One of the first actions of the group, which has been formed to promote awareness and understanding of environmental and sustainability issues, will be to host a symposium entitled "How clean and sustainable is your supply chain?".

The event, which will take place at 6pm on 12 November at Stationers' Hall, will look at - amongst other things - the implications of the new EU legislation relating to timber and its derivative products, which comes into force in March 2013.

Kevin Dewey, master of the Stationers' Company, said: "Traders will need to know the provenance of timber and timber products, including paper and pulp, from March.

"This will have a major impact on many of the industries that make up the Stationers’ Company, including paper, publishing and office products. It is this type of relevant topic, addressed by respected heavyweight speakers that the Environmental Group has been set up to organise."

The group's inaugural symposium will be chaired by HSBC deputy head of group corporate sustainability and advisor on the environment Francis Sullivan. Other speakers include PwC sustainability director Mark Thompson, INCPEN director Jane Bickerstaff, M&S sustainable development manager Fiona Wheatley and Banner Managed Communication print category director Jamie Overland.

Other plans for the Environment Group include an annual Schools’ Lecture, from 2013, with an associated interactive industry exhibition for 13 to 16 year old students

Dewey said: "One important aim of the Schools’ Lecture will be to demonstrate how our industries are taking steps to make themselves sustainable, thereby providing attractive career prospects."

The Environment Group also plans to extend the Stationers' Foundation bursary scheme to include courses covering environmental and sustainability topics pertinent to the content and communications industries.

Tickets for next week's symposium, priced £40, can be booked at  www.stationers.org or for more information contact Giles Fagan, deputy clerk, on 020 7246 0988.