Business challenge
- Ensure environmental respect of the chain of custody for all paper products utilized
Solution
- Develop a program to ensure environmental respect of suppliers and its own products and processes
with the support of Bureau Veritas Certification
Benefits
- Differentiation attracting new business, especially government and large corporate clients
- Sense of fulfillment gained by contributing to the enormous challenge of protecting the world’s forest’s
Client: Spirit Graphics and Printing Inc.
Client industry: Graphics design printing
Client size: 12 employees
Client profile:San Diego area, family-owned business
offering quality printing -design- and
branding services.
Thomas D.Ackerman Jr.
Co-owner
Spirit Graphics and Printing Inc.
The world’s forests continue to suffer damage from logging that causes loss of habitat for forest flora and fauna, displacement of indigenous peoples, water pollution and violence against people who work in the forest. Consumers
and forest products companies are attempting to end these destructive practices by ensuring the chain of custody of
wood products destined for paper production complies with sustainable practices. Spirit Graphics wanted to be a responsible and active participant in resolving these issues.
The company developed a program to monitor and ensure its paper products suppliers only deliver paper derived from
forests certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI). SFI program
participants practice sustainable forestry on all the lands they manage, and a product, process or service certified by an FSC-accredited certification body complies with the applicable FSC-endorsed standard.
Spirit Graphics chose Bureau Veritas Certification to help them ensure they put into practice the systems and processes necessary for obtaining FSC and SFI certification in order to be successful in their broad-based effort to be in every way a truly environmentally responsible business. Additionally, Bureau Veritas Certification utilized their ISO 14001 expertise to provide feedback and pinpoint potential areas for improvement.
Spirit Graphics’ “Infinite Green” program has garnered a great deal of attention from current and prospective customers as it is one of the only companies in its sector undertaking such a comprehensive effort in respecting the environment.
Company practices and certifications delivered by Bureau Veritas Certification are communicated via an attractive and user-friendly website. Thanks to the identified improvement areas, a more robust system has been developed, using
methodologies that other printers might not have even thought of, Sales have increased, especially to municipal agencies and large corporate clients. But, the main benefit is Spirit Graphics knows they are actively involved in ensuring the future of the world’s forests.
See the full challenge below
Send an e-mail