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B2G Forum 2009: Green on paper |
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 Cyan, magenta, yellow. Along with black they're the cornerstones of the graphics and printing industry. It's the first thing you learn in design 101.
But these days, the primary color across the entire spectrum of business and industry worldwide is green.
This was the awareness behind the B2G (Business to Green) Forum 2009
held in Toronto recently and sponsored by Canadian Printer, APP Canada,
Weber Shandwick and Printaction.
Click here for videos
Businesses have many opportunities to make green choices in every
aspect of their activities but this event focused on paper procurement,
one of the key components of sustainability.
In her introduction, Kerry Harrison of Weber Shandwick noted that about
ten years ago, business experts were predicting a paperless world.
"How's that working for you?" was her ironic question to the audience.
Data from the World Resources Institute shows that per capita
consumption of paper (per person per year worldwide) rose steadily from
39.82 kg in 1984 (incidentally, the year the Macintosh computer was
launched) to 52.45 kg in 2004. Drilling down further, the numbers show
that North America takes the biggest chunk but the fastest growth is in
developing countries.
Clearly, even in a digital world, companies are not going to stop using
paper. So what can they do to ensure they're making the most
sustainable choices? Today's paper industry offers a myriad of
solutions and the speakers at the B2G Forum clarified some of the key
issues.
Chain of custody
First up to the microphone was Nazim Chowdhury, operations manager for
SGS Canada, a systems and services certification provider. SGS can
guide a company through the maze of testing, inspection, certification,
supply chain and other management challenges a corporate sustainability
program might involve.
Chowdhury said early in his presentation that, in the quest for
sustainability, "one size does not fit all." Economic, environmental
and social goals vary for different companies and are often moving
targets. Mandatory requirements are becoming more stringent, he noted,
and consumers are demanding upfront information about a product's and a
company's green profile.
One of the most reliable and increasingly accepted indicators used for
wood and paper products is forestry certification, said Chowdhury,
which ensures that the products are traceable through a chain of
custody (COC) to sustainably managed forests.
But, he added, with more and more wood being supplied from different
global sources, "the process of tracking has become more complicated."
It's a challenge, he said, but also allows "the opportunity for
companies to prove their responsibility and provide traceability and
information right through the entire supply chain."
SGS, Chowdhury noted, "is the world's leading certification body in
forestry certification with over 5,000 COC certifications" and is one
of the few that certify wood from forest to product against the most
recognized forestry management systems including FSC, PEFC and SFI.
Another service offered is timber legality and traceability or TLT,
designed to ensure that timber is legally produced and sold.
Going into more detail about COC systems, Chowdhury explained that COC
certification is required from companies that manufacture or trade in
wood or wood-based products and sell those products as certified using
the names and trademarks of one of the recognized systems. He noted
that COC involves three basic processes: procurement of certified
materials, processing and handling of certified material, and sales of
certified goods.
"For most companies," Chowdhury added, "COC certification is a fairly
simple process. Part of the process is basic inventory control," but
for large organizations it can require adapting existing procedures and
training personnel.
For more about SGS services, visit www.ca.sgs.com
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