Industry News
Young People in Print urges industry to support youth employment
Y
oung People in Print & Packaging (YPIPP) has urged the industry to be more
proactive in supporting young people into work, following the publication of the government’s report into youth unemployment. The landmark report found that almost one million people aged 16 to 24 were not in employment, education, or training (NEET) at the end of 2025. The figures highlighted the growing barriers linked to local job markets, transport services, and support systems all affecting young people’s ability to enter employment.
A second report is due to be published in the autumn, containing recommendations for overcoming ‘the most significant issue the country faces’. YPIPP said the findings should act as a wake-up call for a print and packaging sector already facing an ageing workforce and growing skills gaps. Jo Stephenson, managing director at Think B2B Marketing and YPIPP board member, said: “This report is not print and packaging-specific, but we ignore it at our peril.
“Our events are full of young people who want to work but have no idea about the diversity of careers in this
Jo Stephenson, board member for YPIPP
wonderful sector. That’s down to us, not them. As an industry, we need to make ourselves more visible, more accessible, and more supportive for the next generation.”
FESPA reinforces sustainability commitment with ISO certification Graeme
Richardson- Locke, head of associations and technical lead at FESPA
operations, events and community initiatives over the last 12 months. This year, FESPA achieved ISO
F 2
ESPA has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to sustainability, by building on progress achieved across its global
20121:2024 for Sustainable Event Management, following its ISO 20121:2012 certification in 2025. Graeme Richardson-Locke, head of associations and technical lead at FESPA, said: “We recognise the importance of helping businesses in our community to adapt as expectations and regulations around sustainability change. “Our role is not only to reduce our
own impact, but also to provide practical
Belated celebrations as 2601 Creative Print receives Kavalan Green Leader Award
601 Creative Print has been belatedly decorated with praise and a trophy after winning Kavalan’s Green Leader Award. Held at FESPA this year, the Bristol based company won the Powerhouse Award for its large-scale transformation of the Children’s Department at the Royal United Hospitals in Bath. The awards were handed out during the international exhibition in Barcelona but no representative of 2601 Creative Print was able to be in attendance. However, founding director Steve
Williamson was handed the accolade at
www.signupdate.co.uk
an open house at CMYUK. He said: “We’re delighted to have
won The Powerhouse Award and very pleased to have collected it at CMYUK’s Open House. “This project meant a lot to us because
it was about creating something positive for children, families, and staff. Kavalan Gecko, supplied by CMYUK, gave us the quality, durability and seamless finish we needed, while also supporting a more eco-responsible approach to material choice.” The project saw a traditionally clinical healthcare environment reimagined into
L to R: Paul Warwick, CMYUK, with Steve Williamson and Paul Johnson, founding directors, 2601 Creative Print.
a bright, immersive, and uplifting space, designed to help reassure young patients, support families, and create a more positive setting for staff. 2601’s response was to design, print, and install more than 250m/sq of Kavalan Gecko 320GB Greyback PVC-Free wallcovering.
July/August 2026 | 19 |
guidance for the wider speciality print industry and its related sectors.” FESPA also runs its sister organisation, the FESPA Foundation, which operates under the strapline ‘Print For Good’, and has supported schools in South Africa and Brazil. FESPA also supports the long-term
sustainability of the print sector itself by running – through its network of global Associations – various youth engagement programmes to introduce young people to careers in print, signage and visual communication.
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