Each month, ColorPro shines a light on the people and organizations delivering G7+™ training and certification worldwide. This month, we're heading to Mexico to introduce Mariana Sierra, founder of Standard Color and one of Latin America's longest-tenured G7+ advocates.
A Career Built on Color — and Consistency
Mariana Sierra's story with G7 didn't begin with a certification exam. It started in a small company where her job was translating technical graphic arts texts from English to Spanish — work that gave her an early appreciation for precision, measurement, and quality control. When that same company invited her to participate in a new project called G7® back in 2006, something clicked.
"I started learning even more about color management, standardization, and the importance of color consistency," she says. "To this day, I continue to work toward improving the printing industry through G7+ and PRINTING United Alliance."
That commitment has shaped everything about Standard Color, her Mexico-based color management consultancy. Mariana works with companies across the full production chain — from design through the final printed product — providing customized training programs and quality consulting tailored to each client's specific needs. Her reach extends across printing facilities, independent consultants, brand representatives, and equipment and supply companies, giving her a uniquely broad view of how color challenges play out at every stage of production.
Training That Reflects a Diverse Region
Ask Mariana what makes delivering G7+™ training in Latin America different, and she'll tell you it comes down to three intersecting factors: cultural diversity, varying levels of technical knowledge, and a strong business orientation.
"The great cultural and linguistic diversity leads to variations in technical terminology, learning methods, and decision-making processes," she explains. "This presents a challenge, but the implementation of standards such as G7+ provides a common language for color, enabling a more globalized and uniform printing approach."
That common language matters enormously in a region where a large portion of the industry focuses on packaging production — a sector where color consistency isn't just a quality consideration; it's a brand and business imperative. As a result, Mariana's training approach doesn't stop at the technical. She makes a deliberate effort to connect the dots between G7+ implementation and measurable business outcomes: reduced waste, faster client approvals, and improved profitability.
Her training sessions reflect this diversity in a practical way, too. Whenever possible, she demonstrates at least two printing systems during the hands-on portions, so participants with different backgrounds and equipment can learn from and challenge each other in the same room.
A Success Story Worth Sharing
When asked about a result she's particularly proud of, Mariana points to Huella Litográfica, a packaging company that treated G7 not just as a certification milestone but as an operational transformation strategy.
The numbers speak for themselves. According to Noel Franco, Production Manager at Huella Litográfica, the impact of implementing G7 methodology was both immediate and measurable. The facility reduced make-ready times by up to 45%, cutting costs, reducing waste, and accelerating client approvals. Through proper profiling and expanded-gamut printing, they achieved approximately 30% ink savings and recovered up to 30% of the productive time previously lost to press wash-ups.
But Mariana is just as proud of what can't be easily quantified. "Beyond the numbers, one of the most valuable outcomes was the increased confidence from their clients," she says, "who now trust that every job will meet expectations. At the same time, their internal team of operators experienced significant professional growth."
For Mariana, Huella Litográfica is proof of something she believes deeply: "G7 is not just about color — it's about building a more efficient, profitable, and reliable operation."
What's Coming in 2026
Mariana has ambitious plans for the year ahead, and the ColorPro community can be part of them.
She's offering three G7+™ Expert Training and Certification events in 2026 — one in May, one in October, and one in November. Each event is designed with a specific focus: the May session covers offset, the October session addresses flexography, and the November event is a larger-scale program that incorporates training across three printing systems in a single course.
Registration for all three events is available at printing.org/events/workshops.
In addition to the public training schedule, Standard Color is launching a private training program designed to help companies pursue G7 Master certification while simultaneously training their staff as G7+™ Experts — all through a process customized to their specific workflows and production environment, at a preferential rate.
On a side note, you can also find Mariana at EXPOGRAFICA 2026 in Guadalajara, May 6-9. Stop in to learn more and speak with her team.
A Bigger Vision
Looking beyond individual events and certifications, Mariana's vision for Standard Color is rooted in something she returns to again and again: the idea that training is not an expense — it's an investment.
"My approach goes beyond technical training," she says. "It focuses on connecting the Latin American printing industry with global standards and making a real impact on its global competitiveness alongside the leading brands in the market."
Her team actively works to bridge printing companies, brands, and international best practices, with the goal of elevating the region's technical standards and helping facilities see color management as a strategic tool for profitability, efficiency, and growth.
With nearly two decades of G7 experience, three upcoming certification events, and a growing roster of client success stories, Mariana Sierra is doing exactly that — one training session at a time.
Interested in G7+™ training in Latin America? Register for Mariana's upcoming certification events at printing.org/events/workshops