Datagraphic is at the forefront of providing eco-friendly mailing solutions through our environmental commitments, ethical supply chains, and sustainable sourcing. We have re-engineered our direct operations to be carbon-neutral and align with the world’s largest sustainability initiatives. As a B Corp Certified business, our conscious procurement choices help clients select materials that reduce their climate impact.
In this article, we look at the benefits to clients of selecting fully recyclable or biodegradable window film envelopes.
Using windowed envelopes in postal correspondence
Despite a shift by consumers to paperless digital communications, physical printed letters are still essential for many recipients. Our Aceni clients send a range of time-sensitive documents, such as customer utility and council tax bills, hospital appointment letters, employee payslips and P60s. Given the amount of mail sent, for efficiency in enclosing the letters, all of these documents are placed in envelopes containing film windows.
Can you recycle windowed envelopes?
Window envelopes often attract questions regarding how recyclable they are. Environmentally conscious organisations want to understand the composition of materials used as part of a circular economy and waste reduction initiatives.
At Datagraphic, we advocate that clients use fully recyclable envelopes as a standard. Not all envelopes are recyclable, but ours are. Our envelopes are supplied by Encore, the most certified envelope manufacturer in the UK, for their environmental and sustainability standards. The standard window envelope film used in Encore envelopes meets the BSI PAS 2020 recyclability standard and complies with European postal regulations.
The envelopes go into circulation, are placed in recycling bins, and ultimately reach recycling centres. At this point, the paper and recyclable plastic components are separated, processed, recycled and reused. Therefore, by making the decision to use recyclable envelopes, Datagraphic can support clients’ ESG goals. Clients know their mail is easy to recycle and their environmental footprint is smaller.
Calculating plastic consumption
When working with clients to support their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals, at Datagraphic we strive to find innovative ways to improve their performance.
One example is sourcing and using envelopes for a client who wanted to remove all plastic from their mailings. We sourced a biodegradable window film which could be re-pulped with the paper during recycling. Our team also designed a plastic savings calculator to help calculate how much plastic this initiative saved compared to traditional window envelopes.
Paul Francis, Business Development Manager, was the team member to pioneer this initiative with one of his utility clients, developing, testing, and delivering entirely biodegradable envelopes. Compared to a non-biodegradable envelope, the envelope with a biodegradable glassine window film saved the client 777 kg of plastic from their mailing process in year one.
Paul comments: “As a team, we devised this innovation to help our client address the environmental impact of plastic in their mailing process. This initiative not only met the client’s Key Performance Indicator (KPIs) for environmental gains, it certainly provided a talking point at the annual review presentation when we explained we’d helped them save the weight of 1.5 adult male polar bears in plastic!”
Datagraphic’s approach to ESG and social impact
As a business, we have focused on sustainability for a long time. Our commitment extends beyond offering fully recyclable and biodegradable envelopes. We have incorporated responsible business practices throughout our entire value chain. From sourcing sustainable materials to minimising waste and energy consumption, we’ve analysed every aspect of our business.
We are committed to being net zero across our entire value chain, which is why we work closely with our partners like Encore and our clients.
Since 2016, we’ve built and continue to develop a robust plan covering decarbonisation, energy and environmental management. Our carbon reduction targets are independently approved and validated by the Science Based Targets initiative,
So far, we’ve hit some impressive milestones:
- We’ve achieved B Corp Certification – the highest standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
- We can run our operations entirely with sunlight installed solar panels.
- We’ve invested in new equipment to reduce energy consumption and waste whilst simultaneously increasing production capacity.
- We are signatories of The Climate Pledge.
- We’ve aligned our goals with the UN Global Compact.
- We use credible offsets for all residual emissions.
Conclusion
Fully recyclable and biodegradable envelopes are just one step in a range of measures Datagraphic provides to create a more sustainable future for customer and employee communications.
Datagraphic is leading the way in providing sustainable mailing solutions that benefit the triple bottom line: profit, people, and the planet. By choosing Datagraphic, your organisation aligns with a company that shares its values and prioritises environmental responsibility.
Read about social impact at Datagraphic.
