Insite Graphics achieves Tier 5 ESSA Sustainability Accreditation due to sustainable initiatives

Insite Graphics are the go-to industry experts in business event signage and graphics. Here, they share the business’ sustainable initiatives that have helped them gain Tier 5 ESSA Sustainability Accreditation. By sharing these initiatives, they hope they can offer other businesses inspiration to take their first step towards making their own businesses more sustainable.

Insite Graphics are the go-to industry experts in business event signage and graphics. Here, they share the business’ sustainable initiatives that have helped them gain Tier 5 ESSA Sustainability Accreditation. By sharing these initiatives, they hope they can offer other businesses inspiration to take their first step towards making their own businesses more sustainable.

In the summer of 2023, the business attained ESSA H&S accreditation and within 3 months were awarded with the ESSA Tier 5 Sustainability Accreditation too. ESSA (Event Supplier and Services Association) are a trade body that represents the suppliers of goods and services to the events industry. Their members belong to the business events community in the United Kingdom, with numerous international members based in Europe, USA, and South Africa.

Under ESSA’s new scoring system for Sustainability Accreditation, Tier 5 represents the highest award possible and shows unwavering dedication to achieve this outstanding result. Josh Taylor, ESSA H&S Manager commented: “Seeing companies like Insite Graphics embrace ESSA membership and dive into the training, certifications, and working groups it offers is wonderful. They're not only adopting a strong focus on health and safety and sustainability but also sharing a wealth of knowledge and innovative ideas with fellow members. Insite Graphics' active participation in these initiatives is making a meaningful contribution towards a safer and more sustainable future in our ever-evolving industry.”

Insite Graphics started their sustainability journey back in 2019 and were one of the first businesses in the events industry to achieve ISO14001. Chris Berrisford, the owner of Insite Graphics incorporates 3 pillars of green enterprise into their business model that focuses on their environmental, social and economic impacts. In addition, the business has been accredited Alcumus Safe Contractor for several years.

Chris commented: “As a company, and as a group of individuals, we're committed to striving for a positive impact in all we do. We aim to deliver event graphics that maximise event opportunity for our clients whilst minimising negative environmental and societal impact.  To achieve this we are constantly innovating, researching, and investing with an overall aim to positively impact our clients, event participants, employees, local communities, the economy, and the planet as a whole.”

Caption: “Welcome” signage featured at FESPA Global Print Expo 2023 in Munich, Germany was created by Insite Graphics. The arch was constructed using reusable aluminium frames with dye sub printed fabric. After the exhibition all materials that Insite Graphics used were returned to the UK to be reused and recycled. Credit: FESPA.

There were various factors that attributed to Insite Graphics attaining their Tier 5 ESSA Sustainability Accreditation. These included a sustainability roadmap which featured standard maps and frameworks, ensuring their product design included using sustainable materials that are recycled and converted into clean energy, becoming carbon neutral, offsetting their renewable energy, educating their staff and offering wellness programmes, using vehicles that ULEZ compliant and giving back to their local community.

Sustainability

Insite Graphics started their sustainability journey in 2019 and were one of the first businesses in the events industry to achieve ISO 14001.  This standard maps out a framework that a business can follow to set up an effective environmental management system. This is annually reviewed and along with their Alcumus Safe Contractor Accreditation this is successfully achieved every year since.

The business ensures that they continuously work with their customers, the events media and trade body working groups to ensure that everything they produce is truly reflective of the most effective, sustainable solutions as possible. Due to their sustainability targets they are able to offer their clients numerous ranges of fully recycled and recyclable event products at no cost to the planet.

Product Design and Waste Management

Chris ensures that sustainability is at the heart of all their product design. This includes using water-based inks, fabric-based event graphics, reusable aluminium frames, cardboard and paper-based signage.

Caption: A paper-based frame created by Insite Graphics. Credit: Insite Graphics.

All these materials are collected post exhibitions/events by the Insite Graphics team and then recycled or created into clean energy by their recycling partner Grundon.  Insite Graphics continue to work towards reducing their annual waste to incineration by 5% and increasing their recycling tonnage by 5%.

Carbon Management

As a business, Insite Graphics have achieved many of their own sustainable goals which include being carbon neutral whereby they offset their scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by using a carbon calculator and have invested in wind-farm technology in South America. Insite Graphics continue to audit and offset their emissions, are aiming to become net zero and continue to offset their EON Certified Renewable Energy whilst researching independent energy sources.

Staff

Regarding their operations, they have implemented various sustainability policies and carbon management plans that include monitoring carbon emissions and offsetting projects by extensive staff training and a corporate wellness scheme that offers sustainable education. Staff receive a free 1-hour health coaching per month, wellness webinar and mandatory sustainability training. Sustainability meetings take place once every 6 months and diversity, equality and anti-slavery policies are strongly adhered to.
Chris states: “Involving staff in sustainability is crucial, we reward our employees for their sustainability initiatives by gifting holistic therapy vouchers and staff holiday breaks.”

Transportation

The vehicles that Insite Graphics use for transportation are ULEZ (ultra low emission zone) compliant and all diesel is offset. All flights are offset at the point of booking and clients are supplied in an energy efficient way ensuring multiple drop-offs to projects sharing similar locations. The team, where possible, travel by train or in the cabs of their freight vehicles for fly-away events.

Community Service

Giving back to their local community is incredibly important to Insite Graphics. They ensure they give back to their local charities and projects. They currently support various charities such as The Wildlife Aid Foundation; The Royal Marsden Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Sutton FC. In addition, they also support charities that their employees volunteer for by gifting repurposed stand graphics.

Going Forward

Sustainability will continue to be at the epicentre of the business as Insite Graphics plans to continue with their initiatives and to adhere to industry guidelines that are dedicated to the reduction of carbon reduction. They will continue to support the circular economy by using low impact materials and retaining materials in circulation and will continue engage their employees in sustainability education, sustainability goals, wellness schemes and creating community projects. In addition, they plan to commit to enabling social value by seeking to provide greater value to people and communities via thoughtful engagement. 

Chris comments: “I would advise all businessses who are interested in taking their first step in sustainability to take incremental steps, if everyone can lower their emissions and recycle more it will make a huge difference! Sustainability is a journey and as we look to the future at Insite Graphics we know there is plenty more for us to achieve so we are constantly looking for new eco technologies and designs. We always say here at Insite Graphics, “always do your best and keep being kind”.”

FESPA are building towards ISO 20121 sustainable events management system and want to ensure that all our suppliers are actively engaged in reducing their negative environmental impact, increasing their positive social impact and managing their economical impact. Insite Graphics are a long-standing partner of FESPA and are responsible for FESPA’s onsite printing for FESPA Global Print Expo, European Sign Expo, Personalisation Experience and Sportswear Pro exhibitions that takes place once a year in Europe. These exhibitions show case the latest innovations in print, signage, personalisation, and sportswear.