During the last year, the BPIF, alongside The CarbonNeutral Company, has developed its own calculating tool using the principles of PAS 2050 to standardise carbon calculations.

They will launch the calculator at a briefing held on 10 March attended by printers and paper merchants, and will discuss business drivers for printers that take a proactive approach to carbon management.

Panelists at the event will include Bill Sneyd, director of advisory services at the CarbonNeutral Company, and Richard Owers, sales and marketing director at Beacon Press, part of the Pureprint group.

BPIF chief executive Michael Johnson will also be on the panel, which will be chaired by Dale Wallis, BPIF managing director for the North.

Sneyd said the need for printers to demonstrate effective carbon management is growing, with businesses becoming more efficient and reducing energy costs.

However, without a common methodology for calculating the carbon footprint, it has been difficult for end customers to make comparisons selecting printers on the basis of their environmental approach.

While Defra already has a carbon footprint calculator, he said it isn't suitable for smaller businesses as it has been developed for individuals and households.

He said: "It is certainly not built for a complex organisation like a printer or printed products.

"This is one of the reasons why it is necessary to have a print-specific calculator – you need the right tool for the job you are trying to do."

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