This is a guest article by Ruddocks, written by Iulia Poama-Covaci, their Digital Marketing Specialist.
Ruddocks is a long-standing family business in Lincoln, England, with a rich history dating back to the 19th century. Their story began in 1873, with John William Ruddock (JWR), a man with a vision who, after completing a print apprenticeship, began working for Charles Akrill of Lincoln. At the end of 1884, JWR and E. Keyworth, a long-time colleague, took over Akrill's business, creating the foundation for what the business has become today.
Over the 140 years that followed, Ruddocks built a reputation within the print industry for expert knowledge and exceptional quality. While honouring its heritage and traditional values, the business continued to innovate and expand its offering.
From their origins as a traditional printer, Ruddocks adapted to ever changing markets and evolved over time. They are now a thriving creative production agency that provides brand solutions, digital marketing, bespoke print and distribution for many of the UK’s leading brands - the likes of British Steel, the NHS, Macmillan Cancer Support, Greencore, Macdonald Hotels, and The Scouts.
Championing sustainable practices
Ruddocks recognises the importance of being a sustainable business - they were early adopters of the ISO 14001 in 2008, becoming one of the first print businesses in the UK to receive this internationally recognised environmental accreditation. In addition, their expert team have implemented significant sustainable changes in order to optimise operations and their carbon footprint. Particularly over the last two decades, the company improved its recycling and waste reduction programmes, switched to vegetable oil-based inks and eco-friendly packaging, as well as chose carbon-neutral energy and electric vehicles for their fleet.
Through their marketing and communications, they are very vocal about their sustainability commitment, always advocating for business practices and alternative solutions that are kinder to the environment. They even have a regular publication dedicated to helping businesses along their own sustainability journeys, called The Paper.
And alongside certifications and partnerships with nature conservation charities, their efforts have also been recognised at the 2024 Lincolnshire Business Awards. Shortlisted for the ‘Community Champion’ and the ‘Planet Saver’ awards, Ruddocks went on to win the latter, being crowned ‘Green Business of the Year’.
As for future plans, the business is currently on the path to becoming B Corp certified. At the same time, they are continuing to minimise their carbon footprint year on year while honouring their pledge of achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2030. The team’s next big goal is also investing in solar electric panels for their premises.
FSC Certification
Ruddocks received the FSC Chain-of-Custody certification in 2009 (FSC®-C001879). This ensures that their paper products support responsible forest management, contributing to forest preservation and biodiversity protection.
Their FSC certification perfectly complements the rest of their environmental targets, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimising waste production, and cutting down on plastics and non-recyclables in their packaging and merchandising streams.
‘We’ve been dedicated to maintaining our FSC certification for the last 15 years to ensure and prove that our paper and wood-derived products support responsibly managed forests. Not only does this align with our values, but it also supports our clients’ environmental goals through the projects we undertake together.’
-Paul Banton, Managing Director at Ruddocks
Sustainable growth & uplifting communities
Ruddocks proves that an organisation’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond minimising environmental footprint. It also needs to be centred around its people’s wellbeing and create a positive impact within the local community.
Looking at Ruddocks, their passion for supporting the workforce of tomorrow is evident. Through educational initiatives like work experience placements, internships, mentoring and tours, the staff’s vast knowledge and decades of expertise is shared with the next generation of students and workers.
More recently, Ruddocks has been partnering with local gardeners and small businesses to transform part of their land into a nature pond and garden with a fruits and vegetables allotment, as well as a wildflower meadow to attract pollinators. And not only has this increased the biodiversity in a predominantly industrial area, but it has also provided a great opportunity for staff, schools and volunteers to get involved in wildlife and wellbeing projects!
It’s clear to see that Ruddocks is a rare example of a business that stood the test of time and continues to shape the creative landscape of Lincoln. From bespoke services and premium quality products to their sustainability initiatives and dedication to education programmes, Ruddocks and their expert team have been a consistent and powerful force in their community and creative industry since 1884.
To discover more, head over to the Ruddocks website: https://www.ruddocks.co.uk/