August 28, 2008 --The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP Partnership), a collaborative effort by the PIA/GATF, SGIA, FTA, and NAPIM; today officially opens the application process for printers to become registered SGP Printers. Registered printers will be listed on a registry for print buyers and customers to use when searching for sustainable green printers.
 
What is the SGP Partnership
The SGP Partnership is an independent recognition organization that provides benchmarking tools applicable to the printing industry; provides verification of green and sustainable business practices based on a published list of criteria; and publicly recognizes facilities that meet established criteria.  
 
Application and Criteria
Printing facilities are now invited to complete and submit the SGP Printer application. The criteria for being listed on the SGP registry as a green and sustainable printer, announced and beta tested earlier this year, are listed on the SGP Partnership registry website (www.SGPpartnership.org).
 
The SGP Partnership's definition of sustainability encompasses more than just environmental issues. Corporate social responsibility is another major component. As a result, the criteria are based on all three key elements of sustainability: people, planet, and profits.
 
Acceptance Benefits
Once accepted as meeting these criteria and verified, a printing facility will be considered a Sustainable Green Printer, enjoy recognition on the website (www.SGPpartnership.org), and be permitted to display and use the SGP logo. The registry will also benefit the print buying community, allowing them access to sustainable printers in their area and across the country.
 
Marcia Kinter, Vice President of Government and Business Information at SGIA, says "Based on the level of interest printers of all platforms have expressed thus far, we expect there will be a huge response to the opening of the application process.  In the future we expect that the SGP Partnership website will become an important resource for print buyers wishing to place projects with green print service providers."
 
There are two categories of registration now open for applications: Candidate Pending Verification (CPV) and SGP Printer. The CPV category gives a facility a twelve-month time frame in which to meet all criteria for being an SGP Printer. Facilities that already meet the criteria for being an SGP Printer may bypass the CPV category and apply directly for recognition under that category.