Leading wide-format print, graphics, and visual communications specialist MacroArt has launched a major sustainability initiative to identify opportunities and drive improvements to help reduce the environmental impact across all areas of its business.

As part of the Macro Eco programme, MacroArt has commissioned a formal ‘top to bottom’ review of its green credentials from environmental consultancy Green Circle Solutions to ensure that the process is not just hot air and can achieve meaningful change.

The business granted full access to its operations, from sourcing to production and installation, to establish a truly accurate picture of the environmental impact of the business, from which the Macro Eco initiative could drive improvements. Importantly, this includes the setting of quantifiable targets.

While projects involving the use of more environmentally friendly materials are becoming more commonplace throughout the industry, MacroArt was determined to instil true, measurable and transparent sustainability at the core of its commitment, rather than rely on piecemeal, difficult to substantiate claims of green credentials.

“It’s only by using third-party objectivity that you can be clear on your real starting point and therefore your destination,” said Michael Green, managing director at MacroArt.

“So many businesses have misconceptions of just how green they are, but we wanted to know the truth so we could plan for effective change and know the impact each implementation would have.”

Taking 2019 as its baseline, the business impact assessment report showed that 2.00kg of CO2e footprint per m2 of printed media was generated across all media streams.

Data such as this has been used as a springboard for developing a strong programme of sustainability initiatives for MacroArt, ranging from responsible and environmentally friendly material sourcing and closed-loop recycling to greener production and installation methods.

As a result, the Macro Eco initiative has defined a roadmap that commits the business to reach peak emissions by end of 2022, and then to reduce its overall CO2e footprint year on year from this point onwards by targeted percentage.

This targeted approach has also allowed MacroArt to commit to reducing its kgCO2/m2 year on year with immediate effect compared to this 2019 baseline.

In addition, the business will also invest in certified Carbon Offset schemes to neutralise its own footprint from 2020 onwards.

Commenting on the report and the roadmap set out by MacroArt, David Humphreys, director at Green Circle Solutions said; “I am extremely impressed by the commitment of the team to embrace the report’s findings and act so decisively upon them.

“It is rare to find a business so open to understanding their true environmental impact and using this insight to establish a basis for continued change and improvement.”

Examples of initiatives already underway include the ability for clients to create a closed-loop with their graphics and wide-format print, with MacroArt taking back and recycling all materials as an integral part of the project solution.

In addition, the recent large-scale project undertaken for the English Football League at the Papa John Trophy Finals weekend in March clearly demonstrated how MacroArt is putting these processes into action. Combining greener materials, closed-loop recycling and offsetting to deliver a carbon neutral outcome for this huge graphics project.

The company has also invested in a new paperless ERP system which has helped to reduce waste throughout the production process and maximise efficiencies in both material and energy use.

Michael Green concluded; “Sustainability is not an option for companies in this day and age – it’s a ‘must do’.

“Our Macro Eco initiative is now central to our business and by setting measurable targets we will ensure that MacroArt and our customers are doing all they can to minimise our environmental impact for our industry.”

www.macroart.co.uk