MANOR CREATIVE, Investor in People and Technology

• Environmental
• CSR
• Health & Safety
• Equal Opportunities
• Manor Earth

Manor Creative is a full-service design and print company. Our on site administrative and production processes consume energy, raw materials and other resources and produce wastes, effluents and emissions.

Our ongoing strategy is to steadily reduce our impact on the environment in all aspects of our operations. Employees and suppliers are kept informed of our progress, the implications of our new environmental initiatives as well as their responsibilities regarding environmental procedures and requirements.

Our policy is implemented and achieved by the following key indicators:

• As a minimum, we will comply with and where practical exceed, the requirements of all relevant UK environmental regulations.
• We are establishing an Environmental Management System via phased implementation of BS8555 (and a commitment to achieving ISO 14001).
• We manage our material use and waste stream to reduce the impact on landfill disposal and maximise recycling or re-use.
• We ensure that all waste is removed and safely disposed of only by licensed contractors.
• Energy and water supplies are metered allowing us to monitor consumption and deploy reduction methods through appropriate action plans.
• Our production processes are monitored to minimise any environmental impact and the prevention of pollution and discharge.
• We ensure correct usage of all substances in accordance with COSHH regulations.
• We conduct regular audits and have training programs in the safe use of hazardous or toxic substances.
• Adoption of this policy maintains our commitment to continually seeking improvements to our environmental performance through achievable objectives.
• We review this policy regularly, setting appropriate targets and allocating resources where necessary.

These core values illustrate our commitment to the environment and Low Carbon Economy which are explained fully in our business sustainability pledge document entitled "Manor Earth".

Our Business

Manor Creative is a responsible, ethical organisation and a reliable business partner.

Our Corporate Social Responsibility policy covers a large range of issues such as governance, responsible sourcing, eco-efficiency, environmental management, high labour standards and effective employee and community relations.

We constantly review and adopt innovative working practises.

Our Customers

• We believe our customers value their reputation and have similar ethics to that of Manor Creative.
• By adherence to our quality control policy we minimise the risk of our products or services compromising our customer's reputation.
• We believe in long term partnerships and respond quickly to the changing needs and expectations of our customers.
• We believe in forming close relationships with our customers.

Our Suppliers

• We regard our suppliers as partners and work with them to achieve our customers' aspirations in the delivery of products and services.
• We endeavour to source products from ethical businesses with appropriate accreditations and help support those investing in processes to achieve those aims.
• We monitor supplier performance and promise to discuss any issues in a timely manner.

Our Employees

• As an established and respected business we are proud of our experienced, motivated and committed team.
• We acknowledge that the success of our business relies upon the quality and enthusiasm of all our staff.
• All employees are issued with a manual outlining the Company's policies providing clear and fair terms of employment.
• Ongoing training is provided internally and externally to promote continual personal and professional development.
• We are a transparent organisation and keep staff fully informed by the dissemination of information, there is a structure in place which encourages employee feedback.
• We ensure that our staff are protected through the operation of a safe working environment.
• Through our staff initiatives and policies we are proud to have achieved the Investors In People (IIP) status.

Our Commitment to the Environment

Manor Creative takes its environmental responsibilities seriously by assessing and managing our activities closely, by the adoption of new processes and working methods, by reducing our energy consumption, waste management, recycling and the reduction of emissions.

Our objective is to minimise the impact of our business on the environment and actively support both UK and overseas environmental and ecological projects. These core values illustrate our commitment to the Low Carbon Economy and are explained in more detail within our business sustainability pledge entitled "Manor Earth".

We actively share this documentation with our customers and suppliers to encourage a similar ethos.

Our Involvement with Local Communities

• We operate responsibly to meet legal business requirements.
• We encourage recruitment of skilled local people.
• We support local charities and associations.
• We promote close relationships with local schools by providing vocational experience placements.

Our Strategy

We are a committed equal opportunities employer.

We ensure that no job applicant or employee will be victimised, harassed or discriminated against on the grounds of age, gender, religion or ethnic origin.

We are committed to providing equal access to training and promotion opportunities within the company regardless of age, gender, religion or ethnic origin.

We are committed to giving full, fair and sympathetic consideration to applications from disabled people and will judge them by their abilities rather than their disabilities.

The overall responsibility for our equal opportunities policy and its implementation is held by the CEO.

Manor Creative recognise that businesses are under increasing pressure regarding environmental stewardship from regulators, stakeholders, customers, insurers, the local community and employees.

As part of our wider Corporate Social Responsibility policy, covering a range of issues such as governance, responsible sourcing, eco-efficiency, environmental management, stakeholder consultation, labour standards and employee and community relations, Manor Creative takes a responsible position by assessing and managing our activities, by adopting new processes and working methods, by reducing our energy consumption, managing waste, recycling and the reduction of emissions.

INTRODUCING OUR "MANOR EARTH" PLEDGE

Our objective is to minimise the impact of our business on the environment, see our pledge (entitled "Manor Earth").

We work with our customers and suppliers to combat climate change, by reducing waste, conserving natural resources, trading ethically and developing a sustainable business.

We always source products from businesses with similar ethics to our own so we are able to advise clients on methods and materials, from "eco-friendly" inks to the best recycled paper.

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY INKS

We use as standard, inks which are vegetable based (such as corn, walnut, coconut, linseed, canola and soya). These inks are a renewable resource conserving finite petroleum supplies without compromising quality, they have negligible solvent content, reducing VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions from > 30% to as low as 2%.

Additionally, soya and vegetable based inks ease the removal from waste paper during the preparatory de-inking process for recycling.

PROCESS-LESS PLATE SYSTEM

From January 2008 we will be using the Fuji Pro-T process-less plate system further reducing water consumption and the need for chemical usage and disposal.

WATER CONSERVATION

Being located in the South East of England we have a special interest in water conservation. Water metering allows us to monitor consumption and introduce savings where practicable and we are looking to implement a recycling system for general use.

MANAGED FORESTS

Paper used by Manor Creative comes from managed forests where the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) or similar body audits the woodland. FSC auditing means the forest has been managed in an environmentally appropriate, economically viable and socially beneficial manner. We can also offer recycled paper options to customers.

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Based upon the principle of sustainable business, the core values of "Manor Earth" can be summarised by the following 10 environmental action points:

1) To reduce waste from the printing process - through the application of good working practice and appropriate use of technology

As a result, the environment benefits from less waste, and improved efficiency gives you better pricing from Manor Creative.

2) To encourage the reduction of waste and recycling of all products generated by our production and administration processes

We have points in all our offices for paper waste, while off cuts from production and cardboard waste are stored and collected for recycling. Plastic and metal containers, including vending cups, are also collected for re-use and recycling.

3) To reduce or eliminate the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other harmful agents from the printing process

All our inks are vegetable oil based and have minimal solvent content. From 2008 we will have intalled Fuji Pro-T process-less plates, further reducing our emissions.

4) To reduce our energy consumption - through the adoption of appropriate working practices and technologies

We are committed to investing in energy reduction methods, and work with specialist energy consultants (such as the Carbon Trust) to reduce and develop appropriate courses of action for our business.

5) To be Carbon Neutral. From September 2007, we will have achieved Carbon Neutrality by offsetting the residual CO2 we generate as a business

Manor Creative have partnered with Carbon Clear to measure our Carbon Footprint, minimise our carbon emissions through energy saving practices and to offset the unavoidable residue.

We invest in projects that improve living standards in developing countries, while providing global climate benefits. As part of our overall strategy to reduce and use energy more efficiently, we use offsetting as a way to compensate for the everyday emissions still produced.

Offsetting works by investing in emission reduction or energy efficient projects that result in lowering global CO2 levels. The CO2 that has been prevented or removed by these projects balances the carbon dioxide that our business activities generate.

As greenhouse gases have a long life-span and tend to mix evenly in the atmosphere it doesn't matter where gases are emitted in the world: the effect on climate change is the same.

The poorest developing countries will be hit hardest by climate change and by investing in these areas now it can lead to the spread of low-carbon development across entire regions, further reducing climate change impact whilst improving living standards.

6) Cutting Carbon in the supply chain - we offset the inevitable CO2 emissions generated by the despatch and delivery of goods

As an integral part of our Carbon Neutrality policy, we have developed a method of banding that allows us to calculate the CO2 generated by delivering goods to our clients anywhere in the UK. In addition, the majority of our despatches are made using national carriers, therefore maximising efficiencies in logistics.

As a result of our actions, you can be safe in the knowledge we are taking positive steps to make your goods as environmentally friendly as possible - from production to your doorstep.

7) To provide accountability for paper supplies - by using FSC & PEFC approved stocks by sourcing products that are accredited to sustainable plantation schemes (such as FSC and PEFC) we are ensuring our paper supplies are from well-managed forests.

In addition to this we are committed to implementing a Chain of Custody programme to provide official certification for goods produced by Manor Creative.

8) To source paper that is both recycled and chlorine free

As part of our Chain of Custody process we can advise on the properties of any paper. For example we can source and supply 100% PCW (post consumer waste) paper think recycle bins, or regular recycled paper (which uses mill waste).

Our paper is identified as either PCF (process chlorine free) recycled paper, TCF (totally chlorine free) which uses pulp from virgin wood or ECF (Elemental Chlorine Free).

Processed chlorine free (PCF) is manufactured without adding chlorine or chlorine derivatives. PCF is used on post consumer recycled paper, so if chlorine was used in the manufacture of the original product, it's still in the finished paper to a certain extent.

Totally chlorine free (TCF) means there is no chlorine or chlorine derivatives used to make the paper, which means the paper must come from virgin fibre, including alternatives from sources other than trees.

Elemental chlorine free (ECF) means instead of chlorine gas, chlorine derivatives are used, which is a process that is used in both virgin and recycled paper products.

The treated wastewater, from well-managed pulp and paper mills using ECF bleaching, is virtually free of dioxin and persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic substances.

The remaining chlorine-containing organic substances (resulting from ECF bleaching) are similar to substances found in nature, degrade naturally and do not persist in the environment. Research shows they present a negligible environmental risk to aquatic ecosystems.

9) To take positive ecological action within the UK - and plant a tree in the Manor Earth Grove for clients who place print with us

For every 10,000 worth of print you place with us, we will plant a tree in the Manor Earth Grove in Scotland. This grove forms part of the charity Trees for Lifes work to restore the Caledonian Forest in the Highlands of Scotland.

Our tree planting is a further contribution towards addressing the issue of global warming, and is a positive ecological action in the UK to assist in the natural regeneration of this forest, which once covered over 1.5 million hectares of land with majestic Scots pines, interspersed with birch, rowan, juniper and aspen trees.

The long term goal of Trees for Life is to restore this forest to an area of 600 square miles in the north-central Highlands, as well as advocating the reintroduction of the missing species of wildlife, such as the beaver, wild boar, brown bear, moose, lynx and wolf which formerly lived in the forest.

You can visit our Grove online at: http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/groves/manor_creative.html

10) To continually monitor and adapt our initiatives in line with ethically and environmentally sound projects

At Manor Creative we fully embrace the issues regarding Corporate Social Responsibility and the environment and this is now a firmly established priority within our business culture.

We are constantly reviewing processes and techniques to make sure we are up to date with the latest in environmentally-friendly production methods.

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Manor Creative is proud to be a May Day company, and proud of the steps we have already taken to tackle climate change and work towards a low carbon economy.

We would welcome the opportunity to show you how our printing services could help you. For further information on how Manor Creative's "Manor Earth pledge" can benefit your business, please contact Helen Allchorn on 01323 514427 (hallchorn@manorcreative.com).

SECTION A - General Statement

Our policy is to provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and systems of work for all our employees and to provide such information, training and supervision necessary.

We accept our responsibility for the health and safety of  visitors and contractors.

We operate a strict no smoking policy in line with government legislation.

The allocation of duties for health and safety matters and the particular arrangements which we will make to implement this policy are set out below and is kept constantly under review, particularly as the business changes in nature and size.

SECTION B - Responsibilities

Full details and responsibilities are contained within our written document available upon request.