Calverts provides high quality, environmentally conscious communications design, printing and web services to a wide range of commercial, third sector, government and community organisations in the UK.

Activities range from copywriting, illustration, branding and graphic design to digital, litho and wide format printing, mailing and distribution. Products include every type of print collateral, from brochures, magazines and stationery to information packs and exhibition materials.

Calverts is London's leading ethical and environmental printer. The company holds Forestry Stewardship Council and Greenmark certification, as is working towards the ISO 14001 environmental management accreditation.

Calverts is a common ownership co-operative, incorporated as an Industrial and Provident Society. All employees are eligible for membership, and each member has a single, non-transferable voting share.

Business vision

To be recognised as the UK's leading co-operative provider of communications design and printing services.

Business philosophies and beliefs

It is part of human nature to want to improve the conditions of our work. As a co-operative, Calverts enables its employee members to take part in the democratic control of their working environment and life. We strive for better, fairer and more dignified ways of working.

A co-operative is an autonomous association of people united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise. Calverts therefore operates according to the seven co-operative principles:

1. Voluntary and open membership
2. Democratic member control
3. Member economic participation
4. Autonomy and independence
5. Education, training and information
6. Co-operation among co-operatives
7. Concern for community

Business Values

Self-help

Self-responsibility

Democracy

Equality

Equity

Solidarity

Honesty

Openness

Social responsibility and caring for others

Business mission

To provide the highest levels of quality and service in communications design and print services

To provide secure, meaningful and properly compensated work for the members of the co-operative

To generate wealth in order to improve the quality of life of the members

To develop a culture and practice of democratic self-management in the workplace

To support the sustainable development of our communities

Business Information

Date established:: 1977
Contact details: Sion Whellens, Client Services Director, sion@calverts.coop, 020 7739 1474
Business structure Help Basic business structures under UK law include: sole trader, partnership, private company limited by shares, private company limited by guarantee, community interest company, public limited company, private unlimited company, and franchise.: Co-operative (Industrial & Provident Society)
Address of company headquarters: 9-10 The Oval, London, E2 9DT
Countries of operations: UK
Countries where goods and/or services are sold: UK
Size of workforce: 15
Financial year Help The 12 months used as a company's accounting period. This may or may not be a calendar year.: 1st October to 31st September
Market capitalisation Help The market value of a public company's issued share capital, i.e. the number of shares multiplied by the current price of those shares on the stock market. For private companies, 'company value', estimated by the book value of all assets or by using comparable companies, is a more appropriate term. This information is not compulsory.: GBP 262,000 before goodwill
Turnover (last financial year) Help Income that the business receives from its normal business activities, usually from the sale of goods and services to customers. Also known as total revenue, total sales or the top line.: GBP 1,380,000
Profit (last financial year) Help Gross profit is the total turnover minus cost of sales. Net profit is the turnover minus all expenses, including payroll and tax. Businesses are asked to state gross profit, net profit or both. This field can be left blank.: GBP 31,000
Details of owners: Common Ownership Co-operative with 15 members, each holding a one pound, non-transferrable voting share
Directors' other business interests Help Businesses are asked to list other directorships held by their directors and company secretary: Sion Whellens is a non-executive director of Co-operatives UK Ltd

Goods and Services

Calverts services include:

Graphic and communications design

Branding, corporate identity and campaigns

Illustration, photography, copywriting and editing

Web development

Reprographics

Printing - litho, digital and wide format

UK and worldwide mailing and distribution

Free samples, dummies and advice

Calverts products include:

Websites and e-newsletters

Brochures and catalogues

Annual reports and reviews

Newletters and magazines

Flyers, leaflets and posters

Stationery, folders, packs, binders

Books

Exhibition and display materials

A full range of recyled papers

Calverts is dedicated to providing integrated communications design and print that is financially, environmentally and socially sustainable.

As a Forest Stewarship Council certified printer, we can also demonstrate that our clients' projects are printed using paper made from well-managed forest products; from 100% post-consumer recycled paper (made in paper mills which are themselves FSC accredited); or from 'mixed source' FSC papers. Our clients can use the FSC claim on their own publications.

Business Responses

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If you wish, please offer comments and ideas of your own and rate responses for clarity and/or policy quality. A business can use your ideas and suggestions to improve their SEE practices and performance. If you don't think what the business says is accurate, or think it is incomplete or misleading, please challenge the response.

Click on a topic area to reveal business responses:

Community Relations

Community Relations is about a business in a social and economic context. A business can strongly influence the quality of life not only for employees, but also for the wider community in which it operates. It is recognised that a sustainable community promotes sustainable business.

Corporate Governance

Corporate governance is about how a business is structured and whether rights, responsibilities and duties are clearly set out and understood. These issues are critical in maintaining accountability and providing strong decision-making functions.

This section provides an opportunity for a company to indicate how it remains honest, transparent, equitable and reputable in its conduct. These objectives are relevant to any business whether large or small.

Donations and Payments

To whom and exactly how companies make donations and payments, including those to charitable organisations, professional associations and government, are extremely complex issues. It is important that companies disclose their corporate donations, publish their payments and explain what they hope or expect to receive in return.

Environment

Natural resources are vital to sustain our lives and lifestyle. This section looks at the impact business operations have on the physical environment. It is not always easy to address the challenges, but companies have the opportunity to show the problems they face and how they tackle them.

Human Rights

This section is about how businesses ensure that their operations do not violate the fundamental rights of individuals and communities at home or abroad. Businesses have the opportunity to examine this issue with regards to their own practices, supply chains and business relationships.

Marketplace Ethics

This section is about how businesses handle consumer rights and wider welfare issues. Many of the questions cover areas where there is a fair amount of legislation and regulation: it is an opportunity for businesses to show how they go beyond a legal minimum to address ethical issues in the marketplace.

Workforce

It is widely acknowledged that people are the most valuable asset to any business. In this topic, the questions are addressing the treatment of workforce. It is quite diverse but the focus is on promoting a fair, equitable, honest and supportive work environment.