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From Grey to Green: Judges' Impact on Green Initiatives as a Manufacturing Company

Amid escalating climate concerns, environmental consciousness is more crucial than ever. So, Judges is doing our bit to help protect the environment for current and future generations.

What does it mean to be a sustainable business?

Amid escalating climate concerns, environmental consciousness is more crucial than ever. Companies across all industries are advancing efforts to integrate sustainability measures into their processes and operations. The UK Government's commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050 amplifies this urgency (Source: GOV.UK). For manufacturers like us, sustainability isn’t just a tick-box exercise, but a responsibility. At Judges, we’ve undertaken a comprehensive journey toward green initiatives.

So, what are we doing to improve our sustainable practices?

Judges Commitment to Sustainability

Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond buzzwords. We’re doing our bit, through informed practices, to help protect the environment and sustaining its natural resources for current and future generations.

Here’s a breakdown of the steps we’ve taken (and continue to take) to support sustainable practices:

Key Eco-Friendly Initiatives:

- Vegetable-Based Printing Inks: Move over, traditional inks! Our printing inks are derived from vegetable oils, reducing the environmental impact associated with traditional inks.

- Sustainable Sourcing: Our paper doesn't just come from any forest; it comes from well-managed, sustainable, and accredited sources – supporting responsible forestry practices.

- Plastic-Free Packaging: Plastic? Not in our vocabulary! You can choose between sustainably sourced card wallets or OPP bags, eliminating single-use plastics.

- Waste Management: We don’t do landfills. All waste printing board and packaging are sent for recycling, and our general waste undergoes processing to prevent it going to landfills.

- Energy-Efficient Facilities: Our entire factory and offices have been equipped with low-energy lighting that automatically switches off when not in use. We’ve upgraded our heating system to energy-efficient boilers.

- Transitioning to Electric Vehicles: We have recently installed an Electric Charging Point at work and all company cars are set to be fully electric.

More Than Just a Pretty Print: Sustainability Across Our Products

Crafting products with eco-friendly processes and plastic-free packaging, we prioritise FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) accredited materials. These certifications ensure responsible forestry practices and contribute to rigorous environmental standards.

- All printing board and envelopes are FSC or PEFC accredited.

- All clear bags are *OPP-based and recyclable.

- Cardboard packaging is either recycled or FSC-based.

- We use Vegetable-based inks and water-based varnish for printing on our main press.

The major advantages of *OPP (Oriented Polypropylene):

- OPP is fully recyclable

- odourless, tasteless, and without any toxins

- high tensile strength

- highly transparent

Nestled by the sea, we manage design, manufacturing, and printing in-house, streamlining the process under one roof. This cuts costs, reduces waste, and boosts operational efficiency by eliminating the need to transport goods elsewhere.

Green Building Initiatives

Our historic building boasts renewable energy, upgraded windows, lighting systems, and efficient boilers:

- Renewable Energy: Our electricity is 100% from renewable sources.

- Energy-Efficient Window Upgrade: With a 'LoCase' energy grant, we revamped our historic building, swapping out old single-glazed Crittall windows for cutting-edge UPVC double-glazed units. The result? A significant boost to our Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating.

- Upgraded Lighting System: We implemented a new lighting system throughout the building, creating a more conducive workspace and heightened energy efficiency. With timer controls and motion detectors strategically placed, like in the warehouse and toilets, we're saving a 32,700 KW/H per year (source: Camdon Ltd.).

- Boiler System Upgrade: Out with the old: our 35-year-old boiler system was replaced with two new 35kw condensing boilers. Featuring a low-less header system and bespoke head exchanger, it operates at 98% efficiency. Fully modulated, they work only at the necessary output, leading to a remarkable 43% cut in energy consumption for the same usage (source: Camdon Ltd.).

Recycling Initiatives

- All card and paper waste get a second chance through recycling

- Pallets find local love through creative repurposing or recycling

- We recycle printing plates as standard practice

- Forget landfills – our general waste transforms into energy through waste (ERF) or recycled derived fuel (RDF)

Eco-Conscious Travel

- More than half of our head office team walk or use our cycle-to-work scheme

- Our sales team reduces travel miles through increased use of video conferencing

- Since 2019, we’ve navigated from 24,000 business air miles to zero

- In-house design and production minimises our carbon footprint

- We’ve powered up our workspace with an Electric Charging Point and are steering towards all company being electric

Material Consciousness and Production Practices

Our sustainability journey is ongoing, with continuous evaluation of materials and production techniques. Join us in fostering a greener business community, supporting the wider UK goal to net zero, for a better planet for all.

Find out more about our green initiatives by contacting our friendly team at sales@judges.co.uk or calling 01424 420919.

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