At UK Greetings, we believe that creating a more sustainable future is a journey we all need to take together. That’s why we’re proud to be involved with Products of Change (POC), a community bringing businesses together to share knowledge, inspire innovation and drive meaningful progress towards a more sustainable consumer products industry.
On 11th November, our Head of Safety & Sustainability, Chris Shaw, will represent UK Greetings at the Products of Change Sustainability Conference 2026, taking place at the Royal Geographical Society in London. Chris will join sustainability leaders from across the industry to share our journey, reflect on the progress we’ve made and explore how businesses can turn sustainability ambitions into practical action.
Sharing Our Sustainability Journey
Earlier this year, we welcomed the Products of Change team to UK Greetings for a sustainability showcase, providing an opportunity to discuss our achievements, future ambitions and the practical steps we’re taking to create positive change across our business.
The visit reflected the importance we place on collaboration and sharing experiences. By being open about our progress, the challenges we face and the lessons we learn along the way, we hope to contribute to wider industry progress and encourage others to take action.
Our approach to sustainability continues to evolve, with environmental considerations increasingly embedded into the way we design our products, manage our operations and make business decisions.
From Ambition to Action
One of the key areas of progress for UK Greetings has been improving the recyclability of our products and reducing unnecessary materials.
Today, more than 95% of our greeting cards designs are recyclable, and we have removed more than 250 tonnes of single-use primary plastic packaging from around our cards. We’ve also introduced alternatives such as paper banding, helping us move towards more circular product and packaging solutions.
Responsible sourcing is another important part of our approach. Our paper and board are sustainably sourced, with FSC as our minimum product standard, and 100% of the paper used for our cards and envelopes is Carbon Balanced through our partnership with the World Land Trust. We’re also increasing the use of recycled materials, with around 30% of our board now containing 100% post-consumer waste.
Alongside product improvements, we’re working to reduce the environmental impact of our operations. We procure 100% renewable electricity, operate with zero waste to landfill and continue to invest in energy efficiency across our sites.
These achievements demonstrate how practical changes across materials, manufacturing, packaging and energy can contribute to our wider sustainability ambitions.
Making Sustainability Everyone’s Responsibility
We know that achieving meaningful, long-term progress requires more than individual initiatives. It means making sustainability part of how we work every day, with colleagues across the business understanding the role they can play.
Our near-term Science Based Targets provide a clear framework for reducing emissions, while our six 30 By 30 Climate Action Teams bring colleagues together to focus on key areas of environmental impact including energy, supply chain, product innovation, transport and logistics, waste and employee engagement.
By bringing different teams and expertise together, we’re building greater accountability, encouraging new ideas and helping to ensure sustainability is considered throughout our decision making.
Taking the Conversation to the POC Conference
At the Products of Change Sustainability Conference, Chris will share insights from our journey, including how we’re working towards a more circular approach to product design, reducing carbon emissions and embedding sustainability across the business.
He’ll also discuss the realities of delivering change, from navigating technical and commercial challenges to recognising that progress often comes through continuous improvement rather than a single solution.
A key message is that businesses don’t need to have every answer before they begin. By challenging established ways of working, learning from experience and taking practical steps forward, we can build momentum and create a foundation for further progress.
Collaboration is equally important. Many of the sustainability challenges facing our industry extend beyond individual businesses, spanning shared supply chains, materials, manufacturing processes and logistics networks. By exchanging ideas and learning from one another, we can identify opportunities to accelerate progress together.
Working Together for a More Sustainable Future
Our involvement with Products of Change reflects our belief that sustainability is a shared responsibility and that meaningful change is best achieved though openness, collaboration and a willingness to keep learning.
We’re proud of the progress we’ve made so far, while recognising that there is still more to do. Through continued investment, innovation and engagement across our business and wider industry, we’re committed to building on these foundations and turning our ambitions into action.
Find out more about our sustainability journey: Ahead of the conference, Chris spoke to Products of Change about our progress, the lessons we’ve learned and our plans for the future.
Read the full interview on the Products of Change website.
UK Greetings are a greeting card supplier in the UK who have been proud to create products that help people connect, for more than 100 years. Find out more About UK Greetings.
