Dealer Support May 2023

May 2023

Issue 332

Sustainability matters:

Dealer Support

GREEN EDITION

inspiring success in the workplace supplies industry

Konica Minolta: going ever greener How the printing business is pivoting to new revenue streams without losing sight of its green goals

ALTERNATIVES TO TRADITIONAL CONSUMABLES

We get under the skin of the options available, and whether they are any good

CHASING NET ZERO: THE UKOS JOURNEY SO FAR

Ian Haywood, MD of UKOS, provides insight on the progress to date

ECO SOLUTIONS FOR MODERN OFFICES

Exploring sustainable alternatives to the most in demand office products

Fujitsu scanners have a well deserved repu

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FROM THE EDITOR

Being green isn’t always easy, but it’s worth it in the end

As we all come down from the high that was Dealer Support LIVE, we’re excited to turn our attention to a very important topic indeed. Last month, on April 22nd, the world celebrated Earth GREEN Day, a day where we’re encouraged to turn our minds to the planet and how we interact with it.

EDITION The tagline for Earth Day 2023 was ‘invest in our planet,’ a sentiment that is incredibly relevant to the dealer community, but sometimes those investments can seem difficult to make - particularly at a time when costs are weighing so heavily on our businesses.

Listening to Toby Robins at Dealer Support LIVE it became clear that most, if not all, our dealer community want to do the right thing when it comes to reducing CO2 and being more sustainable.

The problem is, we don’t always know where to start, or even have time to really think about it at all.

Toby’s advice was very straightforward – you can’t eat an elephant without taking the first bite.

Konica Minolta: Toby is saying that we all must start somewhere. Little actions, however insignificant they may going ever greener seem, can start to make a difference, with the added bonus that many of these things also deliver savings to our businesses too. Most importantly, it is critical that we know where we are right now, because only by measuring our starting point today can we possibly hope to reflect on our achievements in the future.

In honour of Earth Day, and the ongoing shift in the dealer community to more sustainable practice, our May issue of Dealer Support is dedicated to all things green. Our features look at what net zero really means, and how we can start working towards it, as well as providing some tangible tips on reducing carbon in your business.

We talk to Cameron Mitchell, business unit leader at Konica Minolta, about the company’s green efforts and future plans, and continue our green theme by looking at some of the key innovations in products for more ecofriendly offices. We round it out with discussion around e-waste and what we can do to reduce it, and investigate the alternatives to traditional print consumables and whether they are any good.

Hopefully, our green-themed issue of Dealer Support will serve to inspire, educate and motivate you to do something good for the planet this month and in the future. Tell us about what you have done in your business to be more sustainable or what you are hoping to do via LinkedIn and Twitter @dealersupport.

Finally, it is now time to pass the baton on here at Dealer Support and welcome a new editor to the publication. I’d like to introduce you all to my brilliant colleague Joanna Bailey who will be taking over from me as editor. I’d like to say thank you all for your support, contributions and readership during my time as editor and I’m sure you will all join me in saying a big congratulations and warm welcome to Joanna. As I move onto pastures new, Joanna will be at the helm of continuing our support for the dealer community so please send any article ideas her way!

May 2023

Issue 333

DEALER SUPPORT MAY 2023

Sustainability matters:

ISSUE 333

Dealer Support

inspiring success in the workplace supplies industry

CAMERON MITCHELL IAN HAYWOOD STEVE WEEDON

How the printing business is pivoting to new revenue streams without losing sight of its green goals

ALTERNATIVES TO TRADITIONAL CONSUMABLES

We get under the skin of the options available, and whether they are any good

CHASING NET ZERO: THE UKOS JOURNEY SO FAR

Ian Haywood, MD of UKOS, provides insight on the progress to date

ECO SOLUTIONS FOR MODERN OFFICES

Exploring sustainable alternatives to the most in demand office products

Ellie Potter and Joanna Bailey Ex-editor and new editor

EDITORIAL Eleanor Potter Joanna Bailey ADVERTISING Claire Peacock Nick Oleskiw

CREATIVES Amanda Lancaster PUBLISHING SUPPORT Kariny Venkatasamy PUBLISHER & CEO Vicki Baloch

Dealer Support is the leading monthly publication for dealers in the business supplies industry. It provides information on the industry (both in the UK and overseas), information for and about the UK’s independent dealers, as well as information and advice on running a small business.

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily the views of the publishers. Copyright of all the material published remains with Intelligent Media Solutions Limited. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, copied, stored in an electronic retrieval or transmitted, save with written permission or in accordance with provision of the copyright designs and patent act of 1988.

Printed in the UK by Micropress Printers Ltd. www.micropress.co.uk

hello@dealersupport.co.uk All email addresses are formatted firstname.lastname@intelligentmedia.co.uk firstname@intelligentmedia.co.uk

Annual subscriptions are available at a cost of £68.00 for UK and overseas by surface mail, £90.00 for airmail. Subscription enquiries should be sent to the address opposite

Intelligent Media Ltd c/o Soho Works Unit 4.1 The Tea Building 56 Shoreditch High Street London E1 6JJ Tel: 0203 794 8555 Fax: 0203 794 8554 Email: info@intelligentmedia.co.uk Web: www.dealersupport.co.uk

Brother’s print solutions are designed to support your teams in any setting, helping them work securely and efficiently.

This is...

brotherzone.co.uk/workplace-by-brother

Scan me

M AY 2 0 2 3

Contents

INDUSTRY 06 THE MONTH THAT WAS

The headline news from the industry

08 NEWS EXTRA

UK to avoid recession this year

16

10 GOING EVER GREENER WITH KONICA MINOLTA Cameron Mitchell gets under the skin of sustainability for his company

14 CLEVER TACTICS FOR CARBON REDUCTION

Getting to grips with green is never easy, but every journey starts with one small step

LEADERSHIP 16 CHASING NET ZERO: THE UKOS JOURNEY SO FAR We catch up with one of Britain’s greenest dealer businesses – UKOS

22

18 HOW TO WORK TOWARDS BEING A NET ZERO BUSINESS Net zero is the holy grail of sustainability - but what does it really mean?

SALES SUCCESS 22 ALTERNATIVES TO ORIGINAL CONSUMABLES Are non-OEM print consumables really any good?

26 E-WASTE – WHAT IS IT AND HOW CAN IT BE REDUCED? Electronic waste is a headache, but there are ways we can tackle it effectively

26

30 ECO SOLUTIONS FOR THE MODERN OFFICE Customers are demanding more eco products; discover what’s out there right now

34 HOW MUCH IS YOUR PAPER?

Steve Carter, MD, Advantia, muses on whether customer service is really as important as price

LIVE IT “Dealers need to invest in the sustainability of their businesses, rather than continue in the race to the bottom on price”

15

36 LIVE IT

Take a break and enjoy some lighthearted fun

38 FATHER P. CLIP

The good Father on electric cars, paperless offices and global warming

39 FINAL WORD

Staying sustainable despite inflation with Richard Wells from Epson UK

INDUSTRY

T H E M O N T H T H AT W A S

THE MONTH THAT WAS UK’s tax on plastic packaging headed for reform The UK’s plastic packaging tax, introduced

chemically recycled content in plastic

in April 2023, is set to see some

packaging and means that, although the

significant changes; the Department for

actual content of a piece of packaging

Business and Trade and the treasury

may not be recycled, a set portion of

have outlined a string of reforms as

recycled content is verified by a third-

part of the annual tax administration

party certificate; it’s a similar approach

and maintenance day, which include

to that used in sustainability certification

alternations arising from this tax.

schemes relating to things like timber.

At present, the plastic packaging tax

The government says that taking

applies at a rate of £200 per tonne to

this approach could help target

plastic packaging that is less than 30%

more investment into chemical

recycled content - this covers imported

recycling. They argue that this is

packaging as well as that produced in the

much needed, as solutions are still

UK itself. The changes outlined suggest a

being sought for hard-to-recycle

move to a ‘mass balance’ approach, which

products such as black plastics and

the government says could help to scale

flexible plastics. In its first nine months,

innovations in chemical recycling.

the plastic packaging tax raised

Mass balance accounting would involve calculating the percentage of

almost £208m, and is forecast to raise £277m by the end of its first year.

Konica Minolta sets significant new environmental goals Konica Minolta has announced significant new

Business Solutions Europe.

its products from more than 90% circulated resources

for its products by 2050 - recycled materials and

“When Konica Minolta published its EcoVision 2050,

aims to enable the reuse and recycling of materials

environmental goals, including aiming to make by 2050.

in 2009, its targets were in line with what were strict

standards for the time. However, as the climate crisis

exacerbates, these are no longer appropriate and we

It aims to use more than 90% circulated resources

biomaterials. With this goal in mind, the company

as many times as possible to minimise waste and the consumption of natural resources.

As of today, its MFPs already use up to 44% recycled

have, therefore, committed to setting stricter climate

materials and the production printing systems up to

company,” explained Olaf Jonas, general manager

in Europe some countries offer programmes for MFPs to

protection targets to fulfil our responsibility as a global environmental social governance at Konica Minolta

[06] MAY 2023

www.dealersupport.co.uk

15%. Toner bottles use up to 61% recycled materials and be refurbished according to strict standards.

T H E M O N T H T H AT W A S

INDUSTRY

Amazon to expand in business supplies after pandemic boosts sales in Europe Retail giant Amazon has laid out its intentions to expand its office supplies business in Europe and internationally after seeing a pandemic boom in demand. The company’s Amazon Business arm grew at an annual rate of 25% from 2020 to 2022, as companies shopped online more frequently.

Amazon Business was launched in 2016 in Germany, and reached the UK the following year; by 2018 it had reached Italy, Spain and France. The firm currently works with Siemens Gamesa, Centrica and ABB, and is branching out into new areas including healthcare, IT and schools too.

It sees business supplies as potentially even more lucrative than its main consumer business, as making a smaller number of bulk deliveries is cheaper than delivering millions of small parcels to individual homes.

UK office workers find workplaces ‘uninspiring’ New research by interior design and fit-out business Claremont suggests that offices could be doing more to make their employees happy at work. Dubbed ‘the workplace oooh,’ the research found that almost half of employees find their workplaces ‘uninspiring.’

It further revealed that a large majority – 84% - expect the office to deliver an experience, rather than being simply a place to get

Paper vodka bottles launch in Welsh Tescos Newport-based Flawless Vodka has launched a paper-based container for its spirit, and has introduced its product in 124 Tesco stores across Wales. The new ‘frugal bottles,’ have a six times lower carbon footprint, and are five times lighter in weight, than conventional glass-bottled vodka.

The flavoured vodkas are housed in a 94% recycled paperboard, with a foodgrade pouch to contain the liquid. It is the first and only commercially available bottle for wine, spirits and olive oil to be made from recycled paper.

work done. ”In recent years, the very essence of how, when and where we work has changed, and the office has taken on a new role,” said Sarah Syson, Head of Design at Claremont.

“It’s no longer the everyday place for work and so it must try much harder to make itself relevant and inviting. Today, the office needs to give employees the feelings and experiences that lone working leaves us wanting – those rich in face-to-face contact, collaboration and socialisation.”

Red flags putting people off their workplaces included shoddy kitchen facilities, poor and outdated office etiquette, lack of quiet spaces, no wellbeing spaces, concerns about cleanliness, no access

The bottles, produced by Frugalpac, are filled at Hensol Castle Distillery, which has set up a whole new line in order to work with the innovative bottles.

It is hoped that more brands looking to reduce their carbon footprints will start working with the distillery to make the switch to non-glass alternatives.

Frugalpac says moving from glass to paper bottles can reduce packaging carbon emissions by around 84%.

to the outdoors - and even bad coffee.

www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2023 [07]

INDUSTRY

THE MONTH THAT WAS

NEWS EXTRA

UK to avoid recession this year The UK will avoid recession in 2023, but inflation will lag into the end of next year

I

n a new forecast

then, it doesn’t mean households will

a fall in wholesale gas and electricity

from consultancy

end up feeling better off.

costs, better than anticipated consumer spending, and overall improvements in

PwC, it seems the

PwC said that, since 2021, average

UK has dodged a

prices in the UK have climbed by one-fifth.

recession in 2023.

Barret Kupelian, a senior economist at

This good news

PwC, said, “Our analysis suggests the UK

said they planned to increase prices in the

is overshadowed by the projection that

has very much passed through the eye of

coming year, and nearly half are looking to

inflation will not return to the Bank of

the inflationary storm compared to last

recruit. Growth in wages hit a seven-month

England’s two per cent target until the

year, and is showing signs of a return to

high, with 27% of businesses expecting to

end of next year.

some sort of normality this year.”

increase salaries by at least three per cent.

the longest recession since the financial

BUSINESS CONFIDENCE IS HIGH

continuing to increase, hitting a near

crisis, following record high inflation of

In a separate report, issued by Lloyds

one-year high,” Paul Gordon, managing

11.1% last October - but the economy has

Bank, business confidence has reached

director of relationship management,

proven to be more robust than many had

a high not seen since May last year; the

business and commercial banking at

projected, and PwC now says there will be

survey of businesses, carried out in the first

Lloyds, said. “Hiring intentions have also

no recession this year.

two weeks of April, shows that confidence

shown improvement since the start of

levels reached 33% this month, up one

the year, now sitting significantly higher

percent since March.

than pre-lockdown levels. This is an

that inflation, which has been ripping into family budgets for more than a year,

Two thirds of the surveyed businesses

“It’s great to see business confidence

Forecasters had previously expected

On the downside, there is a high risk

economic growth forecasts.

It also found that overall economic

encouraging sign of investment intent,

will remain high for quite some time; it

optimism rose by five points to 28%,

but that could be tempered by wage

still sits at 10.1%, despite the Bank of

which is also close to a one-year high.

inflation pressures and a hot

England’s (BoE’s) efforts to tame it with

It says businesses are benefitting from

employment market.”

aggressive interest rates.

According to PwC, the BoE’s goal of returning inflation to a more manageable two per cent is unlikely to come before the end of 2024.

Some reductions are expected, particularly given the sharp reduction in international energy prices but, even

[08] MAY 2023

www.dealersupport.co.uk

The UK has very much passed through the eye of the inflationary storm

SPONSORED

INDUSTRY

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A

looking at ways to improve. Over the

importance of

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YOU AND YOUR CUSTOMERS

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where possible, phasing out our use of

Over this time period as we sell through the

the supply chain,

non-recyclable plastics and moving to

existing rigid PVC and Foam PVC products,

everyone has a

a well established material within the

the new Polypropylene material will start

part to play to help

polypropylene family.

being introduced. The thickness of the PP

improve the environmental impact.

This lightweight, long lasting but more environmentally friendly

AT CENTURION AND

SPECTRUM OUR PLEDGE IS TO ●

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR

long with the

material is a superb alternative to PVC

product remains in line with the current signs and our standard of high quality maintained.

We will update product data periodically

and foam PVC board, Polypropylene

as supply swaps over and customers listing

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sheet is designed for digital UV

products in brochures or on web sites will

resources and energy.

printing and represents an excellent

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alternative to previously used materials

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environment and aim to instil

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● ●

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We are already supplying new

industrial.co.uk or alternatively an end user

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SKU’s on this material and a number

facing fact sheet is available on request.

Comply with environmental legislation

of customers have switched over

Conduct residential surveys to monitor

altogether onto Polypropylene for it’s

our impact on our local community

obvious benefits.

good practices to our employees to ● ●

Ensure 100% of our waste cardboard

●

is recycle or reused Ensure 100% of our sign waste

●

material is collected and recycled by our Waste Management Supplier We take our environmental responsibilities seriously and are always

WAS

WILL MOVE TO

1mm RPVC (Rigid PVC)

1.2mm PP (Polypropylene)

1mm S/A PVC (Self Adhesive PVC)

1.2mm S/A PP (Self Adhesive Polypropylene)

3mm Foamex (Foamed PVC)

3mm PP (Polypropylene)

www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2023 [09]

INDUSTRY

S T R AT E G Y I N T E R V I E W

Going ever greener with Konica Minolta

CAMERON MITCHELL, business unit leader at Konica Minolta, explains how the company has pivoted to new revenue streams while keeping one eye on its sustainability credentials

W

hen the pandemic ripped the heart out of the printing business, Konica Minolta knew it had to find new revenue streams but it didn’t give up on its dreams of adopting ever more ambitious targets for sustainability. We caught up with Cameron Mitchell, Konica Minolta’s business unit leader, to find out how his firm survived the pandemic, and what’s on the horizon for future developments.

“It goes without saying that the last year - in fact, the last two years - has seen some of the most significant disruption this market has ever seen in terms of the consequences of supply chain issues.

That’s affected everybody, the whole market – it’s not unique to Konica Minolta. So the last year has really been around staying as close to our resellers as we can, trying to support everybody as best we can through the disruption. In a strange way, despite it being a tough year, it’s probably brought us closer to a lot of our customers.

“Now that we’re out the other side, it’s absolutely full steam ahead. We’ve got plenty of stock in our lines.

[10] MAY 2023

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We’re now, dare I say, ‘business as usual’. I’m always a bit nervous to say that because you never know what’s right around the corner, in this in this world, but we’re very much foot on the gas, looking for growth.

“We’re ambitious. We’ve got growth targets. We’re not sitting back; we absolutely know what to do to challenge the market with and get back to more than where we were before. We’ve actually got some fairly significant targets that we want to achieve.”

Finding a place in the ‘new normal’ hasn’t been easy.

For a company that relied so heavily on print, having more people working from home, or hybrid working, has meant the company has been seeking additional streams of revenue and this has seen a move towards more IT services and closer partnership working.

“We’ve launched a new partner programme that we’re very proud of,” explains Cameron. “We’ve built this from listening to feedback from our partners as to what they need and how we can support them, and it’s built on foundations like accreditation, for example.

“This means we can help our resellers prove their competence in certain areas, whether it be in professional print, office printing or in IT services. This

S T R AT E G Y I N T E R V I E W

makes sure that it’s not just about product, and that we actually continue to listen to our resellers, making sure that relationship results in constant feedback so that we can adapt and change.”

Like all businesses, sustainability is a key focus for Konica Minolta, going forward. “Actually, it’s front and centre of our brand, of our company,” says Cameron.

That ‘front and centre’ approach has won the firm plenty of accolades over the years, including being listed in the FTSE4Good Index since 2003.

More recently, the company has been awarded the gold level recognition medal in the EcoVadis 2023 sustainability ratings - a listing of the 100 most sustainable corporations in the world produced by Corporate Knights for the fifth consecutive year – and a ranking in the top five per cent of companies for sustainability by S&P Global.

While the company has been raking in the awards for its efforts to date, it’s not done with greening its business yet. Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe has implemented an environment management system which was awarded ISO 140001 certification in 2017 and again in 2020. The company continues to push forward with new initiatives, not just in its own business but in its supply chain and customer base too.

For many dealers, finding a reason to be green hasn’t always come easily and, given the current cost-conscious environment, finding budget to invest in sustainable solutions can be challenging - but Cameron points out that there is a sound business basis to such investments.

“Recently, in a lot of requests for information, tenders and quotations, sustainability seems to have moved front and centre, so, I think it would be

INDUSTRY

In a strange way, despite it being a tough year, it’s probably brought us closer to a lot of our customers "

foolish to ignore it; it’s clearly got customer demand.

I think everybody’s very socially conscious now, and the environment has never been so critical in terms of the focus that’s on it. I think it needs to be part of everybody’s strategy and cannot be ignored.”

A key area of sustainability calls for fewer new replacement products and more reuse and recycling of the old. For a brand like Konica Minolta, this is unchartered territory; customers with aging or unsuitable machines almost always got a nice shiny new one, but Cameron says that doesn’t always have to be the case.

“One of the things we realised through lockdown, when new machines weren’t available, was that a lot of contracts got renewed; machines got moved around and reused with minimal disruption. Don’t always assume that a new machine is the only answer; it can be a mix of devices. It can be a bit of redeployment; it can be extending contracts. It’s all about making sure that you listen to your customer and understand what their sustainability objective is, because everybody’s got one.”

www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2023 [11]

INDUSTRY

S T R AT E G Y I N T E R V I E W

DEMANDING MORE FROM THE SUPPLY CHAIN As well as getting their own house in order, and offering more sustainable solutions to their customers, the team at Konica Minolta also strives to encourage its suppliers to be as green as they can be. The firm doesn’t run its own vehicles – it uses independent carriers, and chooses carefully which ones to work with.

Its long-term delivery partner (and sub-contractor) introduced a new fleet, exclusively for Konica Minolta consignments, which runs on hydrogenated vegetable oil. This eco-friendly synthetic paraffinic fuel is of very high quality, stable, and composed of 100% sustainable raw materials. As an alternative to diesel, it offers a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of up to 90%.

Alongside this, the firm’s toner delivery partner DPD - currently has a number of green initiatives that complement Konica Minolta’s efforts towards carbon reduction. DPD’s ‘driving change’ CSR programme has been reducing carbon emissions, and offsetting the remaining emissions through clean energy initiatives, in order to be able to offer carbon neutral delivery to customers - at no extra cost.

An important part of the business benefits of carbon reduction is communicating achievements to stakeholders. Konica Minolta’s customers are able to view carbon reductions achieved through carbon neutral deliveries via information being displayed on all delivery notes.

[12] MAY 2023

www.dealersupport.co.uk

We’re very much foot on the gas, looking for growth

A COMMITMENT TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE This month Konica Minolta confirmed its intentions to become a net zero business by 2050, including emissions from scopes 1, 2 and 3. Scopes 1 and 2 relate to direct or purchased emissions (heating, electricity, waste); scope 3, emissions from the supply chain, is much more difficult to tackle.

“When Konica Minolta published its EcoVision 2050 in 2009, the targets were in line with what were strict standards for the time,” explained Cameron.

“However, as the climate crisis exacerbates, these are no longer appropriate. We have, therefore, committed to setting stricter climate protection targets to fulfil our responsibility as a global company. We also support our customers and suppliers in achieving their environmental goals.”

The sustainability efforts of Konica Minolta are laudable indeed, and just go to show the successes that can come when ‘good enough’ just won’t do.

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INDUSTRY

REDUCING CARBON

Clever tactics for carbon reduction Getting to grips with carbon reduction can feel like a mountain to climb - but every journey starts with one small step

R

educing carbon is no longer a nice-to-have, but an essential part of our businesses and future strategies - but knowing where to start can be tough, particularly when we’re all so busy with the day-to-day stuff. Thankfully, not all carbon-reducing activities require exorbitant amounts of time or energy, as we’ll explore here.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MEASURING Before we get into ways you can reduce your carbon footprint, it’s essential to know what it is right now.

Having a baseline for where you are before any action is taken will allow you to measure what progress has been made - not just for you, but for

[14] MAY 2023

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your customers and stakeholders too.

There are a number of free tools available online to help you calculate your carbon footprint from basic data like energy bills and fuel expenses. At the other end of the scale, more complex calculators start to bring in things like water, waste, supply chain and more. However, if you’re just at the start of your carbon reduction journey, that’s probably a step too far, for now.

Having a measured carbon footprint baseline will give you quantifiable results arising from the actions you take, and that’s crucial if you want to market your sustainability efforts – and you should – because you’ll have the data to back up your claims.

Tim Beaumont, managing director, Nemo Office Club, believes you can’t underestimate

the importance of having concrete data to hand. “Reducing carbon emissions and environmental impact is in the mindset of every dealer now. They know that ‘greenwashing’ will not work if they are to meet customer demands.”

ABOUT CARBON OFFSETTING Probably the most well-known, and frequently discussed, means of shouldering some CO2 responsibility is carbon offsetting. This, in essence, means paying money to support an initiative that takes carbon out of the atmosphere, in order to ‘offset’ some of the carbon you are producing.

Not all carbon offset schemes are the same. The often cited one of planting trees is frequently criticised, as it will take many years for the trees to absorb the carbon you just emitted - that’s if they don’t die, or

REDUCING CARBON

The optimisation of van routes is a sensible move for any business to reduce costs and carbon footprint

get destroyed, in the meantime.

Other examples might be support for renewable energy projects, carbon capture research, or a multitude of other things.

The problem with offsetting is that there is no actual carbon reduction going on at all - sure, a tree is planted, or a windmill erected, but that’s not enough. As Tim says, “Many businesses could be seen to just be writing a cheque to cover up the problem, rather than taking action to solve it.” Carbon offsetting is a good stop-gap if a business is working towards longer-term carbon reduction but, on it’s own, it’s not a solution to the problem.

REDUCING CARBON EMISSIONS, FOR REAL One of the quickest and easiest ways to reduce carbon emissions is to opt for a renewable energy tariff from your energy supplier. These have become so common now that there is barely any difference in price between a green tariff and a regular one, and any extra you pay will be directed to support green energy generation, including wind, solar, tidal and more.

Switching off lights and appliances in unused rooms is basic, but still important. Reduce low-level standby consumption by turning things off at the wall, particularly if the office is going to be closed

for the weekend. Don’t overfill the kettle when you’re boiling it. Lower your reliance on heating and cooling of the building by practicing good energy efficiency, such as closing the blinds against the hot sun or keeping doors shut in the winter.

These might sound obvious, and not very groundbreaking but, when you start putting them all together, the difference can be significant.

The main barrier here is that almost all of these ‘behavioural’ actions require your workforce to ‘help.’

Getting that engagement from your employees, and encouraging everyone to be compliant, will be your biggest challenge.

Beyond these simple actions, small investments can start to make a difference. Replacing old lighting with modern LEDs can save significantly, as can improving the insulation in the building. If you run your own deliveries, Tim points out that this brings real opportunities, “The optimisation of van routes is a sensible move for any business to reduce costs and carbon footprint, and we encourage members to use this - not just for deliveries but marketing also.

“We have a range of prospecting tools that can be delivered into other businesses in the area, or on the same industrial estate, as an existing delivery, including a postcard that

INDUSTRY

has been extremely effective. It has the headline ‘We are already making a delivery in your area…’. If a dealer can fill a van with a wider range of products, and make more drops per mile, it’s good for their business and good for the environment.”

SETTING THE EXAMPLE While reducing CO2 in your own business can go as deep as your pockets (think electric vehicles, solar panels, biomass boilers…) there is also a role for the dealer to play in encouraging their customers and demanding change from their suppliers. “For many companies now the impact on the environment is more important than price,” Tim says. “Dealers need to be wise to this, and invest in the sustainability of their businesses, rather than continue in the race to the bottom on price.”

One member leading the way is Morgan & Morgan in South Wales, which committed to being carbon neutral by 2025, and are well on course to achieve that. As managing director, Michael Morgan, explains, “We are committed to making positive change - not just being ecofriendly and reducing waste, which in itself is good, but also championing sustainability across our business, and those of our clients.”

Being eco-champions ourselves by eliminating as much CO2 as it is within our reach to do is a good first step, and shouting about our achievements could and should inspire others to follow in our footsteps - but by demanding more from our suppliers, and also supporting our clients in making their own carbon reductions, together, we really can change the world.

www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2023 [15]

LEADERSHIP

S T R AT E G Y I N T E R V I E W

Chasing net zero: the UKOS journey so far IAN HAYWOOD, MD at UKOS, explains how his company is making genuine progress on sustainability

W

hat if sustainability wasn’t

LOW CARBON LOGISTICS

just a bolt-on part of

Turning to the future, Ian’s emphasis is on

your business? What if it

further diversification, something he says was

was so deeply ingrained

well-progressed over the past year. However,

that every business

as always, the main focus is sustainability,

decision had the good of the environment

“in particular we are working hard on low

at heart? That’s how things are for UKOS, a

carbon logistics.” Since 2008 the company has

Hertfordshire-based business supplies firm with

achieved a 72% reduction in delivery miles.

an impressive track record in sustainability. We

This has been achieved through three key levers

the business. At the other end of the cycle, the

sat down with managing director, Ian Haywood

– eco delivery schedules, designed to reduce

firm offers various recycling solutions across

to find out how it’s done.

the number of deliveries being undertaken,

every product range, and actively works to

“I believe that to be commercially

encouraging customers to increase average

help its customers reduce their consumption of

successful, an organisation must give full

order sizes and introducing telematic software

business supplies - but is selling sustainability

consideration to sustainability - it’s no longer

to facilitate more efficient driving behaviour.

easy? Ian says it can be.“Sustainable solutions

an option. The challenge is to keep moving and

Logistics - and customer deliveries

are often more efficient and, typically, reduce

improving - we’re very focused on that,”Ian said.

in particular - is one of a dealers’ biggest

costs - a very helpful coincidence which aids

contributions to their carbon footprint. As

the sales process. Sustainable products can

road. Sustainability is not just part of the

a business on the path to net zero, UKOS

be more challenging, certainly, but the key

business strategy; it’s the core of everything

is keenly focused on cracking that nut. The

considerations are communication, data, clear

UKOS does. “We’ve been on a sustainability

company has switched its van fleet to electric

facts and collaboration with your customers.”

journey since before 2010 when The Sunday

delivery vehicles and recently opened a low

Product may be challenging, but UKOS

Times rated us ‘The Greenest Company

carbon logistics hub. Collaboration with

is making inroads into offering its customers

in Great Britain,’ so it’s always been core

customers and suppliers to remove carbon

the most sustainable solutions out there. In it's

to our business,” Ian explains. “I make no

from the joint supply chain is considered

catalogue it lists more than 2,250 sustainable

apology for saying one of the key drivers is

integral to the business model.

products, made from ingredients that are

UKOS is quite far along its sustainability

responsibly sourced, with low or reduced

commercial consideration.”

SELLING SUSTAINABILITY

carbon footprints, non-polluting manufacturing

sustainability ticks many boxes. It often leads to

From print to facilities supplies, office interiors

processes and responsible use of packaging.

efficiency and cost savings for everyone in the

to workwear and PPE, UKOS has found a way

supply chain and so is a win-win all round.

to integrate sustainability into every arm of

He has a point. Commercially,

[16] MAY 2023

www.dealersupport.co.uk

In terms of products, these range from Eucalyptus Globus fibre paper, sustainable

S T R AT E G Y I N T E R V I E W

LEADERSHIP

TOP TIPS FOR REACHING NET ZERO ● Know your baseline – measure

your carbon footprint.

● Deal with the easy wins first –

switching things off when not in use, for example.

● Think about water, waste and

materials, as well as energy.

● Engage employees – make

sustainability a core part of your culture.

● Switch to a green energy

supplier for a quick win.

● Share your progress, and shout

about your achievements.

to eliminate waste and carbon across its value chain. For those familiar with net zero, this is the oh-so-tricky Scope 3 target, which considers emissions that businesses are indirectly responsible for which means driving change among its suppliers, as well as

To be commercially successful, an organisation must give full consideration to sustainability - it’s no longer an option

within its own business.

Scope 3 is well known to be the most difficult of all the net zero targets, and the one that terrifies most business owners, but UKOS is taking the bull by the horns, and is actively working in collaboration with their supply chain partners.

interiors products and fit-out solutions,

“I would suggest that dealers who are still early

environmentally friendly PPE and janitorial

in their sustainability journeys focus on actually

products, and Fairtrade catering products.

delivering real sustainability and sustainable

net zero continues. “We expect to achieve some

UKOS has also adopted a single-use plastic

solutions. Selling them won’t be a problem!”

key certification later this year, which we’re very

Looking ahead, the UKOS journey towards

excited about and, of course, net zero is a major

policy, which aims to reduce single-use plastics in its product range and to offer

PRESSING AHEAD ON THE JOURNEY

focus. We have also just begun our journey

composable alternatives where possible.

For UKOS, the journey is well underway, but

toward becoming a B-Corp. However, greater

Offering sustainability as part of your

it’s far from over. As well as adopting electric

collaboration and re-engineering in our supply

proposition isn’t always easy, but it is important

delivery vehicles, the company has opened a

chain is where we feel real and tangible progress

that dealers implement truly sustainable

low-carbon warehouse, complete with ground

can be best achieved.”

solutions, and avoid anything which might

source heating and cooling, solar power,

be perceived as greenwashing. “Selling

high-spec insulation and LED auto lighting.

and its ongoing pursuit of net zero status,

sustainability is an open door - in fact, more

“The reduction in use of fossil fuel energy is

serves as an inspiration to us all. It just goes

and more, it’s becoming a condition of doing

enormous,” Ian is keen to point out.

to prove it can be done, and gives hope for a

business,” says Ian.

The long-term objective of UKOS is

The great work already done by UKOS,

greener future.

www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2023 [17]

LEADERSHIP

NET ZERO

How to work towards being a net zero business

G

Net zero is the holy grail of sustainability, but achieving it is not easy, or cheap

oing green is all the rage, and businesses of all

WHAT DOES ‘NET ZERO’ REALLY MEAN?

shapes and sizes are seeking to reduce their

Putting it simply, ‘net zero’ means fewer greenhouse gasses are being

impact on the environment. Some started their

added to the atmosphere than are being taken out so, if the UK is adding

sustainability journeys under their own steam,

a billion tonnes of CO2 to the environment but, through other projects, is

while others are being pushed towards it in

removing a billion or more, then we’re at net zero.

order to achieve standards or maintain compliance.

In 2019 the UK government committed to reducing the nation’s

For businesses, the government categorises emissions in three tiers.

Scope 1 emissions are those which the company makes directly, for

net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 100% by 2050 - that might

example by running vehicles, machinery, and boilers for heating. Scope

seem a long way off, but all that time will need to be used wisely if we

2 are indirect emissions, such as when the electricity it uses is being

are to reach this ambitious ‘net zero’ goal.

produced. And Scope 3 are the emissions indirectly associated with the

[18] MAY 2023

www.dealersupport.co.uk

NET ZERO

LEADERSHIP

Before any action on CO2 reduction can take place, businesses must define the baseline from which they are starting company, such as those produced by the suppliers it uses.

For anyone starting on the net zero journey, Scope 1 is the place

Antalis brought us the world’s first carbon-neutral cartonboard in 2022, manufactured at a fossil-fuel-free mill in

to focus on. Scope 2 can be trickier to tackle, while Scope 3 puts

Sweden. The firm also offers a range of papers that are recycled,

most business-leader’s heads in a spin. But don’t be disheartened by

carbon neutral and/or include carbon offsetting credits. Although

the challenges of Scope 3 – we all need to start somewhere, and the

changing the type of paper used in the office might seem a small step,

simple actions can often be the most effective.

Paul believes it is still very important.

“Office papers are often first in line when questions around

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP

sustainability and the environment are concerned. They are often

Moving towards net zero can be easier to do when we work together. Paul

mistakenly identified as part of the problem whereas, in reality, they

Savill, product manager- office and digital papers at Antalis, explains,

can be a gateway to a useful carbon reducing solution.”

“Carbon reduction and climate change are, undoubtedly, two of

Many suppliers now offer CO2-neutral papers, whether

the biggest challenges of the modern age. Whilst organisations will be

through manufacturing, recycling or offsetting. Dealers should

dedicating huge resources to this, their business partners/suppliers may

work to familiarise themselves with the different options on offer and

hold the keys to some effective, and simple to implement, initiatives.”

encourage their customers to make the switch.

www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2023 [19]

LEADERSHIP

NET ZERO

dealers can work with a third party to calculate and monitor their

Carbon reduction and climate change are undoubtedly two of the biggest challenges of the modern age

carbon emissions.

Simon recalls his own experience of CO2 footprinting which involved the option of getting help on board, “Dams is a manufacturing business so we partnered with Businesswise Solutions to install many monitoring devices across the business to gather data and establish our high energy use equipment. Once this data is being received, analysed and monitored regularly you can

GREENING THE DEALERSHIP

then accurately input initiatives to reduce energy consumption and

Encouraging customers to work towards their net zero goals is one

run the business efficiently.”

thing but, as dealers, it’s our job to set the example too. There are various tools and resources out there to assist, regardless of the size

ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL

of business, and setting key milestones will help ensure a purposeful

As we know, every dealer business is completely unique, as is the

journey. However, crucial to success is having everyone on board

operation of every one of your customers, so there is no simple

when it comes to making improvements.

solution to getting to net zero. Some actions are pretty obvious and

“For any business looking to improve their environmental

easy - switch off the lights in unused rooms - whereas others will

performance, it is imperative that the company is 100% committed

be more complex or challenging - such as renewing the fleet with

to doing so,” says Simon Howorth​, marketing and design manager at

electric vehicles.

DAMS. “This needs to start right at the top and run right through to all parts of the business, and all employees.”

Before any action on CO2 reduction can take place, businesses

Ultimately, being green isn’t easy, and it certainly isn’t cheap; Simon warns that the investment can be a bitter pill to swallow.

“There is significant cost and investment required in becoming

must define the baseline from which they are starting. This can

an environmentally responsible business. This requires a serious

be as simple as looking at the energy bills for the business and the

commitment from business owners to not only meet current

amount of fuel put into company vehicles each year. From here, you

environmental and social standards, but also set new ones.”

can see some quick wins through simple actions such as turning off appliances overnight.

The flip side of this coin is filled with good things for the business that does become truly net zero. Its future will benefit from lower

However, accurate carbon footprinting of your business will

running costs, tax benefits, a sustainable supply chain and employees

involve going further; it will also look at waste, water use, supplier

who are more invested and committed to staying with the company.

choices and more. Getting your head around this data can be a chore,

Transformation is never easy, but it can be very much worth

but there are handy calculators online that can help. Alternatively,

[20] MAY 2023

www.dealersupport.co.uk

it in the end.

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SALES SUCCESS

CONSUMABLES

Alternatives to original consumables The proliferation of lowquality non-OEM print consumables has put people off - but the market has matured, and lower cost, high quality cartridges have a lot to offer

P

rinter consumables - the

But the market has matured a great deal

toners, cartridges and ink

since then. Today’s non-OEM products are a

that make the machine work

world away from those cheap knockoffs we saw in

- have traditionally been

the early days. Of course, there are still plenty of

the preserve of the printer

companies out there who cut corners and bring

manufacturer. Original

to market a sub-standard product - but for some

equipment manufacturers (OEM) consumables

of the tried and tested options, performance and

were, the only safe choice, but were also an expensive

reliability is on par, if not even better than, the

commitment to keep up.

OEM alternative.

Pretty quickly, third parties began to crack the fraction of the cost, but these early entrants were not

REMANUFACTURED OR COMPATIBLE?

always well-made, often using sub-standard plastics

A key difference is ‘remanufactured’ versus

to keep costs low. Reliability, durability and quality

‘compatible.’ ‘Remanufacturing’ cartridges means

all left something to be desired, and many of those

taking the OEM unit apart and outfitting it with

who had experimented with non-OEM consumables

new ink and any perishable parts. ‘Compatible’

quickly returned to their OEM suppliers.

cartridges are standalone products, sold brand

OEM code, offering non-OEM consumables at a

[22] MAY 2023

www.dealersupport.co.uk

CONSUMABLES

SALES SUCCESS

Using a higher capacity cartridge can reduce CO2 significantly, while also reducing the cost per page – so it’s a win-win for everyone

print machine. Both have their place in the

MAKING THE CARTRIDGE BETTER THAN ORIGINAL

tapestry of lower-priced printing, but there are

For Steve, there were some key problems to be

some pros and cons to consider.

solved in the OEM offering, not least the amount

new, that are designed to work perfectly in the

Remanufactured cartridges have usually gone

of wasted toner. In many OEM cartridges, waste

through one cycle of use. They are extensively

toner is collected in a hopper; at the end of the life

cleaned, tested for quality and any worn or

of the cartridge this can account for up to 15% of

damaged components are replaced. They are then

the original fill.

reassembled, filled with ink, and brought back to

“What we’ve done in our technology is

life, saving that cartridge from landfill. However,

eliminate it completely and if we eliminate the

they are usually not remanufactured again, so this

waste toner, it follows that we use 100% of the

isn’t the most sustainable solution.

toner on the printed page. We have a way of

Compatible cartridges, on the other hand,

getting that waste toner back to the original toner

are uniquely designed to be different from - and

hopper, so it gets repeatedly put onto the page area

sometimes even superior to - the OEM options,

for transfer until it runs out. We use all the toner,

while still being cheaper to buy. “We thought,

and that’s a CO2 benefit.”

if we could make a patent safe compatible, then

For end-users, getting as many pages as

we could change some of the design to make it

possible out of a toner cartridge is key, but

more environmentally friendly,” explains Steve

this comes with a problem in itself. Some

Weedon, CEO of Print-Rite Europe. “We could

remanufacturers boast ‘jumbo’ cartridges that offer

also actually make sure we get our cartridges back

more print pages per installation - but without

to remanufacture. So that’s what we did; we made

Steve’s recycling technology, that can create a

a patent safe compatible cartridge, but deliberately

problem, as he explained,

designed so that anyone could re-manufacture it using standard component parts.”

“What happens on a jumbo cartridge application, is that it normally overfills the

www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2023 [23]

SALES SUCCESS

CONSUMABLES

It’s more important than ever that we educate our customers on the differences between inferior, lowest price products and those that will really perform the best for them

C

M

Y

CM

MY

reservoir and dumps toner in the machine, and

CY

everyone gets angry. Because we eliminated the

at Data Direct stresses the importance of not

CMY

waste toner, we can extend the yield without the

always picking products based on price alone.

K

waste toner reservoir overflowing. So, we’ve solved

“Unfortunately, much of the after-market print

that problem. In fact, we can go up to nine times

supplies industry has become a race to the bottom,

the OEM.”

where the only influencing factor is price.

From a sustainability viewpoint, that’s quite

[24] MAY 2023

Peter Cowan, group chief operations officer

“Products are available, in most cases, where

the breakthrough. Replacement of spent cartridges

quality and performance will match, or surpass,

means vans driving around, packaging being

OEM, but it’s important to look beyond the price

used, and new products being manufactured, all

to ensure that you are offering real benefit. At Data

of which adds to the CO2 footprint of printing.

Direct we benchmark ourselves against OEM as a

Using a higher capacity cartridge can reduce CO2

minimum standard, and also work hard to achieve

significantly, while also reducing the cost per page

CSR standards where appropriate – cheapest is

– so it’s a win-win for everyone.

generally not best; you buy cheap, you buy twice.”

PICK YOUR PRODUCT CAREFULLY

consumables doesn’t have to mean dissatisfied

If you’re going to benefit from the meticulous

customers. Choosing a well-made, tried and tested

engineering, development and care that has

non-OEM product can help customers save money

gone into making high performance alternative

and be more environmentally conscious too. It’s

consumables, you can’t expect to pay the lowest

more important than ever that we educate our

price. There will still be a saving compared with the

customers on the differences between inferior,

OEM offer, but targeting the very cheapest product

lowest price products and those that will really

will probably deliver customer a sub-par solution.

perform the best for them.

www.dealersupport.co.uk

Offering alternatives to traditional

ECO friendly

range available

for the TN-1050, TN-2200, TN-2320, TN-2420.

OEM cartridges can lose 15% of the toner content when the user is prompted to replace the cartridge.

Our IP safe patented “full toner use systems” simply means there is no wasted toner.

Pelikan Eco Friendly “SmartDuo” cartridges provide double the OEM yield with an accurate page count.

Pelikan Eco Friendly “No Waste – SmarTact Max” provides as much as 4 times standard OEM yield.

More prints = Lower per page cost.

More toner usage = Less carbon waste Fewer cartridges used = Lower CO2 levels

Innovation = Eco Friendly Products Today ECO friendly products are in high demand and help reduce CO2 levels. Through continual investment and innovation, we have developed many new Eco-friendly, CO2 reducing printing consumables that increase page yields, lower CO2 product footprints saving our planet while saving you money.

Our efforts for the environment started decades ago and are long term and part of our group company culture.

We lead the way in making IP Safe compatible ECO Friendly printing consumables.

For further information or to become a distributor contact info@prp-eu.com Brand names and model designations shown are intended only to show the compatibility of this Pelikan branded product. Pelikan branded products are not associated with or endorsed by such companies. The use of this Pelikan branded product does not affect the legal guarantees provided by your hardware supplier or manufacturer.

SALES SUCCESS

E-WASTE

E-waste – what is it and how can it be reduced?

As the UK’s e-waste rubbish pile grows, businesses need solutions to help them reduce the e-waste they produce - and advice on what to do with the e-waste they already have

E

-waste consists of electronic products that

According to Louise Marshall, director of ESG and

are unwanted, not working and nearing or at

organisational development at Brother UK, “sustainability is

the end of their ‘useful’ life – think monitors,

increasingly influential in both consumer and business buying

laptops, printers and electrical cords. In the

behaviour. In order to meet the demand, vendors and partners

UK, the environmental audit committee’s

are increasing their capacity to provide services aimed at helping

Electronic Waste and the Circular Economy

customers reduce their e-waste.”

report states that 23.9kg of e-waste is produced, on average, per head of

Getting this waste down is an urgent requirement because

population and, according to Statista, annual e-waste production is on

e-waste is nasty stuff which can be extremely harmful to people and

track to reach 75m metric tons this year.

businesses when it is improperly disposed of. It’s:

[26] MAY 2023

www.dealersupport.co.uk

E-WASTE

SALES SUCCESS

Dealers can also assess their manufacturers and the sustainability of their products. It’s important to avoid ‘planned obsolescence’, where a device will only function well for a number of years before gradually failing, prompting repeat product purchasing; using sustainable manufacturers that offer products with longer lifecycles and spare parts for easy repairs will dodge this bullet. Both the EU and the UK introduced regulations in July 2021 requiring manufacturers to make spare parts available to professional repairers.

“Repairing or remanufacturing with broken electronics, or previously faulty parts, eliminates more wastage and is something that should be widely encouraged,” says Boris Manev, head of sustainability and government affairs at Epson.

For Louise, reusability is a key part of Brother UK’s efforts to reduce e-waste. “We recognise the importance of reducing e-waste across our value chain. We have been working hard to build-in endof-life management as part of our managed print service offering. At contract end, our hardware can be collected, assessed for suitability, and then either refurbished or recycled.”

Sustainability is increasingly influential in both consumer and business buying behaviour

hazardous to human health - it contains numerous toxic chemicals

DEVELOP AN E-WASTE COLLECTION AND RECYCLING PROGRAMME

●

that are dangerous for humans;

According to Statista, only 17.4% of global e-waste is known to

hazardous to the environment - when dumped in a landfill, toxic

be collected and properly recycled; however, for customers, it

substances like lead and mercury can leach into soil and water;

can be difficult to know the best options for e-waste collection

a threat to data security - it can contain confidential business data.

and recycling. Dealers can make this process easier for customers

●

●

Dealers can and must build services and solutions that offer

by setting up an e-waste collection and recycling programme –

strategies for reducing, recycling and properly disposing of e-waste in

customers will thank them for it, and loyalty will be increased

order to mitigate these negative effects. Don’t know where to start?

accordingly. However, it isn’t just dealers who need to take recycling

are some suggestions.

responsibility, as Boris point out. “Ultimately, it is the tech companies

EXTEND THE LIFECYCLE OF PRODUCTS

that are manufacturing these products and distributing them, en

To ensure products have the longest possible lifecycles, carry

masse, so a large share of the responsibility for recycling these

out an audit to measure the areas where each product is most

products needs to lie with them, as well as the consumer.”

successful and where there needs to be improvement. Products

For companies such as Brother UK, which have an e-waste

should be audited for their:

collection and recycling programme in place, the benefit can be

●

expected lifecycle;

seen in the numbers. “We’re currently receiving an average of 3m

●

recyclability;

toner cartridges a year for remanufacture or recycling, with over

●

repairability;

40m having been processed in total,” Louise said. “Our European

●

manufacturer support.

recycling operations have been recognised as carbon neutral; they

www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2023 [27]

SALES SUCCESS

E-WASTE

run on 100% green energy and operate with zero waste to landfill.”

When building and promoting an e-waste collection and recycling programme, Boris advises dealers to keep sustainability at the core of their message. “Recycling programmes are a good example of how large corporations can offer consumers a simple way to reduce their environmental impact - but promoting recyclable materials and energy-efficient products, rather than prioritising profit, should also be front-of-mind.”

A large share of the responsibility for recycling these products needs to lie with the companies as well as the consumer

BE WEEE COMPLAINT Following the changes to the UK’s Waste Electrical and Electronic

a government-approved producer compliance scheme for collection,

Equipment (WEEE) policies, businesses are having to find new

treatment, recovery and environmentally responsible disposal at no

strategies for e-waste disposal. “In order to address the changes

charge to customers.”

in policies, and achieve the government’s goal of a more circular

As sustainability continues to influence market demands and

economy, the way that we dispose of our electronics must evolve,”

buying behaviours, the industry is set to see a shift in the services

warns Boris.

being offered. “Many manufacturers are enhancing their e-waste

By setting out these new targets, the government is minimising

services to meet the demands of modern-day companies, and these

the risks posed by e-waste to people, the environment and

will be important for resellers to be aware of,” Louise says. “Services

businesses, and contributing to a society of sustainable production

such as consumable recycling and fleet management may, one day,

and consumption. However, for businesses, being WEEE compliant

form the main deciding factor for businesses purchasing electrical

is only one piece of the sustainability puzzle.

and electronic equipment - especially with the ever-growing number

“For years Xerox has played a part in protecting natural resources, managing WEEE in the best way for people and the

of environmentally-conscious consumers.”

Savvy dealers will make sure they’re on top of changing demand

environment - not only by ensuring compliance with WEEE policies

and innovative waste solutions for e-waste because, as Louise points

but also by designing for sustainability and enabling a circular

out, “The range of products eligible for recycling will increase

economy,” says Kevin Paterson, head of XBS UK and Xerox UK

as technologies, and demand for sustainable business practices,

Channel at Xerox. “We register annual volumes of e-waste, and utilise

improves globally.”

[28] MAY 2023

www.dealersupport.co.uk

R E C YC L E D P L AST I C

AN INSPIRING ENVIRONMENT FOR A GREENER PLANET featuring products made

THINKING CLEARER. GOING FURTHER. Available exclusively from exaclairlimited.com sales@exaclair.co.uk 01553 696600

SALES SUCCESS

ECO SOLUTIONS

Eco solutions for the modern office

The range and variety of eco-friendly office products is growing all the time; we take a look at what’s good in the world of green supplies

Y

want to be more

SWAP PLASTICS FOR RECYCLED PLASTIC

sustainable, but are

Plastics are one of the most environmentally

you ready to supply

harmful materials in offices (and everywhere

a zero plastic alternative, made from

them with more

else) but so many of our consumables

plant-based natural cellulose and delivered

sustainable products?

are plastic, what can we do about it? The

in 100% recycled packaging. The film of

our customers

they are an easy win for businesses looking to go greener.

Popular brand Sellotape now offers

Recycle range from Leitz offers a workable

the tape is made from wood pulp and the

businesses interviewed said they now have

alternative to first-hand plastics, with

adhesive is derived from natural rubber

a greater focus on sustainability, while a

products containing from 45% up to 98%

extracted from rubber trees.

Deloitte study identified 67% of companies

recycled plastic.

In a Knight Frank survey, 53% of UK

which had already started using more

The range includes hole punches,

sustainable materials and products in their

staplers, plastic folders and box files, as

offices. This is being driven by an underlying

well as punched pockets, display books and

demand from the end-user, as 83% of

expanding files. To hold and to use, these

consumers told Wunderman Thompson that

products feel and perform no differently

they would always choose a brand with a

from their non-recycled counterparts, so

better sustainability record.

For offices and other workplaces, attracting and retaining talent also means doing more to be sustainable too. IBM’s recent Institute for Business Value study uncovered a growing interest in employees wanting to apply for, and accept, jobs from sustainable companies, with around twothirds stating they would be keener to work for such businesses.

Taking all this into account, it makes sense for dealers to offer a robust range of eco-friendly office products, and to help educate their customers on what’s out there to help them become more sustainable businesses. We’ve focused on some top products for modern offices that deliver on the sustainability credentials without losing functionality.

[30] MAY 2023

www.dealersupport.co.uk

ECO SOLUTIONS

Give dealers a cohesive, sustainable, message to pass on to their customers and encourage them to change their habits also

OFFER ALTERNATIVES TO VIRGIN PAPER There are very few paper suppliers today who do not offer a recycled alternative to virgin paper products. From paper reams to envelopes and sticky notes, there’s really no excuse to not embrace this evergrowing product range.

SALES SUCCESS

53% of UK businesses interviewed said they now have a greater focus on sustainability

Through its Scotch and Post-It brands, 3M brings us fully-recycled sticky notes, certified by PEFC, as well as sticky tape

donations going to the World Land Trust for

that uses bio-based materials. Packaging

international conservation.

used to send out products is 100% recycled

Over at Nemo Office Club, managing

cardboard, and even the tape that holds the

director Tim Beaumont likes to keep things

boxes together is paper, not plastic.

local in his low carbon paper options.

Antalis offers a wide range of paper types

Working with Durrell Wildlife Conservation

and weights with interesting eco credentials.

Trust, members can offset their carbon

Various paper types can be chosen to be

emissions by investing in a ‘Rewild Carbon’

100% recycled and FSC certified,

programme which reduces carbon in

and its offset papers take

the atmosphere by rewilding threatened

things a step further. The

ecosystems which are rich in wildlife.

firm’s ‘Carbon Balanced

“For dealers serious about spreading the

Paper’ range includes

message, the link with our own brand Our

carbon offset credits to

Earth copier paper – which contributes 20p

eliminate emissions from

from every box to Durrells also - gives them

paper use and printing, with

a cohesive, sustainable, message to pass on to their customers and encourage them to change their habits also,” he explains.

www.dealersupport.co.uk MAY 2023 [31]

SALES SUCCESS

ECO SOLUTIONS

83%

of consumers say they would always choose a brand with a better sustainability record

PUT PEN TO PAPER MORE SUSTAINABLY

of recycled products which use recycled

companies now offer compostable coffee

plastics in all the pens. Added to this, 80% of

pods which are compatible with many of the

The plastic pen is an office staple, but even

the products are refillable, giving customers

popular coffee machines and picking a Fair

this humble tool is getting an eco-friendly

the option to use the same pen for longer,

Trade coffee provider means the product is

makeover. Several pen brands have launched

rather than it ending up in the bin, and well-

ethically sound as well.

biodegradable plastic pens, made from

known art brand Faber-Castell now offers

Disposable cups can be more sustainable

natural materials so they can be broken

premium quality eco-pencils made from

too, but it’s important to note the differences

down by micro-organisms rather than

reforested wood.

in the terminology used by manufacturers

surviving for decades in landfill. Plant-based

Paper Mate has brought to market a

inks are also becoming more widespread,

completely biodegradable ball pen, which

put in compost bins, but will only degrade at

using soy or vegetable oil in place of

can be disposed of in the soil in your own

the same rate as paper would do; ‘recyclable’

traditional petroleum-based inks.

garden, completely degrading within a year

means they go through the same process

and creating nourishing compost. If you’re

as any other recycling. The gold standard is

really keen, there are some brands out

‘biodegradable’, which means the product is

there that offer plantable pens and pencils

made from entirely natural materials

containing wildflower seeds!

that will be naturally broken down by

Pilot have launched Begreen, a range

67%

of companies have already started using more sustainable materials and products in their offices

MAKE THE COFFEE BREAK ECO-FRIENDLY TOO

www.dealersupport.co.uk

micro-organisms.

There are many more eco-friendly office products out there to explore, and the list

Glass coffee jars are recyclable, but the

is growing all the time. The increasing

process to recycle glass is very carbon-

push for businesses to shout about their

intensive. A better alternative is to opt for

sustainable credentials means more of

metal coffee containers, which are far more

your customers will be willing to pay a

easily recycled, or can be repurposed into

little bit extra for these alternatives, so it

handy storage containers.

makes sense to familiarise yourself with the

For those using pod machines, several

[32] MAY 2023

and suppliers. ‘Compostable cups’ can be

options available.

AD

SALES SUCCESS

SENSIBLE PRICING

How much is your paper?

In a world where we all strive to provide the best customer service possible, it can be disheartening when it all comes down to price, as STEVE CARTER, MD, Advantia, explores

W

hat is the one

forward to seeing what the nightlife has to

question that most of

offer. So, when a friend or family member

us have been asked

returns from somewhere I haven’t yet been,

more times than we

and starts waxing lyrical about it, what is the

care to remember

first question I ask?

and, no doubt, will be

How much is a beer over there then?

asked numerous times in the future?

At this point I get a well-deserved roll of

How much is your paper?

the eyes and a look from my wife that has been

Sound familiar? How many people reading

perfected over 30 years of marriage - actually,

What do we do to avoid slipping back into old habits, where we are selling paper at cost, or giving it away?

this have now got a wry smile on their faces?

I think it was perfected after 30 minutes of

You may have been trying to explain how you

marriage! There is no rhyme or reason as to

can help a potential new customer take cost out

why I ask this question; it certainly doesn’t

of their supply chain, the extended product and

form any part in the decision-making as to

course, that is likely to come with further

service range that you can offer, or the general

whether or not we give the place a try. If the

cost reductions.

help and support that you can provide on a day-

whole package is appealing, then off we go - I

The challenge for us as an industry is

to-day basis, yet how many times does it come

am not going to let the cost of a beer have an

what do we do to avoid slipping back into

back to how much your paper is?

influence on the decision.

old habits, where we are selling paper at

I can’t help but wonder if this question

If you are still reading at this point,

cost, or giving it away? Do we really want

has been partly responsible for our industry

you have indeed humoured me, so thank

to go back to that? I don’t have an answer

selling paper well below it’s true value for such

you for that.

or, if I do, I can’t risk standing outside the

a long period of time; let’s face it, until the very

This time last year we were faced with

competition law headteacher’s office,with a

recent paper shortages we were often selling

paper shortages, rationing in some instances,

book shoved down the back of my trousers,

paper at cost, or even giving it away. I think, on

and a rapid increase in cost prices. The reasons

waiting for the inevitable.

occasions, there has been a misplaced belief that

behind what happened last year are well-

if we don’t sell paper at a ridiculously low cost,

documented, so I won’t go over old ground, but

supply chain deserves to make a fair margin

somebody up the road will, and it will be game

what a difference a year on!

so, as an industry, let’s pull together and try

over. Are people really going to make a decision based solely on how much your paper is?

We have seen a softening in cost prices and, in my opinion, these are now positioned

My view is that the whole paper

and be sensible.

One last thing before signing off. A big

at a more realistic level. Having been in

thank you to the whole team at Dealer Support

please humour me for a moment because

conversation with our paper merchant, I’m

for putting on a great event at Dealer Support

people in glass houses…

I am going to digress a little here, so

told that several European mills are now

LIVE. I know that a lot of planning and hard

I love my holidays abroad. I like to try

overstocked and will be looking to offload

work went into the event, the result of which

new places, see new cultures, and really look

paper, if they haven’t done so already and, of

was a very enjoyable and successful day.

[34] MAY 2023

www.dealersupport.co.uk

LIVE IT

TEABREAK

LIVE IT Life hack Ever wish you could remove highlighter marks from a book? Lemon juice fades highlighter enough to make it virtually undetectable. Cut a lemon in half and get some juice on a cotton swab. Run the swab over the highlighted text and watch the colour fade.

Bringing back baby giant anteaters Chester Zoo has said that the birth of a rare baby giant anteater is “incredibly positive news for the species”. BBC News has reported its arrival - only the third of its kind in the zoo’s 92-year history - which is part of an international breeding programme. Giant anteaters, which are native to Central and South America, are considered vulnerable to extinction, with numbers declining in the wild – they are on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List for species under threat; Chester Zoo team

CAPTION COMPETITION

manager David White said the birth was “a boost” to the protection of the endangered species. Born to Bliss (13), and Oso (9), the pup - which is yet to be named - currently measures about 60cm (2ft) and will reach up to 2.1m (7ft) in length when fully-grown.

Experts say the pup will now cling to its mum’s back for about 10 months, where its matching stripe on its fur will keep it safe and camouflaged until it is ready to walk, explore

TWEET CAPTIONS TO @DEALERSUPPORT

and find food independently.

Quote of the month If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it.

Laura Ingalls Wilder

[36] MAY 2023

www.dealersupport.co.uk

?

TEABREAK

Did you know?

The Philippines is made up of over 7,000 islands. It is an ‘archipelago’, which means it’s made up of a group of islands—7,641 islands, to be exact!

As reported by BBC News, the Hulk crashed a couple’s special day as they prepared for their wedding ceremony in New York’s Central Park. Actor Mark Ruffalo, who plays the Hulk in Marvel’s films, was passing by as Klaire Hodgson and Lynz Tanner from Gwynedd were preparing to tie the knot.

“I was like, ‘No, that’s not going to be Mark Ruffalo. He’s not going to be walking through at the time of my wedding’,” said Lynz.

But he stopped to pose f or pictures and to wish them well, she added.

The newlyweds made a spontaneous decision to get married after Klaire, 36, flew to a conference in San Francisco and then on to an event in New York where Lynz, 28, joined her.

PUB QUIZ

1. When did Big Brother first air on Channel 4?

2. Who was the first presenter of the X Factor in the UK? 3. Which actor played the Ninth Doctor in Doctor Who? 4. The Simpsons was the spin-off show of which American sketch series?

5. Gillian Anderson plays a therapist in which hit Netflix show?

Answers: 1. 2000 2. Kate Thornton 3. Christopher Eccleston 4. The Tracey Ullman Show 5. Sex Education

An unexpected wedding THUMBS UP! crasher

LIVE IT

Knock me down with a feather RIDING HIGH A BMX rider has performed tricks on a floating skatepark more than 2,000ft (610 metres) above the ground, Sky News has reported. Kriss Kyle, 31, described it as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”. The British rider completed the world-first stunt, called ‘Don’t Look Down’, when he rode around a custom-made bowl suspended by a hot air balloon. The balloon set off from Charlton Park Estate in Wiltshire and flew about 30 miles over the Cotswolds before touching down. Kyle performed several highly technical BMX tricks in the short time window and achieved the feat while wearing a parachute and contending with a constantly swinging bowl. Kyle said the idea of a floating skatepark came to him whilst out mountain biking with his dogs in lockdown, and he then pitched the idea to his manager at Red Bull.

www.dealersupport.co.uk

MAY 2023 [37]

LIVE IT

F A T H E R P. C L I P

Bringing hope, peace and unity to the good brethren of business supplies Father P discusses electric cars, a paperless office, and how global warming can only be a good thing – for angry Bernard, at least

T

he whole environmental green movement has never been for us. We’ve been on to them from the start, sending us emails and trying to tell us that it’s important for the planet. We in the village know that it’s just another way for them to line their own pockets and buy another one of their electric cars which run you down because you can’t hear them when you come out of the pub.

Even if we tried to sell their ‘green’ products, the customers in the village wouldn’t buy them. They cost more for a start and the recycled paper is browner than the ceiling in Mrs O’Reilly’s office which has been witness to 60 fags a day for the last 50 years. In fact, it was around that time that the first idea of a paperless office was muted and if anything we are selling more paper than we ever did!

[38] MAY 2023

www.dealersupport.co.uk

Since the paper shortages and price hikes, customers can’t get enough of it.

It’s almost as if they think it’s going to run out. Isn’t it funny how customers like to order the products you have trouble getting hold of? It’s like they have a ‘one thing you haven’t got’ magnet. I’m sure they can see into our system and check out which product the wholesaler has decided we aren’t allowed to have this month.

Our warehouse manager, angry Bernard, says that global warming can only be a good thing for us as it’ll stop it being so cold and miserable in the village. He longs for long walks in the

sunshine with his dog, angry Rover, and says if it gets any warmer, he’ll jump into the village lake and maybe have a look at some of the old toners and machines we dump there instead of taking them to the recycling centre.

Of course, sometimes we all have to stop and think about our actions and the damage we are doing to our planet but that’s for another day isn’t it…? After all we’ve got plenty of time left to fix things.

I just hope it doesn’t get too hot or I’ll have to go commando under my cassock which isn’t much fun for anyone when there’s a strong wind.

The recycled paper is browner than the ceiling in Mrs O’Reilly’s office which has been witness to 60 fags a day for the last 50 years

FINAL WORD

LIVE IT

Staying sustainable despite inflation RICHARD WELLS, head of office print sales at Epson UK, explains why it is important retain a sustainable business model during a period of inflation

I

Richard Wells

Head of office print sales, Epson UK

nflation. That’s certainly

years building trust with; this approach is

one word that doesn’t

likely not only to demotivate them, it will

seem like it will be going

devalue your proposition and reduce the

mention that it will only serve to damage

anywhere any time soon.

dual-focused attention that you’re able to give

your reputation and environmental

When inflation

end-users as an indirect sales organisation.

credentials too. Similarly, unnecessarily

looms, this prompts businesses to review

Another mistake businesses easily

upselling may result in a few quick wins

where they can cut costs – and being able

make is compromising the training and

but will also increase customer churn

to cut costs without compromising the

development of employees who have shown

rates in the future. Customers want quality

key foundations of the business is what

commitment to the organisation; as soon as

solutions tailored to their business needs,

can, ultimately, lead to a more sustainable

you degrade their career development in any

and will get tired of always being asked to

business model - one based on a robust and

way, you’re also depriving your customers of a

part with more cash.

environmentally-friendly value proposition

potentially better service.

which is fundamental for businesses in addressing inflation.

However bad the economy, businesses

The good news is that there are plenty of other methods that can be employed

must never chase profits by compromising

to achieve a healthier balance sheet.

product quality - cheaper product alternatives

Diversifying revenue streams through a

waste, and increased circular economy in the

may cut costs in the short term but will end

wider product and service offering that

supply chain will cut costs and downtime – it

up costing more in the long-run due to the

complement your business model and

will also create a more sustainable brand for

extra aftersales support required, not to

employee skillsets will not only make you

This isn’t just because low emissions, low

your customers and employees that they can

more resilient to the threat of sudden

really see a future with. Addressing how to

changes in demand, but will also enable you

reduce emissions in your supply chain is also a great way to optimise supply chain efficiency another key tactic for cutting costs.

Cultivating, rather than competing with, your reseller network is another thing that also shouldn’t be overlooked. There is a temptation during times of economic uncertainty to widen your reseller network and compete with partners that you’ve spent

Businesses must never chase profits by compromising product quality

to cross-sell on larger opportunities and, ultimately, sustain more business.

Some compromise is inevitable, but it shouldn’t need to be at the expense of the customer or the environment. Together, we must work to prioritise sustainable practices that are beneficial for both the planet and consumers and, most importantly, are able to ride the wave of inflation.

www.dealersupport.co.uk

MAY 2023 [39]

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2020 VISION New products and categories OEMS AND MPS How are OEMS helping sell MPS?

PHIL JONES Brother UK’s MD talks learning and leadership

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Konica Minolta: going ever greener Fellowes new LX Series micro-cut shredders are thoughtfully designed with patented IntelliBar™ responsive technology.

SELLING INTO THE EDUCATION MARKET – HOW TO FIND YOUR EDGE

SELLING Go2 SUCCESSFULLY IN THE ECOMMERCE ENVIRONMENT

How can dealers make the most of this burgeoning market?

Advice from Ben Jarvis at ECI Software Solutions

EXERTIS SUPPLIES: SIMPLICITY www.fellowes.com IS THE KEY TO BRILLIANCE

Why Andrew Beaumont believes a simple business model is most effective

SPICERS: A TALE OF TRANSFORMATION

We sit down with Steve Morley who fills us in on a rollercoaster three years

MARKETING

FLEXING Why now isTO theSUPPORT time DIVERSIFICATION - INSIDE NECTERE

Steve Harrop gives us the lowdown on all the changes that have been happening

Shred with maximum micro-cut security Shred more, empty less with a waste bin capacity of up to 150% more sheets

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DELIVERING WHAT’S BEEN PROMISED Steve McKeever’s advice

for dealers HowShred the with printing is pivoting to new revenue optimal business efficiency streams losing of its green goals The next levelwithout of performance and sight robust quality

ALTERNATIVES TO TRADITIONAL CONSUMABLES

We get under the skin of the options available, and whether they are any good

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TRANSFORMING THE CHANNEL IN 2020 Predictions from Phil Jones

Shred 100% jam free

from the global leader in shredders.

DRIVING CHANGE Inside the newly-launched

EMPOWERING DEALERS THROUGH WORKING TOGETHER

Office Friendly on the benefits of working as a community

GREEN EDITION

EDUCATION

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STEVE WEEDON

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Insight Edition EVERY KIND is here!

OF CUSTOMER Sustainable, straightforward, long-lasting products trusted by businesses customers at home and in the workplace for over 100 years; in the channel and our full report detailing the much-anticipated name, BANKERS BOX® is better in every way. A household and a family business since 1917, built on enduring values andour ‘voice of the dealer’ survey results from manufactured with advanced techniques. Backed by engaging IT PREDICTIONS FOR 2020 omni-channel marketing, effective customer support and a range What to expect for the year ahead intended to make category management simple. They’re much more than just boxes – they’re made for life.

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CHASING NET ZERO: THE UKOS JOURNEY SO FAR

Ian Haywood, MD of UKOS, provides insight on the progress to date

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Making your way FOR in a ECO SOLUTIONS lucrative sector MODERN OFFICES

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