Penrith-based branding specialist certified as carbon neutral

Penrith-based Ast Signs Ltd, a leading UK branding specialist, has been officially certified as carbon neutral in accordance with PAS2060. 

PAS 2060 is the internationally recognised specification for carbon neutrality published by the British Standards Institution. It sets out the requirements for quantifying, reducing and offsetting greenhouse gas emissions for organisations and products.

With the official stamp of PAS2060 certification, AST Signs Ltd have become the only carbon neutral branding company of their size in the UK.

Recognising that businesses had a responsibility to become more sustainable in 2009, they say it’s now part of their day to day business and a natural consideration in everything they do.

In 2009 AST Signs installed their first printer that use water-based inks and adopted recycling of paper, cardboard and plastic. Four more similar printers followed in 2011, and the last one in 2020 which signalled the replacement of their solvent-using machines by moving all of their print technology to water-based latex inks.

Moving into their purpose built HQ in 2015, designed with sustainability in mind, they installed LED lighting throughout the building, reduced their reliance on gas with an air filtration system and increased their recycling efficiency with facilities to compact waste. They have further reduced paper use by moving to a digital filing system and in 2018 became a fully paperless business.

Launching the Ast Network Partner Scheme in 2016, meant they could use local approved contract applicators across the UK, reducing the need to travel.

Earlier this year, 325 solar PV panels were installed on the roof of their Penrith HQ, with predicted savings of 290 tonnes of CO2 over the course of the next 25 years. This generates almost half of the electricity that Ast Signs use. Capitalising on the electricity they produce, they have installed electric car charging points, and have started introducing electric vehicles to their fleet.

AST Signs Ltd Managing Director Mark Aston said:

“We’re proud to be the first branding company of our size to become carbon neutral in accordance with PAS2060 and the last two years have been a great learning process – we’re now working hard to become net zero.  It’s good to know we’re doing everything we can be work sustainably and us being carbon neutral will be of huge value to our clients, who are conscious of their own carbon footprint.”