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Environmental Push
A Zest
For The
Planet
Left: One of the card designs from Otter House’s What On Earth range, that raises money for the Marine Conservation Society. Below middle: Developing a plastic-free alternative for its box calendars was one of the early improvements made by Carousel on the environmental front. Below: A detailed leaflet produced for its whole team detailing the group’s environmental improvements. Bottom: A snapshot from a recent Zest meeting. (Top left to bottom right) Steve Plackett (md of Carousel Calendars), Jakki Brown (PG); Michelle JenningsMartin (head of product of Otter House), David Pike (group md), Rod Dand (buyer of Calendar Club) and Andy Ellis (group facilities manager).
Steve Plackett, md of Carousel Calendars clearly remembers the day, a few years ago, when David Pike, Zebra’s group md (which includes Carousel, Otter House and Calendar Club) came into his office and asked: “How do we, as a group, become carbon neutral?” This question prompted the setting up of Zest, a steering committee with a far-reaching commitment to improving not just the group’s environmental credentials, but a campaign involving its suppliers, peers and whole industries. PG Zoomed in to join the latest Zest meeting to find out the latest on the group’s green scene. While best known for its stronghold in the calendar world, which spans both manufacturing and distribution through Carousel Calendars and the Great Big Calendar Collection as well as retailing through Calendar Club UK, that is far from the full picture of the group, which also includes its portfolio of stationery, jigsaws, homewares, gifts and greeting cards through Otter House. Moreover, its reputation on the licensing front, working with all manner of leading brands to well-known artists, as well as collaborations with numerous charities, further widens its sphere of influence. Relative to its size and breadth, the Zebra group has never really been a ‘noisy’ business, but now, the Exeter-based company feels compelled to speak up for the planet, share the changes it has made on the environmental front, seek solutions from other businesses and encourage other companies to join in its quest. “We have started our journey and have made progress in the ways we do things and the products we produce but have set ourselves some tough targets. Though we still have some way to go to achieving these, improving the health of the planet is all of 56
PROGRESSIVE GREETINGS WORLDWIDE
our responsibilities, while of course continuing to run a commercial business,” said Steve Plackett, md of Carousel Calendars and chair of Zest, an acronym for Zebra Environmental Steering Team. Steve is joined on the regular Zest meetings by Michelle Jennings-Martin (who
heads up the Otter House product team); Rob Dand (buyer for Calendar Club), Andy Ellis (facilities manager) and David Pike (group md). While many companies have taken the decision to offset their carbon emissions by purely paying their dues to carbon offset companies, this was not the approach Zebra wanted to take. “We felt the best way for us to become carbon neutral was by first making as many changes to the way we do things, from the energy we use in our premises, to the plastic reduction in our products as well as by encouraging our suppliers, both on the manufacturing side as well as the companies we deal with through Calendar Club, to come on board too,” said Steve. Less than two years into the formation of Zest and progress has certainly been made. On the operational front, facilities manager Andy Ellis confirms that the group has driven the energy reduction measures, including a shift to LED lighting, more electric/hybrid cars, as well as a zero carbon electricity contract from July this year. The pages of the recently published Otter House catalogue are a tribute to the extent of the changes on the card, stationery and gift side.