Environment
Paragon and Custodian increasingly expect suppliers to provide credible carbon data and environmental reporting. “Similarly, many leading print businesses
have invested heavily in measuring and understanding their impacts because they recognise that sustainability has become a competitive differentiator.
“The businesses winning the largest contracts are often those that can demonstrate their environmental performance with evidence, rather than simply making claims.” This distinction could prove increasingly
important as the industry moves away from broad environmental statements and towards measurable claims. For businesses, simply describing themselves
as environmentally friendly may no longer be enough. Customers, procurement departments and other stakeholders increasingly want to know what that actually means.
That is also where the issue of greenwashing
enters the discussion. Environmental claims are coming under greater scrutiny, with regulators, customers and investors demanding more evidence to support sustainability statements. Dominic believes businesses themselves are becoming more proactive in addressing the issue.
He said: “Businesses are becoming increasingly
aware that environmental claims must be supported by robust evidence.” The solution, according to Dominic, is greater transparency and better data.
LEARN THE FACTS AND FIGURES Product carbon footprints, lifecycle assessments and independently verifiable environmental reporting can give businesses the evidence required to substantiate their claims. They can also help companies understand where their biggest environmental impacts actually lie, rather than relying on assumptions.
That could ultimately be one of the most significant reasons for the growing focus on sustainability among print companies – even when immediate customer demand appears limited. Dominic said: “As environmental reporting becomes more common across supply chains, organisations are becoming more aware of the impact associated with marketing materials, displays, signage and printed products. “The businesses that are already measuring and reporting their impact are therefore in a much stronger position when those questions inevitably arise.” For smaller businesses in particular, this could be important. Sustainability investment can be difficult when budgets are tight, and if customers are not explicitly asking for it, there is an obvious temptation to put it further down the priority list. Yet Dominic believes businesses that make the effort can benefit beyond simply winning environmentally conscious customers. He said: “A good example is Nathan and
the team at Imageco. They have consistently demonstrated a genuine commitment to reducing environmental impact, not because they are forced to, but because they believe it is the right thing to do.
“Businesses that take that approach often find that sustainability strengthens customer relationships, improves employee engagement and creates new commercial opportunities.”
A BRIGHTER TOMORROW
That suggests the 81% figure from Widthwise could actually be more encouraging than it first appears.
If companies are interested in being seen as
environmentally friendly despite relatively little perceived customer demand, it indicates that sustainability is not necessarily being treated simply as a sales tool. For some, it is becoming part of their wider business strategy and values. The challenge is that customer priorities
vary significantly. A major retailer, consumer brand or public sector organisation may have detailed environmental requirements for its supply chain. A company ordering print for an occasional exhibition or event may not consider sustainability anywhere near as important. Dominic said: “In contrast, an organisation that only purchases print occasionally for events, POS campaigns or exhibitions may not view it as a strategic procurement category.” But those expectations could change as
environmental reporting becomes increasingly commonplace. As customers become more familiar with the
environmental impact associated with marketing materials, displays, signage and printed products, suppliers that already have accurate data will be better positioned to respond. That makes the current situation something of a window of opportunity for the industry. The 14% figure may suggest that sustainability is not yet a mainstream customer priority, but that does not necessarily mean print businesses should wait for customers to start asking questions. Indeed, by the time those questions become commonplace, having the answers may be a basic requirement rather than a competitive advantage. Dominic concluded: “The companies making the greatest progress tend to view sustainability not as a cost, but as an investment in the future resilience and credibility of their business.” The Widthwise findings, then, may not demonstrate that customers do not care about sustainability. Instead, they could highlight a transitional period in which demand is uneven, sometimes indirect and not always visible to the businesses supplying the market. The real question for print companies may therefore be less about whether customers care today, and more about whether they will be prepared when sustainability becomes impossible to ignore.
BUSINESSES THAT TAKE THAT APPROACH
OFTEN FIND THAT SUSTAINABILITY STRENGTHENS CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS IMPROVES EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND CREATES NEW
COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES
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