Epitype brands recycling code

The Mayor of London’s Green procurement code, which aims to raise the profile of recycling in the capital, is to receive a visual identity by Epitype.

More than 500 organisations, including Barclays, Shell and all 33 London boroughs, were accredited as ‘Green’ purchasers of products or services last year by the London Development Agency.

But, until now, the scheme, which was founded in 2001, has not had its own logo. The marque will be launched on 30 October at the 2007 Green Procurement Awards – to be held at the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, London SE1 – and it is hoped that winning companies will choose to feature the logo on their letterheads, stationery and corporate merchandise.

The scheme has been reorganised this year to award companies bronze, silver or gold standards.

‘We were considering commissioning three different logos, to indicate the varying standards of award, but realised that this was not sustainable, since companies would have to change their stationery if they went up or down a level at the annual awards,’ says Claire Appleby, marketing director at London Remade, the company charged with administrating the awards.

London Remade appointed Epitype last June, following a credentials pitch. The consultancy claims that the identity is inspired by Newton’s third law of motion, in which every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

‘We wanted to create something that would look good sitting next to any other logo,’ says Epitype creative director Martin Roach. ‘It would be an interesting development if companies could take it to the next level and use the marque on their public-facing products, services and marketing materials.’