At Route 1 Print, we’re proud to have received certification from Achilles, the UK’s only accredited GHG (Greenhouse Gas) Certification Scheme that as part of the Carbon Zero programme, we are Carbon Neutral!

Having partnered with the Achilles Carbon Reduction programme, we have calculated our Carbon Footprint, using approved methodology that is verified by Achilles auditors in accordance with ISO 14064. This allowed us to source verified Gold Standard Carbon Credits, in turn, offsetting our existing Carbon Footprint, which helped us to achieve our Carbon Neutral status for 2020-2021.

This means that we’re a more sustainable business than ever before! It also means that our customers can ensure their businesses are also more carbon conscious by choosing to use us as their trade printer.

Keep reading to discover more about Achilles and what our plans are for the future of Route 1 Print’s sustainability.

What is Achilles?

Achilles are a partner organisation who provide us with guidance, tools and access to software that can be used to translate our greenhouse gas data into a verified Carbon Footprint. Achilles’ range of tools and resources support us in setting real and achievable goals to help us manage our emissions to reduce environmental impact. Through an arranged and independent audit, we’re then able to verify that our results are accurate and complete and in accordance with ISO 14064-1. The annual cycle requires targets to be set, and progress to be reported on to sustain a journey of continual reduction!

What Achilles Do

Working with Achilles, we focus on two programmes,

1.    Carbon Reduce Scheme

Here, we calculate our carbon footprint against scopes 1,2 and 3, and look to map our reductions, creating a plan that will help us maintain our certificate.

2.    Net Carbon Zero Scheme

Built on to the carbon reduce scheme, we purchase gold standard offsets through The Carbon Zero scheme to match the value of our annual Carbon footprint; Gold Standard was developed by WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) and are now the second largest verifier of Carbon credits globally. The Gold Standard sets strict criteria that must be met in order for a project to be certified to ensure that the quoted Carbon is being removed from the atmosphere.

What We Do

At Route 1 Print, we set SMART targets for our reductions, putting in place plans for how we will do it. Using Achilles, we’re able to collect the data we need to calculate our emissions inventory to prepare for reports and verification for public disclosure. The steps we take to make sure we’re a compliant trade printer are;

Measure – We measure our greenhouse can emissions so we’re better able to manage them. We measure everything across our offices and factory, including waste.

Manage – We manage and reduce our emissions at the source such as switching to renewable electricity and championing our war on waste campaign. We also store data and run reports from Achilles software monthly so we’re able to monitor and meet our targets.

Verify – Achilles will then verify our inventory in accordance with international standards like ISO 14064-1 using their qualified independent auditors.

Mitigate – Although this step is optional, we don’t skip it. We offset our unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions to become carbon neutral through the purchase of carbon credits.

Market – Once accredited we’re able to showcase our achievements, and so are you!

What This Means for Our Team

With 2023 rolling in, we’ll be ready to decide on how we plan to offset our next carbon credits. To ensure accuracy, we backdate our offsets, so we know exactly how much we have used. We’ll be looking to offset our carbon for 2021/22 in the coming weeks!

At Route 1 Print we look for ethical offsets that are beneficial for both people and the environment.. Using gold standard, we’re able to create value for people around the world and the planet we share. To make sure we choose the right offset for us, we put it to our employees. We create a shortlist of offsets for our team to choose from internally, allowing them to research the causes and pick the one that they feel most passionate about!

What This Means for You

We’re all about keeping you in the loop because our factory is your factory. We want to consistently communicate our progress to you so you’re confident we’re doing everything we can to make you and your customer’s print buying experience is sustainable as possible.

We share our sustainability strategy because we believe transparency is incredibly important. Greenwashing isn’t in our nature, instead, we make ethical considerations for our offsets and invest in green technology for the future of print.

Want to discover more about our sustainable printing? Take a look at our sustainability page and explore more about our war on waste, recycled product range and certifications, or why not read our blog Your Sustainable Print Partner to learn more about our plans for a sustainable future?