Environment
Directory production and recycling
All our directories are made with very low weight paper (34-36 gsm) and in the UK they currently contain an average of 60% recycled fibre content. In Spain, our Páginas Amarillas directories include 45% recycled fibre. The remaining virgin fibre used in the paper production process is derived from sustainably managed forests, so that when a tree is harvested, new trees are always replanted.
Nine years ago we made the decision to use a yellow surface colour ink wash in our UK directories, rather than paper dyed yellow, which has made the recycling process for local authorities easier. Back in 2008, we reduced the intensity of the colour ink wash further to enable all UK newsprint mills to now accept the old directories into their recycling mix to create new newsprint.
In order for our recycling to be successful, we of course rely on the will of individual users and the appropriate local recycling infrastructure to enable them to participate. On a day to day basis, we include recycling information in relevant classifications in all our directories across the Group, including what, where and how to recycle. 99% of UK councils now accept old directories in kerbside programmes and 100% of UK councils offer some form of directory recycling option – be that local paper recycling banks, schools-based collections schemes, or via kerbside recycling programmes.
Additionally, we have given much time and effort to further increase the efficiency of our production processes. In June 2010, we started rolling out a new smaller directory across the UK in response to consumers who said they would prefer this to the traditional A4 size. Coupled with a potential increase in usage, this will provide further benefit to local businesses whilst at the same time reducing Yell’s annual paper consumption from directory production by around 15%.
Over the last two years, Yellowbook has rolled out a new smaller directory across the majority of our delivery areas as part of our commitment to minimising the resources used in our directories. As a result of this change, we worked alongside our printing partner to invest in new equipment to ensure we could efficiently produce the smaller books. This new equipment results in very little waste from the production process and in the last two years we have reduced paper consumption through these new smaller directories by 29%. The smaller directory also means we need fewer lorries to deliver them, and in the last year we have used 35% less lorry trips for delivery.
Find out more about the production of our directories in our Yell UK, Yellowbook and Yell Publicidad operations by reading our sustainability story, accessible from the downloads section on the right hand side of this page.
Improving standards across our sector
Yell is also striving to improve standards across our sector as one of the founding members of the Professional Publishers Association (PPA), formerly the Data Publishers Association (DPA). The PPA represents data and directory publishers in the UK. The directory sector is itself worth over £1bn to the UK economy, and helped generate over £55 billion last year for businesses appearing in them. In March 2009, the PPA produced the first ever industry-wide Sustainability Code of Practice for managing the environmental impact of ‘Business to Consumer’ (B2C) printed directory production and distribution, setting a number of environmental aims and objectives. It also details methods of measuring and reviewing environmental performance against these aims and objectives. There have been significant improvements leading to full compliance from all signatories on every measure of the Code and as an industry we achieved an aggregate directory recycling rate of 79%, this is greater than the current DEFRA Waste Strategy Target of 70%.
One of the core requirements of the Code of Practice is that the PPA shall produce and make available on its website an Annual Sustainability Report by no later than July for the prior calendar year. The 2010/11 Annual Sustainability Report is in the downloads section on the right hand side of this page.
The publishers of B2C printed directories are industry leaders in sustainable production. However we are not resting on our laurels and are seeking to yet further reduce our environmental footprint as an industry. The document, 'Delivering sustainable directories' explores the value directories provide to the UK economy. It sets out how publishers are continuing to play their part in working with local authorities and consumers to further improve environmental performance. You can find it in the downloads section on the right hand side of this page.
Woodland Trust – Comment
Clive Anderson, President of the Woodland Trust, said: "Yell and the Woodland Trust have enjoyed a long and successful partnership which by 2011 will have lasted for ten years. In that time Yell has helped the Trust promote woodland conservation, particularly through tree-planting campaigns such as Woods on your Doorstep. This Millennium project involved thousands of local communities raising money to design and plant their own woods. Yell has donated over £630,000 – equivalent to the cost of planting 29 hectares of new woodland – enough to cover about 75 football pitches."
Reducing our impact in our offices
We have recently moved into our new head office at One Reading Central, in Reading, Berkshire – continuing our 30 year history in the town. Bringing people from our three Reading offices and our Slough office together into one location has provided us with significant operational efficiency, as well as achieving a BREEAM (British Research Establishment) ‘very good’ rating and a SKA silver rating from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. The open plan work space includes energy saving designs such as intelligent lights that shine dimly or brightly depending on the amount of sunlight available, and a reduction of computer technology on desks which generate heat.
Yell UK has been registered to the environmental standard ISO 14001 since 1998 and our two offices in Madrid have been registered to ISO 14001 since 2007. We aim to roll out registration to the standard in all our Spanish offices by 2012. Our environment policies for all our operations show our commitment to reducing, reusing and recycling resources. In our Spanish offices we promote good green habits among our people by reminding them regularly of the benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling waste. In the last year we have reduced energy consumption by 17% and water consumption by 33% in our offices.
In 2008 we introduced a Green Fleet Initiative to the Car Ownership Scheme within Yell UK, with the aim to reduce the overall emissions level of the fleet. Since the initiative came into force we have reduced our average emissions by 25%, placing us ahead of reduction targets.
Climate change
Yell operates in the media sector and is classified as a low impact company with regards to climate change. Since 1998, we have reduced our total CO2 operational emissions in the UK by 50%. In the last 12 months we have reduced Group CO2 emissions by 5%. We aim to reduce our Group emissions by a further 5% by 2012.