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Archive for March, 2010
CodEffect 2d bar code cuts cost of returns dramatically
Friday, March 19th, 2010PAS 2020 – ”millions of pounds of punitive fines by the EU.”
Friday, March 19th, 2010Direct Marketing News: BSI launch scheme to help save DM industry
The British standards institution (BSI) has launched a new scheme to help reduce the amount of direct mail produced by marketers that ends up in landfill.
The business services organisation has worked with the DMA to develop the PAS 2020 direct marketing environmental performance assessment and certification scheme. It is designed to help meet targets set out by the EU Landfill Directive which requires the current amount of biodegradable waste (11.55 million tonnes) thrown in landfill to be reduced to 5.2 million tonnes by 2020.
It is estimated 5.4 billion items of direct mail and promotional items are sent out every year. The DMA, who represent about 900 members involved in the direct marketing industry, signed a voluntary agreement with the Government in 2003 to raise recycling levels to 70 per cent by 2012. PAS 2020 is also designed to help reach this target.
Victoria Barron, product marketing manager for sustainability at BSI warned, “Failure to meet these targets could result in millions of pounds of punitive fines by the EU.”
DM campaigns have become less popular with marketers since social media marketing has increased as they are seen to be more costly and time consuming. Added pressure to make sure they are recycled or possibly face fines could cause marketers to opt out of DM altogether. B2B Marketing News
http://www.b2bm.bi
| Published: | 11-03-2010 |
PAS2020 Champion steps down from DMA
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010After four years of distinguished service with the DMA, Robert Keitch has announced his decision to step down from his role of chief of Membership & Brand.
Robert will continue with his day-to-day duties until the end of March, and will serve as the DMA’s media spokesman through to July. After Robert’s departure, the responsibilities of chief of Membership & Brand will be shared between chief of Operations Mike Lordan and executive director Chris Combemale until a successor is appointed later this year.
Robert’s passion, experience, and depth and breadth of knowledge have made him a tremendous asset to the DMA. My fellow DMA Board members and I are extremely grateful for everything Robert has achieved in his four years with us, particularly with regards to ensuring the DMA is fully equipped to continue to support the needs of its valued members today and far into the future. While we are sorry to see Robert step down, we respect his decision and wish him all the best in all future pursuits.
We will notify you once the application process is underway to recruit Robert’s successor. For now, you can rest assured that the DMA will continue to protect and promote the interests of its members as Robert’s duties pass into the very capable hands of Mike and Chris.
Source: Direct Marketing Association [communications@dma.org.uk]
Cloning, Sheep and Spring
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010My neighbours are coming to the end of lambing and I was looking at the new arrivals twins and triplets. It got me thinking about cloning and what has happened since Dolly the sheep. I have to say all sheep look the same to me.
I saw Caryl Churchill’s A Number an original work published in 2002 in London in association with The Royal Court Theatre. In fact I saw it twice but then I would, family and all that.
A Number was written during a time when cloning was frequently in the news. Dolly the sheep was cloned not too long before, human embryos were being created in the U.S. and at Advanced Cell Technology, they cloned a kitten.
These events sparked moral controversy among people around the world raising the question of how far human cloning should be taken.
The play debuted at The Royal Court Theatre in London on 23 September 2002. The production was directed by Stephen Daldry and designed by Ian MacNeil and starred Sir Michael Gambon and Daniel Craig. The play won the 2002 Evening Standard Award for Best Play.
Direct Mail and the Government voluntary producer responsibility agreements
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010Action by the Direct Marketing Association
Further develop the MPS system (Mailing Preference Service) to improve the targeting element and provide greater flexibility for both the consumer and the producer; and further increase awareness of the service among householders
Work with WRAP to develop a ‘recycle logo’ to be printed on all direct mail
Work with WRAP, the paper mills and adhesive manufacturers to minimise the use of materials that may contaminate the recycling process
Work with local authorities to develop appropriate messages about recycling direct mail and other promotional material
Now all taken up by DMA initiative PAS 2020
Landfill – Newspapers, magazines and direct mail and the paper sector
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010Paper has been identified as a material where reduced waste and greater recycling can yield significant environmental benefits.
The Government has already concluded voluntary producer responsibility agreements to promote, in particular, increased recycling of newspapers, magazines and direct mail with the Newspaper Publishers Association (NPA), the Periodical Publishers Association (PPA) and the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) respectively.
These three waste streams are estimated to amount to about 3.6 million tonnes (which would equate to about 14% of total household waste).
Direct marketing material estimated to account for approximately 550,000 tonnes of the household waste stream. Of this, 181,500 tonnes is estimated to be addressed direct mail with the remaining 368,500 tonnes being unaddressed direct marketing material.
PEFC The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification
Monday, March 15th, 2010
The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) through independent third-party certification.
PEFC works throughout the entire forest supply chain to promote good practice in the forest and to ensure that timber and non-timber forest products are produced with respect for the highest ecological, social and ethical standards. Thanks to its eco-label, customers and consumers are able to identify products from sustainably managed forests.
PEFC is an umbrella organization. It works by endorsing national forest certification systems developed through multi-stakeholder processes and tailored to local priorities and conditions.
With about 30 endorsed national certification systems and more than 220 million hectares of certified forests, PEFC is the world’s largest forest certification system.
http://www.pefc.org
Royal Mail Sustainable Mail & PEFC
Monday, March 15th, 2010Royal Mail Recognition for PEFC
MAR 11 2010 | UNITED KINGDOM
As a key part of its environmental policy, the British postal service, Royal Mail, has developed a standard for responsible mailing, Sustainable Mail. To qualify for the scheme, organisations must comply with a number of criteria including use of recycled content or paper certified to a credible certification scheme such as PEFC’s.*
The Sustainable Mail™ standard is closely aligned to the British Standards Institute’s specification document on environmental performance of Direct Marketing, PAS 2020. Meeting the new standard enables companies using direct mail in their marketing mix to demonstrate their commitment to recycling, sustainability and waste reduction as well as helping to improve their overall corporate environmental performance.
Full compliance with the standard gives a reduction in postage costs of almost 5%, and as these costs represent up to 70% of the cost of a direct mail campaign, the savings can be significant.
Virgin fibre certified to a certification scheme approved by DEFRA’s Central Point of Expertise on Timber (CPET) such as PEFC is considered an environmentally-friendly option as it contributes to a reduction in carbon in the atmosphere and is readily renewable. There are also limits to the amount of recycled paper available since paper cannot be recycled indefinitely.
“In addition to decreasing an organization’s environmental footprint, Sustainable Mail allows for major cost reductions”, said Hilary Khawam, PEFC UK Communications Director. “With PEFC-certified paper widely available in the UK, there are numerous responsible sourcing options available to companies wishing to take advantage of this scheme.”
*The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) s an international non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) through independent third-party certification.
Goldman Sachs and Haiti
Friday, March 12th, 2010Anyone prone to thinking that investment bankers are geniuses should look at their catastrophically maladroit handling of the bonus issue this year. Goldman Sachs clearly thought they were exercising heroic self-denial by awarding themselves a compensation pool amounting to a mere $16.2 billion.
Haiti’s total GDP is $7 billion, and even before the earthquake one child in eight died before its fifth birthday; imagine Goldman turning over half its trough to Haiti in an attempt to change those numbers.
Instead they praised their own ‘restraint’ in awarding themselves only 36 per cent of their revenue in pay pool, down from the usual 50 per cent. News of these restrained bonuses came out the same day as Obama’s bank proposals. The Goldmaners must have been left wishing they hadn’t bothered.
The Great British Economy Disaster John Lanchester http://www.lrb.co.uk
Wine and philosophy
Friday, March 12th, 2010‘A good bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world.’ Louis Pasteur
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