total collective savings
as a result of collaborating with us. Our
clients also have the option of printing
their environmental savings right on
the piece if they so choose.
Aware paper line and can be used to
calculate the environmental savings
of any print job.
Try it for yourself at:
www.earthcolor.com
38
EarthColor
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Let’s change for good.
Production notes
In line with our commitment to sustainability,
EarthColor sought to minimize the environmental
impact of our Sustainability Report throughout
the entire production lifecycle. Our chosen paper
stock was EarthColor’s own Earth.Aware® paper,
which is FSC-certified, elementally chlorine free,
carbon neutral and contains a minimum of 10%
recycled post consumer waste. We applied the
sustainable manufacturing principles described
throughout this report in its production,
including: 100 percent wind power, socially
responsible procurement, lean manufacturing,
green chemistry principles, the recycling of
residual materials as well as the use of reduced
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) inks and
coatings. In addition, our innovative process of
bio-oxidation and pilot carbon sequestration
system were employed during the printing
process resulting in the effective destruction
of residual VOCs and reduction of greenhouse
gas emissions. We also purchased offsets where
carbon could not be eliminated to render this
report carbon-managed and climate-balanced.
Environmental savings:
» 0.06 acres preserved via sustainable forestry
» 14.93 less trees consumed
»1
0.39 million BTUs less energy used,
the equivalent of powering 0.11 homes
for a year
»1
6248.40 lbs of greenhouse gas reduced
and/or offset, the equivalent of taking
1.48 cars off the road for a year
»5
430.99 gallons less water consumed.
Working to make scenes
like this a thing of the past.
EarthColor
EARTHCOLOR
249 Pomeroy Road
Parsippany
NJ 07054-3727
P: (973) 884-1300
F: (973) 952-8296
www.earthcolor.com