CSR - paper and recycling

Paper and consumables

The energy used by Waterstones is carefully monitored and we have in place practices to help reduce our energy consumption. Waterstones uses office paper and we also use various other consumables such as forms, stationery, cleaning products, and point of sale materials (e.g. posters). Each of these has an environmental cost in production and could have an environmental cost in disposal.

The guidelines that our Environmental Champions use to influence our consumption include:

  • Buy green - checking that any items bought locally are as environmentally and ethically sourced as possible.

  • Use less - ordering only what is required and ensuring that it is stored properly to avoid damage and waste. Not printing reports and emails unless essential.

  • Re-use - printing on both sides of paper or re-use it for office notes. Not throwing away point of sale items if they can be used again in the future.

  • Recycle

  • Throw away - as a last resort

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    Waterstones and recycling

    Our Environment Champions are responsible for making sure that we recycle as much of our waste as possible and for providing advice on recycling best practice. With landfill sites rapidly running out and the cost of using landfill set to keep rising, Waterstones policy is to re-use packaging wherever possible to minimise the amount of cardboard sent for recycling. Our aim is to improve the recycling at all sites and to push the recycling rates up.

    Over 50% of stores have arrangements for re-cycling cardboard and paper in place, and we aim to make this standard in all sites across the company.

    In 2010 our branches will move to a "dry mixed waste" collection service which will significantly increase the proportion of waste that is ultimately recycled.

    Waterstones and ethical supply

    We expect and encourage our suppliers to consider working conditions, health and safety policy, remuneration and working hours when they source and manufacture their products. We are against the use of child and forced labour. We also encourage our suppliers to take into consideration the materials used in the production of any items sold at Waterstones, specifically books, and to use materials from FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) certified sources.

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