Robert (pictured) will be responsible for leading the association’s work in helping publishers manage and reduce their carbon footprint. He takes over from Jasper Scott of IPC Media.
Dark said: “It gives me great pleasure to accept the role of chair of the PPA Environment Committee. Historically, the buying of paper and print has been the main way publishers influenced their impact on the environment and the UK magazine industry generally has very good credentials in this area, from sustainable forestry through to recycling.
“I think we now need to focus more on other impacts such as plastics, glues and inks, and we must always be commercially realistic - fortunately, being greener can often lead to being more cost effective.”
A graduate member of the Institute of Purchasing and Supply, Robert worked in the food industry and for a purchasing agency before joining Future Publishing as Purchasing Manager in 2001. He is now Head of Production and Procurement and has been on the PPA Environment Committee for eight years. As a keen beekeeper, he has witnessed firsthand the negative effects of environmental change.
Dark will work alongside PPA Head of Environment Rose Benjamin on initiatives such as the PPA Carbon Footprint Calculator, which is currently being developed to include measurement of publishers’ digital channels.
Dark added: “Improving our understanding of the environmental impact of digital distribution is a key priority. Hopefully we will learn that it delivers a reduced environmental footprint but there are many factors that we need to investigate before we can be sure, and I expect the PPA to become a leading authority on this area.”
Rose Benjamin added: “If anyone has any doubts about how active the PPA is on environmental matters, they should attend our Environment Forum on 13 November, where publishers will hear the latest thinking on environmental matters from the likes of DEFRA, Bristol University and Sainsburys.”
Places at the forum are free to PPA members and can be reserved on the event website.
