Sustainability Certification: Does It Make a Difference In Print Manufacturing?

Sustainability is a term that both consumers and business managers have become increasingly familiar with, even if not thoroughly knowledgeable about. Over the past 15 - 20 years the sustainability focus of the printing industry has been on consumables, and in particular paper/board. This has led most of the industry to seek out alliances with certified sources of fiber products (e.g., FSC, SFI, PEFC, etc.). As sustainability efforts have grown over the past five plus years greater attention has been made to the manufacturing process. In particular, the focus has been upon air and water quality, recycling efforts, reduction of energy and water consumption, as well as reduction of landfill volume. This paper focuses on the efficacy of sustainability certification as a means to improving environmental performance of the print manufacturing sector.