KCS Print MIS System
The Digital Transformation Grant has enabled us to introduce a new management information system (MIS) which was installed 1st April 2022. This allows us to increase productivity and efficiency whilst manufacturing labels for the high-end food, drink and consumer markets.
It is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
We applied to be a Certified B Corporation® because we believe our business can be a force for good and inspire change for the better. The assessment covers all areas of our business operations, from topics on governance and staff, to products and environmental policies. Companies who score above 80 are invited to become a Certified B Corporation®; we were thrilled to be certified with a score of 90.2
As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency we now publish an annual Impact Report which gives details of our journey. Please have a read here.
Where we have got our scores?
Being a Certified B Corporation® indicates that we continue to meet the rigorous standards of social and environmental performance set by the B Lab. To us, this is much more than a stamp of approval; it is a lifestyle. Maintaining our B Corp™ status will challenge us to be continuously dedicated to our sustainable practices and reminds us to constantly consider how we are affecting our employees, community, and the environment.
To achieve certification, companies must undergo the B Impact Assessment, a detailed evaluation of their performance in these areas. The assessment assigns a baseline score, with a minimum requirement of 80 out of approximately 200 points for certification. The assessment process can be challenging, involving months of effort, multiple employees, and extensive paperwork.
B Corp offered a structure that we could judge ourselves by and also give us a template of ideas to inspire and challenge how we work. The 5 areas have huge amounts of scope and every business will have areas that they are more or less advanced on. In our case we do a really good job environmentally and are less engaged in terms of community. The goal is to improve overall and the three year recertification will force us to keep finding new ways to improve.
We hope that this process will offer benefits to all of these areas of the business. The overall aim is that we build a better business that is a great place to work, engages positively with the community, creates quality targets. The aim is to keep us on path to meet our goals.
What we are doing so far –
• Renewable Energy – 100% electric, now 100% of our gas is carbon neutral
• Carbon Neutral – we are reporting, reducing and offsetting what we haven't been able to cut yet. This pushes us to find better ways of running for the planet.
• Paper – All from certified schemes
• Waste – everything that can be is recycled, everything that can't be is used for Biomass except black bag collections. All figures are monitored and recorded.
• Impact Report. Publish in a transparent way our annual figures to hold ourselves to account.
• Staff – offer secure long term work contracts in a positive environment with training opportunities to ensure everyone can evolve with the company. Ensure that we hire with no bias around diversity and offer an inclusive environment for our team.
• Safety – Regular Health and Safety Meetings. Full reporting of accidents and monthly assessment of these to ensure we offer a safe working environment.
• Community – work with local schools and businesses to expand knowledge around sustainable packaging, the environment and recyclability.
• Governance – The ethics of B Corp are now 'baked in' to KCS Print as the importance to put these other areas on an equal pegging with profits now forms part of our fundamental company documents.
• Transparency – Annual publication of what we have used and achieved in the year. This will show how we are doing against our Net Zero targets. It will also show where we still have worked to do and where we have missed targets. The aim is to keep us on path to meet our goals.