According to Kristina Holdorf, environmental print consultant, Urban Fresh is geared to offer practical, cost effective advice to printers, graphic designer’s, corporate and government bodies wishing to implement or improve Green Procurement Procedures (GPP) and set up internal Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
Holdorf recently resigned from KW Doggett Fine Paper as Victorian specifications manager, and set up the new business in response to the increasing awareness in the industry for the need to comply with environmentally-friendly manufacturing procedures. She believes most printers today do not have the time to research changes in legislation or new developments to improve Environmental Management Systems and therefore do not need an environmental manager.
“My back ground is paper and after 14 years in the trade I have seen a lot of changes, in particular the area of ‘environmental sustainability’. As more and more companies are looking to improve their corporate and social responsibility, they are looking at what and how they print. While working as specifications manager and environmental officer for KW Doggett Fine Paper, I came across government departments and corporate companies wanting a greener image but didn’t know where to start,” says Holdorf.
“In any industry that requires change, it needs to start within, amongst staff and management. Some people have the belief that if they stick that little recycled symbol on a project or write “printed on recycled paper” they are doing wonders for they environment but as we know there’s more to it. We are finding there is widespread interest among stakeholders, including organisations, government, consumers, and the public, that organisations should respect the social, economic, and environmental dimensions that make up sustainable development, and behave in an ethical manner.”
Holdorf says a typical client who enlists Urban Fresh’s services could expect the company to offer advice on paper stocks with the correct environmental information, and provide insight on tendering that include Green Procurement Procedures. Following this, Urban Fresh would help the printer set up an EMS for their business by implementing or complimenting their current GPP and supply chain activities to ensure continual improvement while working with the printer and their suppliers, providing them with greener options whilst remaining cost effective.
So far, Holdorf has been inundated with inquiries from the corporate sector, and has had a very positive response from suppliers and printers who have shown support for her initiative in this growing area.
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