In
today's era of environmental consciousness, companies are increasingly
developing strategies to minimize the environmental impact of their products.
In part a response to customer demand, most companies that create mailing
hardware solutions understand the importance and benefits of driving
efficiencies in a customer's mailing operations, which helps reduce costs and
impacts the environment.
For
mailers interested in starting a "green"Â strategy, the right products can make
a big difference in helping achieve environmental objectives. The following four
tips will help mailers decide exactly which partners have a competitive edge
when it comes to environmentally responsible mailing equipment:
Baseline Assessment
In
order to make improvements, every company needs a baseline assessment of its products' environmental impact. Mailers should ask how progress is measured against this
baseline and which standards are being used for comparison. Most organizations
that are ahead of the curve will analyze products from a life-cycle
perspective and feed the results from this analysis back into the design
process for improvements.
Overall Sustainability Program
To
avoid companies that might be "greenwashing" (going green only as a superficial selling tactic),
make sure a sustainability
program is ingrained into a company's culture. The right company will have a
sustainability program the touches every part of its products'
life cycles, from a supplier code of conduct
with environmental parameters to
a design process that considers the environment, to a product take-back program that helps recycle
and reuse product parts.
Compliance Requirements
Most
vendors should meet the minimum compliance requirements for mailing hardware.
This includes the elimination of ozone-depleting substances and meeting regulatory
requirements such as the European Union's Directive on Restriction of Hazardous
Substances (RoHS). Progressive companies will incorporate "beyond compliance"Â
requirements into their manufacturing processes
to stay well ahead of future regulatory schemes.
Environmental Leadership
No one
should be more knowledgeable about the environmental impact of the mailstream
than your mailing equipment vendor. Strategic
relationships within the mailing industry and leadership on key issues that
impact the sustainability of the mail stream
will only help mailers achieve their own environmental strategies and goals.
Having
information in these areas will help a mailer avoid "greenwashing"Â and will
increase the likelihood of partnering with the right mailing hardware solutions
provider to help reduce environmental impact, increase efficiencies and drive
costs down. As
most mailers now realize, "going green" can benefit not only the
environment but their own bottom
line - with the right mailing
equipment.
Ellen Huang is director
of Environmental Affairs at
Pitney
Bowes Inc.
