The Climate Initiative of the Printing and Media Industries Federations
With the climate initiative of the printing and media industries federations, printing and media companies have the possibility to offer their customers environment-friendly and climate-friendly print products.
Above all, environment-conscious printing industry customers need for their company-internal balance sheets reliable information about the level of CO₂ emissions generated by the print job. Often these customers go a step further and want the generated CO₂ emissions compensated for by acquiring corresponding CO₂ certificates. The online index on this web page lists participating printing companies and helps to find those who determine the CO₂ emissions generated during production, which can be neutralized by the purchase of CO₂ certificates.
By simple inputs with the CO₂ calculator, you can produce calculations for sheetfed offset, web offset, gravure and digital printing, as well as the special applications of packaging printing and envelope printing.
»The ascertaining of CO₂-emissions takes place in accordance with an accredited standard.«
For the Joh. Walch printing company, it is important to back their claim to offer environment-compatible print production with concrete measures. This commitment is documented every year in the environment figures of the BVDM (Printing and Media Industries Federations). In this company, waste paper is 100% recycled, and alcohol-reduced printing reduces emissions in the pressroom.
Climate label users
More and more printing companies in Germany are participating in the Climate Initiative of the Printing and Media Industries Federations. Thus, they demonstrate that they are not only able to provide climate-neutral products. For them, climate-friendly production is more than a short-term promotional measure. They show credible and consistent commitment, meeting the claim of their customers that they both behave responsibly.
Benefits of the climate label
The guidelines of the climate initiative focus on sustainability. Hence there are three components for climate-friendly production: ascertain CO₂ → avoid CO₂ → compensate for CO₂.
For many companies, compensation of individual print products is not enough. Therefore the federations can determine the CO₂-footprint for the entire production, optimize it and finally to compensate for it.
Depending on how far a company goes, it can receive and utilize different awards. The following explains what stands behind what logo.
Printing with offsetting
In print production, direct and indirect CO₂ emissions are generated. The balance sheet classifications of the BDVM (Printing and Media Industries Federations) CO₂ calculator encompass the most important materials and work steps in print production, including identifiable transport processes and disposal of production waste. Should the CO₂ emissions quantified during print production be offset through investment in climate protection certificates, these products may be provided with the logo “printed climate-neutral”. An ID number on the logo permits the exact assignment and tracing of the compensation.
Member of the BVDM (Printing and Media Industries Federations) climate initiative
All participating companies receive this distinction. These companies have succeeded with the first two steps of the initiative (climate balance and energy efficiency analysis) and can provide their customers with climate-neutral print products.
Member of the BVDM (Printing and Media Industries Federations) climate initiative | energy balance
All participating companies that have succeeded with the first two steps of the initiative and in addition have offset all company-internal emissions receive this distinction. With every climate-neutral print production now only the material-related emissions need to be compensated for. The production-related emissions are already compensated for the entire production year.
Member of the (Printing and Media Industries Federations)-climate initiative | location balance
This distinction is received by participating companies that have succeeded with the first two steps of the initiative and in addition have offset all company-internal and material-related external emissions. These companies have offset all emissions and thus can provide their customers with climate-neutral print products.
Calculation of the CO₂ balance
In print production, direct and indirect CO₂ emissions are generated. Print buyers are increasingly demanding a statement as to the amount of greenhouse gas caused by their print job.
The ISO-conform (DIN/ISO 14040, 14044 and 14067, as well as DIN/ISO 16759) calculation model covers all the important influencing factors.
Behind what seems to be a simple question is a complex situation. Print production requires not only a multitude of materials, printing aids, and miscellaneous preparations, but also depending on the extent of the print job many separate work processes are involved.
The following illustration shows an example of the importance of the balance sheet parameters and their contribution to CO₂ emissions during print production. The relation of CO₂ emissions, especially between the material and production, can differ depending on the print job run length. For long print runs the balance sheet is determined by the paper. The smaller the print run, the more the prepress operations, additives and utilities contribute to the CO₂ emissions.
Compensation for CO₂ emissions
AQ Green TeC is an exclusive partner of the Printing and Media Industries Federations for compensation of all unavoidable emissions that arise during printing. AQ Green TeC is a leading and multiple award-winning provider of systems for compensation and balancing of CO₂ emissions. For compensation of CO₂ emissions, this Hamburg-based company exclusively supports climate protection projects that comply with the Gold Standard co-developed by the WWF.
The Gold Standard is the leading quality standard for climate protection projects and is solely awarded to projects proven to reduce greenhouse gases, whilst simultaneously benefitting the local environment and sustainable social development. AQ Green TeC guarantees that 100 % of the CO2 emissions are offset.
AQ Green TeC is an exclusive partner of the Printing and Media Industries Federations
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