This week is the 39th anniversary of Earth Day, and we have lots planned for you. Our big event: Wednesday, April 22 - Earth Day - we will be announcing the winners of our first WhatTheyThink Environmental Innovation Awards. We had to choose from more than 45 applications; it was hard! The companies who applied are all working hard to make their companies environmentally sensitive - and profitable. We will also be providing insight, input, and useful tools for you as you continue to develop your sustainability practices and initiatives. Today, our topic is How to Prepare a Sustainability Policy. This is a condensation of an article written by Gary Jones, director of Environmental, Health, and Safety Affairs at PIA, which first appeared in the  January issue of the  PIA Management Portfolio. (Download a <1MB PDF of the original article,) Preparing a Sustainability Policy Sustainable green printing is being driven mainly by print customers looking to green their own business, operations, and products. As a result, they are requiring all of their suppliers to respond accordingly. Printers can no longer afford to ignore the issues of sustainability and resource conservation. In order to capitalize on the movement and turn it into a competitive advantage, printers need to have an approach that is both systematic and systemic. The question is: How do you formulate a rational approach and create a plan that can gain support at all levels within your company? The answer is by creating a Sustainability Policy, the basis of a Sustainable Management System (SMS). What Is the Purpose of a Sustainability Policy? The Sustainability Policy serves as a company’s public statement for its management and employees, plus a communication tool for its customers, vendors, and other interested parties. The policy needs to be integrated into the set of parameters or guideposts any printer uses to make decisions on products it will manufacture, technology that will be used for production, and all supporting activities such as maintenance, transportation, energy, etc. What Is Sustainability? In the general sense, sustainability has become a term that encompasses ecological and environmental goals to help mitigate a broad spectrum of scientific, social, and political issues. Sustainability implies the ability to operate in a way that meets present needs while providing for the needs of the future and future generations. Sustainable manufacturing for the printing industry embodies three principal concepts:

• Product. This includes the design, input materials used to make it, and the ultimate fate of the finished goods.
• Process. This includes the actual manufacturing process involving prepress, press, and postpress.
• Envelope. This includes all of the support activities that occur at a printing operation such as the building, grounds, maintenance, transportation, employees, etc.

Sustainability is more than just printing a product on recycled paper with “vegetable oil-based” inks. Sustainability requires an examination of all the aspects involved in a company’s operation. What Are the Essential Elements of a Sustainability Policy? The elements in the policy are designed to address the core principle aspects of sustainability that reflect what the company has put into place via their SMS. A sustainability policy addresses these items:

• Clearly states the company’s vision statement and present core values and principles.
• Contains content relevant to the company's existing culture and operation.
• Signed and dated by either the owner or a company official representing the executive level. Signatures demonstrate personal commitment at the top of the company.
• Made public, both on the company's website and in the facility where all employees and visitors can see it.
• Reviewed and renewed annually to ensure the policy is current and applicable.
• Has supporting documents and resources.
• Audited by a third party for conformance.

Where to Start?

1. Gain management commitment and support.
2. Form a sustainability committee.
3. Develop a draft policy of no more than one page for review and revision.

How to Actually Write the Policy? Start with a list of general concerns related to sustainability that can be addressed iin a policy statement such as:

• Environmental impacts associated with the product being produced including prepress, press, and postpress operations.
• Packaging and transportation of the finished goods.
• Composition and delivery of input materials.
• Impact from operating the printing facility that includes energy consumption, building, grounds, and equipment maintenance, office waste, food/cafeteria waste, etc.
• Employee issues such as health and safety, wellness, and other benefits
• Community issues such as the release of air pollutants that can cause short-term problems such as odor or longer-term ones such as smog.

The focus should be on those actions that cause changes to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, which result from the company’s activities, products, or services. Once the list of general concerns is identified, they need to be translated into commitments. Do not include commitments in the policy the company will not be able to carry out. Conclusion A sustainability policy is your company’s declaration of commitment to the environment and worker health and safety. Your policy serves as the foundation for your Sustainable Management System and provides a unifying vision of sustainability principles that will guide the actions of both employees and management. Due to the demands from a rapidly growing base of customers, the interest in sustainability has really skyrocketed in the past two years. The printing industry is clearly in the midst of a fundamental change in the manner in which business is conducted. As a result, a printer’s ability to stay competitive and profitable is directly tied to their ability to meet this new challenge. The sustainability policy statement serves as the framework for setting objectives and targets that will drive those business activities which will result in increased profits while simultaneously protecting people and the planet. About the Author Gary Jones is the director of Environmental, Health, and Safety Affairs at Printing Industries of America. His responsibilities include assisting members to understand their regulatory obligations as specified by EPA, OSHA, DOT, and state/local agencies; providing input on regulations impacting the printing industry; and leading Printing Industries of America’s efforts on the Sustainable Green Printing (SGP) Partnership. He can be reached by phone: 412-259-1794 or by email: gjones (at) printing (dot) org. Reprinted with permission from the 2009 Management Portfolio. Copyright 2009 by the Printing Industries of America. (www.gain.net)  All rights reserved.