Cedar leads the way in green commitment

Cedar Communications, the customer magazine publisher, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded ISO 14001 certification for its environmental management system.

This accreditation - which has only been achieved by a handful of customer publishers - illustrates Cedar's strong commitment to the environment.

An environmental management system according to the international standard ISO 14001 addresses all aspects of a company's activities; from supply chain management to processes, products and staff training.

Furthermore, the standard's aim is to provide a framework for a business to do what it can to help the environment while staying competitive.

The implementation took six months, looking at all the aspects of Cedar's business that have an impact on the environment.

From the paper sources of the magazines to the use of chemicals in the air-conditioning system - no stone was left unturned.

The environmental performance of the printers Cedar works with to the amount of waste generated and energy used in the company were also scrutinised thoroughly during the process.

Internally, an awareness campaign made staff aware of recycling and of the need to minimise energy consumption by turning off their computers and printers at the end of each day.

Cedar also has FSC and PEFC accreditation, which means that all the paper that is used for its magazines comes from well-managed forests.

The certification was awarded to Cedar by SGS, a UKAS-registered accreditation body, after a two-day audit.

The implementation of ISO 14001 has brought about many changes in the office.

There is now an environmental policy which outlines Cedar's commitment and procedures.

From monitoring to internal auditing, regular management review meetings are now held to ensure the correct procedures are being implemented.

Phasing out plastic cups, buying eco-friendly office products where possible, and including a tag-line on emails asking people to 'think before they print' are just a few ongoing initiatives in place.

Clare Broadbent, managing director at Cedar, commented: "This certification reflects our commitment to best working practices and protecting the environment.

"By being one of the first customer publishing agencies to be awarded the ISO 14001 certificate we aim to play a defining role in the industry of raising awareness of our responsibilities to the environment.

"Additionally, we have also made our suppliers and clients aware of our commitment to the environment and support the Woodland Trust as a corporate member".

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