Visual Print and Design has been admitted as a member of the Forest Stewardship Council’s (FSC) Chain of Custody Group Scheme. The admittance, which follows an ‘intensive auditing process,’ means that the Lincoln-based print and design company is now able to process FSC certified projects produced internally as well as in partnership with those of its suppliers who are also certified.
Since its foundation in 1993, FSC has certified approximately 213 million hectares of forests worldwide, with around 40% of British forests coming under that total. The FSC Chain-of-Custody certification traces the path of products from forests through the supply chain, verifying that FSC-certified materials are identified or kept separated from non-certified materials throughout.
While Visual Print and Design has been using sustainably sourced paper stock in its production for several years, to achieve the FSC standard a stringent and thorough audit of its supply chain was required to ensure that all criteria were met. The group certification has been specifically designed for the certification of independent small enterprises and it means that these businesses have easier access to FSC certification by sharing the costs of certification and benefiting from technical support and control provided by a central office function.
Visual Print and Design’s managing director Graham Hunstone commented, ‘Environmental sustainability is one of our top corporate priorities at Visual Print and Design and being able to offer sustainable alternatives for our customers is an important part of our commitment to the planet. We would like to thank the team at Print and Media Certification for all their support through the auditing process as well as funding provided by the City of Lincoln Council that made this possible.’
