Hall of Fame Award

Corporate Social Responsibility Award

We care about our
Environment

Ambition

As a manufacturer Nitecrest is acutely aware of our responsibility in both our manufacturing processes and in the products we offer to our clients.

As an organisation we actively maintain and promote lean manufacturing concepts.

We monitor waste and have KPIs in place to record and reflect how waste is managed.

Recycling is key to our sustainability; we have a recycling policy and currently recycle all of our waste plastic and board material. State-of-the-art ECO waterless printing also eliminates chemical waste during the printing process.

Where possible we promote recyclable products and advise our customers on ‘greener alternatives’

Nitecrest has in place ISO certified quality, security and environmental management systems.

We also have Fast Forward ethical certification. These externally audited systems are monitored on a yearly basis but are maintained internally as part of our commitment to these standards and their concepts. This forms a foundation to our daily working ethic.

Nitecrest’s unique structure ensures that all levels of the organisation from shop floor, across management and company directors are included in, and are actively working towards maintaining and promoting our corporate responsibility.

Outcome

Most environmentally

friendly printing techniques

– ECO Waterless Litho

State of the art

clean air ventilation

without need for

air conditioning and

LED lighting throughout

90

231

tonnes of

PVC recycled last year

tonnes of
cardboard & paper

ECO Collection of card products including paperboard
and ECO PVC. Eco PVC is made from

57% SALT

CASHPLUS

to launch

UK’s first payment cards made from
degradable PVC

Digital banking services provider Cashplus will launch the UK’s first eco-friendly payment cards made from degradable PVC, later this year.

The privately-owned fintech firm, which offers prepaid Mastercards and current accounts to 1.3 million customers, said this PVC was developed by its card provider TagNitecrest in order to tackle plastic waste.

The material contains an additive that causes it to quickly degrade when left in compost, landfill or other microbe-rich environments, but otherwise has the same look, feel and durability of standard PVC.

Statistics from trade journal The Nilson Report show that roughly six billion plastic payment cards are produced globally per year. This is the equivalent of nearly 30,000 tonnes of PVC or the weight of three billion 500ml plastic water bottles.

The final design of the card was voted for by Cashplus customers, and will have no signature strip on the rear. This feature will be authorised by Mastercard from April.

“This is a card for the digital age,” said Wagner. “Doing away with the signature strip may seem like a small step but, for our customers, it’s an important sign that we understand how they want to use our banking services.

Rich Wagner, CEO of Cashplus, said: “We’re proud to be leading the way with the release of the UK’s first degradable PVC debit card and credit cards.

Our business is based on the idea that banking services should improve our customers’ lives, and this is a natural extension of that.

“We know that people are increasingly conscious of plastic waste and other environmental issues, so want to offer customers, including the thousands of UK small businesses who use our services, a more sustainable choice.”

Signature verification has been effectively obsolete for years, and research has shown banking customers place more confidence in modern technology-based security measures.”

Involvement

We acknowledge that running our business has an effect on society. In particular, we have a responsibility to our clients, our employees and contractors as well as the broader community in which we operate. We are committed to taking responsibility for our actions and encourage a positive contribution towards improving standards for our clients and employees, minimising our impact on the environment and improving the quality of the
local community.

• Conducting ourselves responsibly and in an ethical manner

• Creating a positive and supportive working environment

• Supporting local communities

• Improving service levels to clients

• Acting fairly in our dealings with suppliers and other third parties

• Minimising the impact on our environment.

“Our mission is to continue to push boundaries in product innovation and associated technology in our highly penetrated and diverse International markets. Our pipeline of proprietary associated card technology, coupled with cutting edge card and collateral printing techniques is driving change across our industries whilst our passion for customer care remains unrivalled”

Ronnie Hart (Group Chairman and CEO)

Working example;

Nitecrest Research and Development Team
invested a great deal of time exploring the possible alternative PVC options including more environmentally friendlier versions. Supported from board level the team found the solution, a product which degrades in suitable environments such as landfill.

Communication & Value

ECO COLLECTION

Nitecrest have a long history of producing environmentally friendlier products for the retail industry. Our range of paper board card substrates are ideal for eco gift cards and can be enhanced with a range of foils, glitters and flitters.

Board cards are available both coated and uncoated, made from sustainable raw materials, these are the most environmentally friendly products available on the market.

Did you know? We are the longest established board card manufacturer

Nitecrest are pleased to have recently launched our new-to-market degradable ECO PVC adding to our paper board substrates offering clients more options when looking for environmentally friendlier options for gift, loyalty and membership and financial card programs.

ECO Gift Cards

ECO PVC offers the same technical properties as standard PVC, both for manufacturing and personalisation and when discarded will degrade in landfill. ECO PVC provides retailers a plastic gift cards option when looking for an eco gift card range.

As an organisation we actively maintain and promote lean manufacturing concepts. We monitor waste and have KPI’s in place to record and reflect how waste is managed.

Recycling is key to our sustainability; we have a recycling policy and currently recycle all of our waste products. We also, where possible, use recyclable products and will help to promote and advise our customers on greener alternatives.

Nitecrest has in place ISO certified quality, security and environmental management systems. We also have Fast Forward ethical certification.

These externally audited systems are monitored on a yearly basis but are maintained internally as part of our commitment to these standards and their concepts. This forms a foundation to our daily working ethic.