Project is a sign of the times

AN Oldham business has vowed to become carbon neutral — and the initiative has brought immediate dividends with a major customer.

Graphisign, the Bower Street sign manufacturing business owned by Alan Tupman, has teamed up in a project with SPAR, which has a network of 3,000 mini-supermarket stores across the UK.

The scheme is believed to be a first for “sustainable signage” and involves investing in carbon offset credits.

Mr Tupman said: “The aim is to counteract the emissions released into the atmosphere by the production and installation of SPAR shop fronts and graphics.”

He added that he was not aware of any other company in the sign industry offering such a scheme, and added: “We consider this to be a new approach to corporate and social responsibility which is contributing to the future of our planet.”

Graphisign will calculate the energy used in producing signs, the mileage for the delivery of stock and installation and use the accredited formulae for establishing the amount of CO2 released.

“We will then purchase the appropriate amount of carbon offset credits and produce a certificate of sign and graphics carbon neutrality for the SPAR shops to display,” added Mr Tupman.

Mr Tupman has pledged that Graphisign will undertake to be carbon neutral on all future contracts.