David Workman (centre)
Another recent CPI success was our biennial Health and Safety Conference which was held in Solihull in November.
Over 180 delegates attended and we used the event to launch the new PABIAC strategy – ‘Being the Difference Together’. Each industry sector has produced an action plan and from January work began on implementation. It’s interesting to note that accident rates in the UK’s Paper- based Industries are roughly half of the European average – a testament to PABIAC’s work, which has been driven by CPI and the Industry’s health and safety practitioners.
Our Corrugated Members have continued to sponsor the Dods Manufacturing Programme involving numerous meetings with MPs.
A report -‘Manufacturing a Greater Britain’- was launched in December at an event also attended by around thirty Members of both Houses of Parliament. It makes recommendations on the teaching of STEM subjects in schools, research and development investment funding, help for SMEs in developing overseas markets and the promotion of a positive image for manufacturing. The group also called upon the Government to develop an energy policy that provides for competitively priced and secure energy supplies.
One issue that created media attention during the year was Mineral Oils. The UK’s Food Standards Agency issued its report on the subject in December and fortunately concluded that the presence of Mineral Oils in food contact packaging doesn’t represent a danger to public health. Of course we couldn’t predict this outcome and so we were proactive, joining forces with retailers and the food industry to form the Food Paper Packaging Chain, designed to
present a supply chain response to the issue.
CPI has been lobbying government on EU proposals to reduce the sulphur content of marine fuel. Also on limiting trailer heights, which would cost UK manufacturers dearly, and the good news is that the Minister fully supports our position.
At a time of increases in inflation and falling living standards, it’s perhaps understandable that the trade unions seek to protect their members by demanding pay increases to at least the level of RPI. Therefore we expected negotiations over settlements to be tough and so they proved. However, agreements were reached in both Corrugated and Papermaking Sectors. We continued to provide a highly respected conciliation service for dispute resolution and HR advice.
Recycling and waste issues continue to feature prominently in our work. Some Members have also actively supported the Campaign for Real Recycling in seeking a judicial review of Defra’s interpretation of the EU’s definition of “separate collection” of materials. Some have also joined the recently formed Resource Association. This presents CPI with a challenge that we must rise to as we still remain the only route to the Government for paper-based waste and recycling issues. A new CPI position paper will be prepared in 2012. It will more accurately reflect the position of our Papermaking and Corrugated Members. The quality of materials arriving at the mills for reprocessing remains a central issue which must be tackled, as is the thorny issue of Energy from Waste (EfW) which could potentially divert good quality fibre away from the closed-loop recycling route.
CPI has been active in its dialogue with Defra and the Devolved Administrations over implementing new waste strategies, particularly in relation to EfW, quality standards and the evolving MRF Code of Practice. There will be further discussion in early 2012 about revising the EN643 standard.
We were more active in courting the press during 2011 and had a great deal of media exposure, particularly in the packaging press and also increasingly in waste and recycling publications. This is part of an ongoing strategy to raise the profile of our industry. We’ve been working hard on updating our Education materials for schools and four new web-based modules will be launched in early 2012 that complement the national curriculum. A new “Myths and Facts” brochure is being prepared and for the first time in many years we’ve printed our Annual Review. The Corrugated Sector will continue with its MPs’ mailers and we’ll also continue to produce the MPs’ Newsletters on a regular basis.
Bob McLellan is due to step down as CPI’s President in May 2012. I would like to take this opportunity of thanking him for his tremendous support, hands-on approach to the role, forthright views and positive encouragement over his period in office. He’ll be sorely missed and a very hard act to follow.
David Workman 5
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