Sustainability Certification: Is it the Right thing to Do?

Sustainability is one of those feel-good issues that most people are for but are not necessarily willing to put in the effort to implement. Printers are no exception. For example, out of the thousands of printing companies in the country, only a few dozen have gone through the rigors of becoming SGP certified.

If you are unfamiliar with this certification organization, the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) was founded in 2008 as an independent, non-profit organization to provide a certification label for sustainability in the graphic communications industry. It bills itself as “the industry standard for the certification and continuous improvement of sustainability and best practices within print manufacturing operations.”

Backed by top trade associations such as Printing Industries of America, Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA), Flexographic Technical Association (FTA), and National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM), SGP was founded to quantify sustainability in the printing industry. Prior to its inception, there were plenty of “green” products and processes in use in the industry but there was no real definition as to what a “sustainable” printing operation should be.

Supported by such industry vendors as 3M, Durst, DuPont, and HP, SGP provides a benchmark for print facilities’ sustainability efforts, which cover more than simply using green products. While its criteria do cover the input materials used to produce products such as substrates, inks and coatings, they also address manufacturing process involving press equipment and supporting technology and the printing facility in its entirety—its energy consumption, employees, and supporting activities.

Case Studies

Is SGP certification worth it? Is it difficult? What are the benefits? To find out we talked to executives at two SGP certified companies.

The Berman printing company is a 75-year-old commercial and package printer in Cincinnati, OH, which is heavily into sustainability. Not only is it SGP certified but it also belongs to such “green” organizations as the Rainforest Alliance, Agfa Greenworks, and Forest Stewardship Council. According to Chuck Oaks, Berman’s pressroom department head, the company decided to pursue SGP certification for two main reasons.

“First, it was the right thing to do for our employees, for the long term viability of the company, and, of course, for the environment,” said Oaks. “Also, we knew we could use it as a sales and marketing tool. We knew that a couple of our larger customers were interested in environmental responsibility because they had already urged us to become FSC certified, Rainforest Alliance certified, and AGFA Greenworks certified. The same customers had also been instrumental in our decision to switch to soy based inks years before.”

ProGraphix is a large-format printer in Austin, TX which specializes in such things as banners, signs, vehicle graphics, and tradeshow displays. It bills itself as “Your Choice for Eco-Friendly Graphics” and touts the fact that it is the only SGP certified printer in Austin.

“The SGP certification process gave us the opportunity to develop and implement a formal sustainability program that delivers value and results,” according to ProGraphix president Nicki Macfarlane. “As a credible, third party endorsement, SGP certification demonstrates our commitment to achieving our sustainability goals, while meeting customers’ expectations and providing a safe working environment for employees.”

Hard Work

Both Oaks and Macfarlane said that while the certification process was demanding it also was very worthwhile.

“It was somewhat challenging as we were in the midst of restructure and many of the requirements fell into categories that were not easily defined as one particular manager’s responsibility,” said Oaks. “We were already huge into recycling anything we could, reducing usage as much as we could, and re-using. Those aspects were already well taken care of. We just needed to add the metrics to our efforts. The program really did help us to step up our awareness of health and safety issues. The biggest part was putting together the documents for SGP, not the actual recycling programs.”

According to Macfarlane, “We began the certification process with regular committee meetings to encourage employee participation and communication. We conducted extensive research to identify environmentally friendly print materials, such as recyclable banners and biodegradable rigid substrates. As part of the certification process, we also opted to upgrade our equipment to incorporate more sustainable processes. For example, our new flatbed printer substantially reduces the amount of waste produced, and the printer’s UV inks have virtually no VOCs. Other improvements were based on the safety and health checklist that supports our goal of providing a safe working environment. SGP Certification was a substantial undertaking, but the resulting improvements in our products, processes, and facility were well worth the effort.”

Market Advantages

At Berman, they have used their SGP certification in their marketing but have found it useful in other ways, too. Erin Walter, Berman’s technical sales director, said “We have highlighted the demands of participation and the limited number of printers nationally that have qualified for this status. However, the impact is really internal. We didn’t go through the process for notoriety, but for the internal discipline required to maintain certification. This is the where the largest impact and benefit has been.”

SGP certification at ProGraphics was part of a rebranding effort, according to Macfarlane. “We rebranded our image to reinforce our emphasis on sustainability, including adding a recycled paper background to our website and business cards. We also changed our tagline to highlight the fact that we are now certified.”

When asked if certification has had a significant impact on her company, Macfarlane said “Certification has helped differentiate us in the marketplace. We are the only certified facility in Austin and the second in Texas. It has also given us the tools to become certified in local environmental programs as well, increasing our exposure locally.”

Is It For You?

When asked if they would urge other printers to pursue SGP certification, both Macfarlane and Walter said it is certainly something other printers should consider.

“I would recommend certification to any printer who wants to demonstrate their commitment to sustainable business practices,” said Macfarlane.

“We would recommend that other printers pursue the certification,” said Walter.”But only if they are committed to following the principles of the program because it involves a great deal of discipline and hard work.”