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Participation Sought for Survey by Nima Hunter, Inc. and the Institute for Sustainable Communication on the Sustainability of Printing

Participation Sought for Survey by Nima Hunter, Inc. and the Institute for Sustainable Communication on the Sustainability of Printing

Published 11-04-03

Submitted by NimaHunter

NEW YORK, NY--Independent research firm Nima Hunter, Inc. invites broad participation in an important Web-based survey being conducted in conjunction with a landmark study: The Greening of Print: Trends, Issues, Risks and Opportunities for Environmentally Preferable Publishing, Printing and Packaging in North America 2003-2008. The goal of the survey is take the pulse of over 1000 CSR professionals, corporate print buyers, graphic designers, and other graphic communications professionals in order to characterize their views on the environmental and social impacts associated with the consumption and production of printing, packaging, and print media in North America over the next 5 years.

To take the survey, please go to www.nimahunter.com/survey/rp.

According to Donald Carli, research director of the Greening of Print study, "Organizations that are seeking ways to put the principles of Corporate Social Responsibility into practice need look no further than the ways in which they produce or consume paper, printing, packaging, and print media. The 1999 U.S. Department of Commerce figures indicate that paper and printing purchases represent between 5% and 15% of all corporate expenditures exclusive of labor. For publishers the figure is 35%. Waste paper is America's single largest export by volume to other countries, and paper and packaging waste make up over 40% of North America's solid waste landfill.

Printing and packaging are essential to commerce, communication, human health, and civilization, yet they are not sustainable as they are currently produced and consumed in North America. Business needs for printing and packaging are the primary demand drivers for paper. Businesses also consume millions of tons of ink, toner, solvents, coatings, and adhesives that are predominately made from petroleum and fossil fuels. Even the production of soy-based inks typically involves significant use of diesel fuel and petroleum-based pesticides and herbicides.

Some also question the use of ink made from genetically modified soy because of the potential for genetic pollution of organic farms. Others raise concerns about the greenhouse gases produced by the use of solvents in printing, the transportation of printed goods, and the decomposition of printed waste in landfills.

The volume of printed matter produced by businesses continues to rise despite the hope that the Web, digital media use, and email would reduce printing and paper use. Print-related business activities contribute over 1 trillion dollars to the GNP; directly and indirectly these activities employ over 10 million people; and they consume over 100 million tons of paper, ink, and toner in the United States each year. In fact, paper use has increased six-fold over the past 50 years, with demand outstripping supply as the growing populations in the developing world increase their per capita consumption of paper and print media. Per capita consumption of paper in the U.S. is currently over 748lbs. per person, while the more than 2 billion inhabitants of China and India on average consume less than 25lbs. of paper per capita.

Although the papermaking and printing industries are more sensitive to environmental concerns than they ever have been before, the need to improve upon the status quo is also greater than ever before. Papermaking still uses the third largest amount of fossil-fuel energy in the manufacturing sector and the largest (industrial) amount of water per pound of product. The average U.S. office worker uses over 10,000 sheets of printing and copying paper per year and generates 2 lbs. of paper waste per day. Every pound of waste that businesses generate, whether it is toxic or not, is a drain on profitability, productivity, and environmental performance. In addition, as more and more corporate functions are outsourced, companies are increasingly being expected to extend their environmental management policies to their purchasing and supply chain practices. Yet less than 1% of the printers in North America have formal environmental management systems. There is growing concern on the part of institutional investors, graphic designers, communications and CSR professionals, and other stakeholders that such issues be addressed.

According to Carli, there are several key questions that CSR and graphic communications professionals need to ask:

  • Is your organization realizing the available opportunities to improve shareholder and stakeholder trust and perceptions of value? Are you reducing environmental risks and costs through initiatives that apply CSR principles to the way your organization produces and consumes paper, printing, packaging, and print media?

  • Is your organization prepared to respond to the risks and opportunities of the increased demand for economically, environmentally, and socially responsible publishing, printing, and packaging solutions?

  • Do vendors of paper, ink, toner, and printing solutions provide you with enough information about the environmental impacts of their products or services for you to make responsible design, purchasing, production, and communication decisions?

  • Do you know which companies and brands are leading or lagging in their management of corporate social responsibility and environmental stewardship related to printing, packaging, and print media?

    Share Your Opinions: If you are interested in the answers to these and other related questions, please take 15-20 minutes to share your opinions. No special knowledge of or familiarity with environmental issues, publishing, printing, packaging, or CSR is required. To take the survey, please go to www.nimahunter.com/survey/rp.

    Broad Participation Is Encouraged: The Web-based survey consists of 5 sets of multiple-choice questions that can be completed in 15-20 minutes from any PC with a Web browser and an Internet connection. Cookies are not required.

    Benefits to You: In return for your completion of this survey, you will receive a fact-filled Executive Summary of the study report upon its publication, and you will be eligible to receive research reports worth more than $100.00, at no cost!

    Broader Benefits: Greening of Print study results will be employed to improve the business practices of publishing, printing, and packaging vendors, which will enable them to better serve your needs in the long-run. The Greening of Print study results will also be used to guide professional associations, colleges, and high schools in the development of educational and training curricula for economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable publishing, printing, and packaging.

    Anonymity Assured: All survey responses will remain anonymous. We respect your desire to protect your privacy and confidential company information. Neither personal information nor individual company information will be shared with any third party without your consent. THIS SURVEY IS FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY AND WILL NOT RESULT IN A SALES CALL.

    Support: The Greening of Print study is being conducted by Nima Hunter, Inc. with support from the Institute for Sustainable Communication (ISC), the Environmental Careers Organization (ECO), The New York City College of Technology Department of Advertising Design and Graphic Arts, The Graphic Communications Department of California Polytechnic University, The Hilson Family Foundation, The North American Publishing Company (NAPCO), Quoin Publications/Graphic Communications World, the American Institute of the Graphic Arts (AIGA), Anderson Lithograph, Hewlett Packard ,and other leading organizations. For additional information about the Greening of Print study or for details about how your organization can support Greening of Print market initiatives, contact:

    Donald Carli
    President
    Nima Hunter, Inc.
    carli@nimahunter.com
    http://www.nimahunter.com
    212-922-9899

    or

    Oya Demirli
    Executive Director
    The Institute for Sustainable Communication
    odemirli@sustaincom.org
    212-922-9280

    Nima Hunter, Inc. is a New York-based independent market research firm founded in 1986. The Institute for Sustainable Communication (www.sustaincom.org) is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization with a mission to raise awareness of and build capacity for sustainable human communication in print and other media. Philadelphia-based North American Publishing Company (NAPCO) offers more than 15 information-based print, digital, and Internet products and leading trade expositions, building on more than 45 years of service to existing and emerging new markets in: commercial printing and graphic arts, direct marketing, publishing, design management, consumer technology and entertainment, promotional products, and broadcasting.

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