The FSC assessment was carried out by The Process Group and has taken the 14-staff company four months to complete.

CMP owner Paul Dawe said that achieving the membership was an important step for the £1.4m-turnover business.

"Gaining membership of a certified FSC group allows us to do business knowing that we are satisfying the ethical demands of our customers, while proving our own dedication to becoming more environmentally responsible," he added.

The Dorset-based company's core business areas include on-demand book publishing, as well as short-run print work for local authorities and higher education authorities.

Dawe said: "The nature of our work type has been the driving force behind seeking FSC certification through a group scheme. CMP has secured a number of publishers over the past year, all of which are keen to support environmental issues and take some responsibility for the products they produce.

"In some cases, publishers will have a minimum standard required of their preferred suppliers and FSC is quite often one of them."