The scheme, run by SEE Potential, evaluates and accredits firms' social, environmental and ethical (SEE) policies and practices. The initial list of 23 SEE-certified companies includes four commercial printers and four design houses that include print in their offerings.

SEE Potential managing director Michael Solomon said he suspected the over-representation of print firms was because "historically, print has been a dirty old business. People want to know how they can clean it up."

The programme examines companies using 35 "challenging questions", created with support from leading charities such as ActionAid and World Land Trust.

SEE Potential has developed the scheme over the past six years with support from "leading social, environmental and ethical authorities", which also include Christian Aid and Survival International.

Derek Hall, quality and environmental manager at London-based SEE printer Bovince, told printweek.com that the "exhausting" process of landing the accreditation was a testament to its credibility.

He added that SEE accreditation would help Bovince meet CSR prerequisites from its high-profile customers, such as global advertising company WPP.

SEE Potential charges £500 to evaluate a company, or £750 if the firm also wants to be benchmarked against other accredited companies. There is an annual license fee to use the SEE Companies logo and online listings, starting at £300 for firms with a turnover of less than £250,000, up to £50,000 for £500m-plus companies.

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SEE COMPANIES IN PRINT
• Bovince (screen and digital print)
• Anglia Printing Services (commercial print)
• Calverts (commercial print)
• The Marstan Press (printing and finishing)
• The Green Stationery Company (paper and office supplies)
• Advocate (branding and design)
• Blue Ginger (marketing, design and print)
• Neo:creative (design and marketing)