Environmental leadership programme manager Stephen Goddard said it was in keeping with HP’s status as one of the world’s most sustainable companies.

"It’s something we take very seriously. We’re trying to play a role in leading the industry to a more sustainable future," he said.

Goddard said HP required its suppliers to meet sustainability benchmarks – and that it was becoming increasingly common for companies in all industries to insist on having green supply chains.

"We think sustainability is important for the future success of our customers and it’s important for the future of the printing industry as well," he said.

Small printers should regard sustainability as an opportunity rather than a threat, according to Goddard.

He said it would be a good way to differentiate themselves from their rivals if they could match them on price and quality.

He added that smaller players often found it easier than bigger companies to become green because they were less bureaucratic and more open to change.

Goddard said that HP had a role to play in educating the industry about sustainability, as most of the tools existed, but not enough companies understood how or why they should be used.

HP goes beyond the legal minimums when it develops products, according to Goddard.

He said the Indigo 7600, WS6600 and 5600 had been awarded the Intertek Green Leaf verification mark, while the company would now offset the carbon emissions generated in the manufacturing and testing of the Indigo 7600, WS6600 and W7250.