Universal Office Products Ltd are distributors of office products, supplying throughout the UK. The company operates from our head office location at Nostell Priory and distributes from nine regional warehouses, including a state of the art central warehouse at Magna Park, near Leicester.

More than 20,000 stocked products are available to order for next day delivery including stationery, computer supplies, machines, consumables, facilities management supplies to office furniture and dated products.

Our strategic philosophy is quite simply to put our clients first and enable them to outsource all their business essential needs for today’s office by helping them streamline and simplify the procurement process thus reduce their costs through the supply chain. This would only be possible by forging strong relationships with our clients which is the key to any successful business, at Universal we fully understand this philosophy.

Managing Our Environmental ResponsibilitiesFaced with climate change and other environmental threats, Universal Office Products has devised a programme to monitor, implement, control and reduce the impact of its operations on the environment.

The business is committed to managing its environmental responsibilities and through our wholesale partner we are fully compliant with UK regulations where applicable.

Universal Office Products assess and effectively manage the environmental impacts of its daily operations, reacting to any negative impact the business may be having on the environment with immediate effect and where possible reversing such impact.

The company exercises product stewardship in conjunction with our wholesale partner/suppliers, in its approach to environmental protection. It calls on those in the product lifecycle especially manufacturers, to share responsibility for reducing the environmental impact of products. Universal Office Products recognises that suppliers and product manufacturers can and must take on new responsibilities to reduce the environmental footprint of their products and will work with all our partners to effect this.

Universal Office Products also manages its product range to ensure that products do not cause unacceptable environmental damage through its suppliers through various communication mediums.

The Universal Office Products Directors have overall responsibility for the company environmental policy.

Working with our wholesale partner we have a representative at each location office who overlooks and monitors the day to day control of the environmental policy ensuring business:

• Awareness of environmental issues and legislation• Identification of polluting activities, aspects and impacts there of• Knowledge of Universal Office Products control systems to all employed personnel

Mark Broadbent Director

Steve Manley Director

Environment Policy StatementIt is the policy of Universal Office Products to ensure that its activities are managed so as to minimise any impact on the environment, so far as is reasonably practicable.

In order to achieve this:

• The Company will manage its product range through our suppliers to ensure that products in the range do not cause unacceptable environmental damage through its receipt, storage and use or disposal phases.

• The Company will develop the energy efficiency of its vehicle fleets, through leasing companies; so far as is reasonably practicable future purchases and leases of vehicles will take account of the environmental impact of the models selected and we will use the minimum number possible.

• The Company will aim to improve the energy efficiency of its premises, existing buildings will be adapted where practicable to improve their energy efficiency. When considering future purchases or leases, account will be taken of the energy efficiency of the building and of the energy costs involved in running those buildings.

• Wherever possible the Company will seek to minimise waste:

- Through reduction in unnecessary consumption, through purchasing recycled products and packaging for its own use.

- By sending used products and packaging to be recycled through reuse of packaging received.

• All employees will be encouraged to travel to work using environmentally friendly methods such as car sharing or use of public transport where practical.

• Directors are responsible for assisting management to implement the Company’s Environmental Policy.

Offices and WarehousesUniversal Office Products are continually investing and monitoring the energy used throughout its UK office and distribution locations. This is to establish what alterations can be made to further improve the businesses impact on the environment.

The buildings, which are of a modern design are fully equipped with the latest energy efficient systems. Manufacturer’s guidelines have been implemented throughout the business to maximise the efficiency of those systems and other office equipment used within the premises.

The electrical power correction facilities, which are in place at our wholesale partner’s central distribution centre at Magna Park, are continually tested to ensure no wastage occurs. The centre has motion censor lighting installed throughout all offices ensuring reduced electricity usage and costs.

Energy efficiency remains a high priority for the businesses comprehensive, on going improvement programme.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) DirectiveMost organisations now use some form of IT equipment on a daily basis. A consequence of this is the high volume of redundant electrical equipment. The new WEEE directive is aimed at encouraging recycling and reusage of electrical and electronic equipment where possible and the correct disposal of such products.

In short the WEEE directive aims to:-

• Reduce waste arising from electrical and electronic equipment (EEE).

• Make producers of EEE responsible for the environmental impact of their products, especially when they become waste.

• Encourage separate collection and subsequent treatment, reuse, recovery, recycling and sound environmental disposal of EEE.

• Improve the environmental performance of all those involved during the lifecycle of EEE.

• Universal Office Products fully complies with all government legislation, under the WEEE directive regulations.

E-CommerceThe Universal Office Products single source business model with leading edge intelligent technology enables our clients to re focus key personnel and eliminate inefficient processes, therefore lowering the cost of procurement.

The company currently takes over 65% of its orders electronically and continues to encourage customers to order using this communication tool.

Customers are able to trade with Universal Office Products at uop.co.uk.

Publications & PrintingPrint management is a key component of any business supplies solution and print requirements are always diverse, from letterheads to compliment slips, brochures to promotional literature. At Universal Office Products we have a team who will plan, print and finish products using leading edge technology.

As print specialists we only purchase print from printing establishments who purchase their paper stocks from well managed forests, in line with the recommendations of the Forest Stewardship Council.

Once placing an order customers are asked to use electronic means to supply artwork etc, these include:-

• Email

• DVD (re-recordable)

• CD (re-recordable)

All our publications/mailings have a 50% or more recyclable content

The Business endeavours to use and encourage customers to opt for lighter weight and chlorine free paper, assisting to reduce wastage and customer costs.

Lighter Weight Paper

Lighter weight is understandably more economical to use for both the customer and Universal Office Products.

Chlorine-free Paper

Environmentally preferred alternative to paper bleached with chlorine. Chlorine and its derivatives are quite harmful to the environment, particularly the aquatic environment. Chlorine is currently used to give paper its white appearance and to remove the element of wood fibre that yellows it.

Supplier Auditing ProductsSupplier Auditing

To become a Universal Office Products’ wholesale partner or supplier, the product(s) offered have to meet strict guidelines and standards for quality and assurance.

Suppliers and products through our wholesale partner are continually assessed on their ability to perform. The criteria include:-

• Environmental performance of products

• Packaging and environmental impact there of

• Accuracy and pallet conformity

• Disposal of products/packaging as per WEEE directive

• Service levels

To support suppliers’ claims, Universal Office Products, through our wholesale partner, check that suppliers conform to environmental legislation by regularly requesting certification. A league table is continually monitored to ensure suppliers achieve their best possible service and if they are found to be under achieving they are simply removed from the preferred supplier list.

Q Connect is Universal Office Products’ own brand range, with over 1,100 products within the good quality, low cost range. Universal Office Products adopts the same monitoring principles as with other suppliers with its own brand suppliers. However, the business, through our wholesale partner, has 100% input into where the products are made, using modern and well equipped manufacturing tools, housed within modern factories, to minimise wastage and ensure the highest possible standards are met at all times.

The Q Connect range has recently received a facelift of its packaging and image. All packaging continues to meet UK and International packaging standards.

Transport EfficiencyUniversal Office Products’ transport fleet is the most fundamental part of the business’s supply chain, as getting orders to customers on time every time is an absolute necessity in the business competitive marketplace.

The company’s whole fleet is monitored daily to ensure compliance with all government legislation and Universal Office Products own business targets. Universal Office Products’ transport partner assists the business in fulfiling its supply chain solution throughout the United Kingdom. All vehicles are maintained to the manufacturers’ recommended standards controlling the risk of environmental pollution.

All company van and car drivers are encouraged to drive with good technique to maintain excellent MPG, returns and reduce emissions into the atmosphere. Drivers are requested to drive diesel vehicles whenever possible to obtain maximum MPG. This is mandatory with high mileage drivers.

Efficient control of Universal Office Products’ transport network is ongoing and the business is constantly looking at and developing ways to increase efficiency in line with Government policy.

Packaging and WasteThe design of the box ensures that the products arrive undamaged to their destination.

95% of the products are packaged in cardboard with other materials including shrink-wrap for example, are required to aid safe transit packaging. These materials are only used when necessary and no other form of packaging can be utilised.

Universal Office Products through our wholesale partner is continually investigating ways to improve the business waste disposal operations between locations in order to minimise the effect on the environment.

Wherever possible, through our wholesale partner reusable plastic boxes are used on conveyors within the warehouses and transportation to and from locations.

Existing procedures in place include:-

• Waste disposal skips at each distribution location for recyclable materials.

• Energy efficiency systems.

• The central distribution centre has two balers and one compactor which helps to maximise the recycling potential and reduce the number of waste collections required at the operation.

• Waste is now separated in all locations thus reducing collections and increasing skip capacity.

• Registered waste management companies collect all waste.

• Waste packaging regulations are conformed to and all returns are dealt with through our wholesale partner, by Valpak Limited.

To support the approach to recycling and our wholesale partner’s mezzanine floor operations at the central distribution centre, product received from suppliers is removed from supplier packaging and placed into blue plastic totes. The cardboard and paper packaging that is removed is then recycled via a compacting machine.

On average the number of totes created each week is 15,000, thereby generating a large amount of packaging for the compactor. Although the packaging removed is recycled where possible, Universal Office Products, through our wholesale partner, are increasingly working with suppliers in an attempt to remove the packaging the supplier uses entirely.

Suppliers are provided with empty plastic totes which they return to Universal Office Products’ wholesale partner’s distribution centres with a pre-agreed quantity of loose product inside them. This eliminates the need for the supplier to use any packaging materials when supplying these products.

Several years ago no goods were arriving pre-toted in the manner described above; currently Universal Office Products, through our wholesale partner, receive over 3,000 per week, almost 20% of the overall total.

The business continues to discuss further opportunities with those suppliers not currently engaged in pre-toting to increase this percentage further and continue to eliminate unnecessary packaging.

During 2006, our wholesale partner recycled 505 tonnes of cardboard at the Arrow distribution centre, the figure most certainly would have been more than 25% higher without the pre-toting arrangements.

Stretchwrap

23 tonnes of stretchwrap was recycled during the second half of 2006.

Pallets

Re-introduced into supply chains, Universal Office Products through our wholesale partner, returned 17,000 pallets to suppliers during 2006 for re-use.

Scrapped Pallets

19,000 pallets were sent to a merchant as scrap during 2006, these are then ground down to chips and used to manufacture MDF.

Universal Office Products Ltd Nostell Priory, Doncaster Road, Nostell, Wakefield, WF4 1AB