Words Matter: How to Properly Market Sustainability Efforts

Guest Commentary and photographs Courtesy Monadnock Paper
Illustrations by Man As Thepa
 

Sustainability is a broad and amorphous term that has outlived its utility. Today, you also may hear other terms like corporate social responsibility (CSR); materiality; Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) reporting; circularity; closed loop; and regenerative business models. The growing ‘eco-vocabulary' around these initiatives is both promising and challenging.

Institutions of higher learning face potential financial and reputational risk when making cloudy or unsubstantiated sustainability statements about their printed products—brochures, signage, welcome packets, and the like. Consequently designers are increasingly responsible for the brand promise and authenticity of their sustainability claims—they need to be concise, explicit, and, above all, qualified. 

While the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) publishes clear guidelines about greenwashing in its Green Guides, we’ve included some useful definitions and insights for helping communicate your sustainability efforts with confidence. 

KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

Printed with Soy Ink
Are you aware that the ink can contain less than 10% soy and still qualify for this statement? It is misleading if the ink still contains 90% petroleum content. Soy is just one of many beneficial vegetable-based inks available on the market.

Recycled
Is that pre- or post-consumer recycled material? How much recycled content is in there? If it’s not 100% you need to specify what percentage of materials in the product are recycled—and if it’s pre- or post-consumer.  

PVC Free
This only works if the product or alternative could or may have contained PVC in the past and not for products that would never have contained PVC in the first place. Like cereal for instance.  

Recyclable
Is it recyclable in your curbside paper bin? Or does it need to ship back to the origin of manufacture for recycling? If it is not curbside, the statement must be qualified.

The viewbook from the College of the Holy Cross (top) and the Snap & Share promo from Ringling College of Art and Design (bottom)—printed on Monadnock papers.

DISPELLING THE MYTHS

According to leading nonprofit Two Sides North America (TSNA), greenwashing claims breach established environmental marketing rules.

“Far from ‘saving trees,’ a healthy market for forest products such as paper encourages the long-term growth of forests through sustainable forest management,” said Phil Riebel, President, TSNA. “Many of the organizations we engage are surprised to learn that over the last 30 years, U.S. forests have grown by some 18 million acres while net forest area in Canada has remained about the same.”

Not printing something does not save trees when the paper is sourced responsibly. Forest businesses that operate in a responsible way will preserve forests in perpetuity. Without markets for renewable forest products, foresters (the majority small land holders) will have to find other ways to make a living off their land—like clear cut for condos and a water park.  

In North America, paper packaging does not deplete ancient and old growth forests. The biggest threat to forests in the U.S. is urbanization; in Canada it is agriculture. Responsibly sourced and third-party certified paperboard supports healthy forests. 

These are only a handful of the misconceptions about paper. However, when used correctly, marketing materials and product labeling provide very important real estate to tell an authentic brand story. Organizations that visibly support their missions show an understanding of the importance of third-party verification and accountability. This transparency reinforces their authenticity and further fuels a very loyal stakeholder base.

Managing all the aspects and impacts of sustainability requires a formal framework and a long-term commitment from leadership. It cannot be left to one lone Chief Sustainability Officer or Environmental Manager. The most successful higher education brands have alignment across all functional areas of the organization, starting from the top down, to ensure optimal results. 

It is important to be able to quantify the impacts of purchasing decisions. The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Ecovadis, Green Seal, FSC and a long list of other sustainability rating tools and certification schemes can be costly and labor intensive for many smaller institutions. At Monadnock, we offer our higher education marketers a convenient and intuitive online tool that quickly tabulates the beneficial environmental impacts of switching to PCW Monadnock papers and performance boards. 

Higher education stakeholders have high standards. They want to know how their graphic products and signage are made and how they are sourced. They also need to know how to reuse or recycle the product when it has served its useful life. Meeting all these demands can seem daunting; but, as more and more words are created to define these practices, so too are the solutions.

PAPER FOR GREATER GOOD

It should come as no surprise that many higher education brands start their eco-journey by evaluating their paper and direct-mail usage. At Monadnock, we take a consultative approach with marketers and designers, helping them to understand and quantify the impacts of their paper and printing decisions, and help them craft sustainability messaging that is concise, accurate and supportable. We take great pains to ensure transparency and substantiate environmental claims with third-party testing and verification. 

We have been supplying paper to the education market for decades, with a variety of renewable, recycled and recyclable options. Our papers are Forest Stewardship Council certified, manufactured carbon neutral (Verified Carbon Standard Protocol), we use Green-e^® certified 100% renewable electricity, and we operate under an SGS certified ISO 14001 Environmental Management System. 

This means education brands can not only source but also communicate these benefits with confidence. 

Designing with nature is full of endless possibilities and complexities. Grow seeks to tell creative stories that reflect our wonder for synthetic biology. The Beauty Issue—printed on Monadnock paper—is also available online at www.growbyginkgo.com/issue/beauty.

WHERE TO START

As the old saying goes, “Little strokes fell mighty oaks.” There are several paths you can take right now to get started on establishing and communicating optimized sustainability practices.

1. Consult with your suppliers—they are your partners and they want you to succeed. 
2. Look for third-party verification from reputable organizations. 
3. Consult the FTC Green Guides if you are ever in doubt about greenwashing. 
4. Explore the range of U.S. EPA voluntary programs such as WasteWise, Green Power Partnership, and SmartWay Partnership.
5. Understand the requirements for using third-party marks and labels to tell your story. 
6. Source paper and board from responsible suppliers and look for Sustainable Green Printing (SGP) certified printers. 

Think twice when you see messages like “Save trees—don’t print this email” or “Save a tree and opt for digital statements.”  It is misguided and detrimental to the entire creative industry. Tell the truth. If not sending paper statements saves you money, say so. Don’t hide behind the mighty tree.  

Still interested and want to learn more about how Monadnock can help, visit: mpm.com.