Phase offer sustainability as part of their management.

Phase Packaging & Direct Mail are experts in offline marketing, design and print solutions with a proven track record spanning 26 years. They help promote companies’ brand through the power of print.

To achieve environmental improvements, Phase Print run and maintain their site to ISO14001:2015. Not only that, they are committed to improving their sustainable performance and to keep track of their environmental impact.

The company has taken part in the Made in Britain Green Growth programme, and Jason Marks, General Manager (pictured) describes the experience.

How integral do you see sustainable business practices to the future of your business?

Phase have always valued our environmental impact very highly, being nestled in rural Nottingham we are spoiled by green countryside on the doorstep of the peak district. A key mindset has been to act local and think global, and as such have focused our business on promoting the use of sustainable materials. We have been providing FSC and PEFC materials to our customers since we first got our certification in 2012. We help lead our clients in ways to cut down their waste and how our products can be tailored to cut down their effect on the environment.

Considering the wide range of materials with varying accreditations, we have seen the requests for this rise and fall over the years. Currently we are finding our customers are wanting to know more about what we produce for them; is it recycled, sustainable or can it be carbon balanced? So it seems that sustainability is back on the agenda for many businesses, and here at Phase we are in a position to help.

To what extent does your approach to sustainable business set you apart (in your sector)?

We specialise in two main areas; one being creating a return on investment through the power of print for offline marketing. This basically means we work with clients to personalise a strategy that will give them a return, reducing blind distributions meaning we are only distributing to where it’s perceived will give higher results. This means reduction in both manufacturing and distribution environmental costs, and a higher return on investment.

We help our clients manage A and B testing to see what works for them and what generates a greater response for differing target audiences or offers. We work with our designers to ensure that the creative applied to campaigns has the best chance to attract attention that drives an interest in the service to help cause them to act.

Our other main area is packaging. We produce a vast range of cartons, working with clients to select materials and find the solutions that meet their brand’s identity and create the shelf appeal they need. We do a lot of work with customers transitioning from plastic to find more sustainable solutions, helping them plan fitments and shelf-ready packaging.

We run and maintain our site to ISO14001:2015 environmental standards, working with the British Printing Industry Federation to maintain our environmental mark of excellence.

What are the advantages to doing business sustainably?

Many brands are now re-evaluating their packaging and clients’ marketing methods looking at products’ lifecycles and considering their customers’ expectations. It’s a fantastic opportunity to look at your business from a different angle and see how your products and manufacturing processes are affecting the wider environment.

We have found that being environmentally well footed has helped our family run business grow. Re-assuring our customers of our abilities and our impact have given more strength to our brand.

From a business perspective, reducing our environmental impact often comes back to making savings, and I would say, what is saved in reducing waste and usage, offsets the cost of the time spent managing the journey. So, to us it’s always been a two-way benefit. The environment and the business.

How have you engaged your team members/ supply chain/ other stakeholders around the GG Programme, if at all?

Our teams have always been part of our sustainability journey, they are at the forefront of generating ideas and ways that our business can continue to improve. Any supplier wishing to work with us are subject to us being satisfied with their environmental position and ethos before we start to trade with them.

Our production facility can manufacture a huge range of products and finishes, so there is no need for us to outsource. Even if there was, we have a procedure in place that factors in the locality along with their abilities to help include sustainability in the decision-making process.

What advice would you give to MiB members as they progress on their sustainability journeys?

Create an improvement plan and instigate that into your meeting agendas at all levels. Keep the list focused on sustainability and the environment, ensuring that you have a team to complete the actionable items. It’s surprising where the ideas come from across the workforce. Remember that it’s not a one-time solution, you’ll find that it constantly evolves in time as your business changes and grows.

For further information to see how we can benefit your company call our sales team on 01773 764288, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with #tipping as a reference.

Thanks for reading this article, we look forward to hearing from you Phase.