Cimpress increased the use of responsibly forested paper from zero to more than 85 percent in 12 months

Waltham, Mass. – Cimpress N.V., the world leader in mass customization, today announced the Business Intelligence Group has named Jeff Freeman Sustainability Champion in the 2018 Sustainability Awards program. Freeman was recognized for helping Cimpress increase its use of responsibly forested paper from zero to more than 85 percent across 13 brands worldwide in 12 months. The initiative is one of Cimpress’ three company-wide social responsibility programs centrally defined and mandated by Cimpress CEO Robert Keane.

Cimpress brands offer a unique mix of paper-based products, from invitations and business cards to gift bags and signage. Through the work of a dedicated team led by Freeman, Cimpress successfully achieved its ambitious first year targets in a multiyear initiative to transition to responsibly sourced paper. Cimpress’ largest brand, Vistaprint, far exceeded the goal and increased its use of responsibly sourced paper to 95 percent.

“Mr. Freeman’s work at Cimpress demonstrates that even the most ambitious environmental initiative can be achieved by gathering a knowledgeable and passionate team, setting clear objectives, and breaking the work down into manageable steps,” said Maria Jimenez, Chief Nominations Officer, Business Intelligence Group. “His approach is one others can follow to make their next environmental initiative a success. We are pleased to honor Mr. Freeman for his contributions to making a more sustainable world.”

At the center of Freeman’s success were three key ingredients: a clearly articulated vision, funding from Cimpress’ leaders, and a detailed education and communication plan. He spent time with the team and key members of Cimpress’ businesses discussing the rationale behind the change, educating stakeholders about responsible forestry, and the impact of Cimpress’ choices. Numerous Cimpress team members were involved in a year-long effort to renegotiate contracts with new and existing suppliers, and qualify new paper stocks within the manufacturing process. Freeman was instrumental in providing a framework for their efforts within Cimpress’ decentralized organizational structure, resulting in a seamless transition for Cimpress’ millions of customers.

“Cimpress is committed to reducing deforestation and our paper sourcing practices now reflect that,” said Freeman. “It is incredibly rewarding to work for a company that cares about sustainability and invests in the appropriate resources to make a difference. We’ve made it easy for customers to join us in this mission by providing the same beautiful array of paper choices they have come to expect from Cimpress brands, but now with a promise that it was certified to the most robust standard on the market. We still have more work to do, but we are delighted to have reached this first major sustainability milestone and are humbled to see our efforts recognized.”

Freeman is Senior Manager, Global Sustainability at Cimpress. He has more than 16 years of experience in occupational safety, risk management, environmental and supply chain sustainability. In his current role, Freeman collaborates with Cimpress team members to execute signature sustainability initiatives across Cimpress’ businesses which collectively delivered revenue of $2.5 billion in the trailing 12 months ended March 31, 2018.

Learn more about Cimpress Corporate Social Responsibility, including the company’s ambitious plan to reduce carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2025.