Carbon offsets

Linkgroup is committed to ecological responsibility: we offer our customers the option of having the production of their entire range of printed media CO₂ offset and labelling it accordingly. Jürg Trösch would be glad to answer any questions.

A detailed emission balance sheet is drawn up for each print product. Taking account of CO₂ emissions (energy consumption, inks, cleaning agents/auxiliary materials, labor, journeys to and from work), the individual parameters of the print product (print run, volume, chromaticity, paper type and manufacturer, logistics, etc.) are factored into the overall calculation. Globally operating climate protection enabler FirstClimate regulates and monitors the offset of CO₂ emissions on the basis of this balance sheet. Going beyond this, Linkgroup is committed to sustainably reducing internal CO₂ emissions. What is more, climate-neutral printed products can also be labeled accordingly.

In particular, it is: cutting down the volume of greenhouse gases produced throughout the entire production chain by means of a certified project (PDF). In short, rather than building a coal-fired power station, we are using our CO₂ certificate to fund an expensive but environmentally friendly wind turbine. And as CO₂ emissions have a global impact, these wind turbines can be built all over the world.

Which sources of emission have been taken into account in the production of my printed product?

• Paper production
• Printing
• Fountain additives, printing inks, cleaning agents
• Distribution
• Energy expenditure

How can my printed matter be made climate-neutral?

Together with First Climate (www.firstclimate.com), Linkgroup calculates not only CO₂ emissions resulting from companies’ activities but also CO₂ emissions emanating from printing orders. First Climate guarantees that all processes (calculation of emissions to be offset, acquisition and retirement of  high-quality reduction certificates etc.) are transparent and of the strictest standard (www.cdmgoldstandard.org). These emissions are offset as part of a certified project.

What makes a CO₂ certificate any different from the infamous “selling of indulgences”?

• Reduction comes before compensation
• We first optimize our printing processes
• We use as little energy and chemicals as possible
• We advise you on the choice of environmentally friendly paper types
• We do our best to keep our own carbon footprint (business trips and employees’ daily journey to and from work, etc.) to a minimum.

What remains is then offset. Voluntarily, but in the name of global climate protection. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. We will be happy to advise you further.