Both printers point to customer demand as a motivating factor in pursuing certification
SGIA congratulates member companies Bolger Vision Beyond Print (Minneapolis, Min.) and Yunker Industries, Inc. (Elkhorn and Lake Geneva, Wisc.) for achieving the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership’s (SGP) Certification. The SGP Partnership is the leading non-profit accreditation organization that promotes sustainability in printing practices and manufacturing operations. SGIA is an SGP Resource Partner.
Becoming an SGP Certified printing facility requires an independent third-party certification audit verifying that the facility is in functioning alignment with published SGP criteria. Facilities must pass environmental, health and safety, and energy audits in addition to indoor air quality tests. Further, facilities must maintain documentation for best management practices and have a team of employees in place to coordinate sustainability efforts.
“By achieving SGP certification, both Yunker and Bolger have demonstrated their commitment to sustainable business practices,” said Marci Kinter, vice president, government & business information, SGIA. As a Resource Partner, SGIA is available to guide certification candidates through the process.
Rick Kline, director of compliance, Bolger, said his facility decided to pursue SGP Certification to strengthen its environmental, health and safety programs, as well as assure customers of Bolger’s commitment to those goals. “We want customers to understand that Bolger is a responsible company that practices what it preaches with its Sustainable Management System,” he said.
Yunker was driven to pursue certification by a desire to reduce its impact on the environment, said Nadine Seitz, Yunker’s marketing manager. “We have always believed in recycling and producing products that do not diminish our natural resources and are not harmful to human life or our ecosystems. We also know our current and future customers are asking questions about how ‘green’ a company we are, and what types of eco-friendly options we offer.”
Kline worked closely with SGIA’s Kinter throughout the certification process and noted, “The certification process is heavily documented, and Marci Kinter was always available for me, to answer my questions. She was very helpful.”
In preparation for certification, Yunker Industries, Inc., participated in SGIA’s Peer-to-Peer Network facilitated by Kinter.
“The peer-to-peer group walked us through the whole process. While certification initially sounded overwhelming, the peer-to-peer group made it much more possible,” noted Mark Huckstorf, VP facilities & environmental compliance, Yunker. “The best part of it was the collaboration. Hearing some of the other comments and questions made us feel like we were all in the same boat.”
In addition to the obvious benefits of a robust sustainability program, both companies acknowledge their SGP certifications will carry weight with existing and potential customers.
“What I like about the program is that it binds environmental health and safety together. Also, because of it, we’re in a position to capture more business. Our customers are savvy, and they care about the environment. When they see we’re active in our environmental, health and safety concerns, it’s positive,” Bolger’s Kline said.
SGP is a non-profit organization that certifies printing facilities’ sustainability best practices. SGP advocates best practices and innovation among print community stakeholders, aligning the printing industry and its customers in the pursuit of a more sustainable supply chain.
The SGIA Expo (Oct. 10-12 in New Orleans, La.) is the largest trade show for print technology in North America. Having its origins in the screen printing industry, SGIA embraced the digital revolution early on and is now the trade association of choice for professionals in the industrial, graphic, garment, textile, electronics, packaging and commercial printing communities looking to grow their business into new market segments through the incorporation of the latest printing technologies. SGIA membership comprises these diverse segments, all of which are moving rapidly towards digital adoption. As long-time champions of digital technologies and techniques, SGIA is the community of peers you are looking for to help navigate the challenges of this process. “Whatever the medium, whatever the message, print is indispensable. Join the community — SGIA.”
