At Lightning Source, we have always maintained that the print-on-demand (POD) model offers significant environmental advantages over traditional offset manufacturing. With offset manufacturing books often go unsold and are destroyed, usually after being shipped and handled multiple times. Wasted paper, wasted energy, greenhouse emissions, pulping, and landfill overflows can result.
The environmental advantages of utilizing POD technology allow books to be printed to fill an existing demand. POD lessens the possibility of returns, reduces supply chain waste, and greenhouse emissions, and conserves valuable natural resources.
To build upon environmental responsible forestry, our POD model, Lightning Source chose to receive these certifications:
- Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) The FSC® Council is a non-profit organization, promoting the environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests.
- Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) The Sustainable Forestry Initiative is an independent, internationally recognized non-profit organization responsible for the SFI certification standard, the world’s largest single forest certification standard.
- Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification™ (PEFC™) The PEFC™ Council is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization that promotes sustainability-managed forests through independent third-party certification.
Lightning Source has received Chain of Custody (CoC) certification from:
- The Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC®)
- Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification™ (PEFC™)
- The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®).
What is the Chain of Custody Certification?
Chain of Custody (CoC) is an accounting system that tracks wood fiber through the different stages of production: from the forest to the mill, to the paper, to the printer, and ultimately to the finished book. For publishers, and ultimately consumers, CoC ensures the integrity of the paper supply chain and that the paper used in Lightning Source® printed books are from responsibly managed forests.
Lightning Source Endorsement of Chain of Custody
Lightning Source’s management is committed to the implementation and ongoing maintenance of its Chain of Custody program under the regulatory standards and social responsibility goals established by SFI®, FSC®, or PEFC™.
Lightning Source has appointed Josh Dailey, its Corporate Counsel, as the Compliance Officer for the Chain of Custody program. Mr. Dailey has overall responsibility for and authority over Chain of Custody processes and controls and, as a part of his responsibility, conducts regular periodic reviews of the program and its compliance with the standards set by SFI®, FSC®, or PEFC™.
Any questions or concerns regarding Lightning Source’s Chain of Custody program can be forwarded to Josh Dailey at Josh.Dailey@ingramcontent.com.
Paper Sourcing Guidelines & Sustainability Practices
We only have one Earth, and Lightning Source takes measures to treat it well.
The purpose of print-on-demand book manufacturing is to reduce our environmental impact. Traditional offset printing usually requires large orders in anticipation of sales. Often, any books that go unsold are destroyed. This results in wasted paper, wasted energy, added greenhouse emissions, pulping, and landfill overflows.
At Lightning Source, books are printed in ultra-short runs or only when an order has been received. This print-on-demand model of book manufacturing reduces supply chain waste, and greenhouse emissions, and conserves valuable natural resources.
Lightning Source expects each of its paper suppliers to be environmentally responsible as well, and not use papers sourced from endangered old-growth forests, forests of exceptional conservation value, or the Amazon Basin.
We share this world. We are glad to do our part in keeping it sustainable.
UK Environmental Policy
Lightning Source UK Ltd is committed to improving environmental performance by driving down CO2 emissions and reducing, reusing, and recycling waste.
Lightning Source UK Ltd recognizes that what we do today, affects the environment of both current and future generations and we are therefore committed to continuous environmental improvement. Our policy is to manage our businesses in such a manner as to have minimum impact on the environment in which we operate.
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