News

Guardian Media Group (GMG) is developing a new paper purchasing policy following an investigation into its current habits alongside Telegraph Media Group.

The two publishers have formed a joint venture, Paper Purchase & Management (PPMC), to buy newsprint. Details of PPMC were revealed in GMG’s results, which were published this week.

The three organisations are now looking at the sustainability of their paper buying.

The aims of the policies will include increasing the amount of recycled content used in the paper and ensuring virgin paper is environmentally sourced.

A spokeswoman for GMG explained: “We want to be able to look back through the supply chain and know exactly where it has come from. We will be looking for certified schemes and at the environmental management system of the mills. We would also hope to work with suppliers more closely.”

Underpinning the group research, GMG has done its own more comprehensive research, looking at all the paper it bought in 2006.

The spokeswoman added: “We have been working with an environmental consultant, looking at all the paper we purchased in 2006. We are able to determine where it has come from and whether it was certified.”

A comprehensive analysis of the findings will be published in October. Once the analysis is complete, GMG will use the results to plot changes to its future newsprint procurement.

“Price, quality and filling demand have always been important, now we are adding sustainability,” added the spokeswoman.

The paper policy was highlighted in GMG’s results for 2006/7 in which group turnover rose to £716.1m.