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Warren Werbitt Says, “We Don’t Need to Be Policed”
WhatTheyThink's print evangelist Warren Werbitt exposes the dark underbelly of FSC/SFI/PEFC chain of custody certification, designed to prove that printers are sourcing paper from environmentally sustainable sources. Thanks to auditing fees, $87 million leaves the printing industry each year, and what is gained? The ability to use a logo…which no one uses anymore. He proposes that the industry should come up with its own accreditation and keep the $87 million.
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Discussion
By Scott Williams on Dec 11, 2019
Couldn't agree more Warren. When a local printer used the FSC logo (that wasn't certified and never has been)and we reported it to FSC their response was that they don't get into the legalities and use of their logo. I guess they don't need policing either.
By Scott Wheeler on Dec 11, 2019
The concept of needing an auditor to prove that a printer doesn't switch stocks on a customer makes no sense. Any printer swapping out stocks isn't going to be in business very long.
By Warren Werbitt on Dec 11, 2019
I appreciate you watching the videos. I am even happier that this topic seems to have hit a nerve with people. My personal email has been rocking this morning. Please go to my linkedin post and share it with a comment. Let's get this going and save the audit fees.
By Warren Werbitt on Dec 11, 2019
What a morning 2 Scott's lol.
Mr Wheeler, Well said.
By Marci Kinter on Dec 12, 2019
Costs associated with FSC certification, as well as the point that it does not address all substrates used by the print industry, is the main reason why, in 2008, the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership Program, SGP, was launched. This is the only third party certification for the print industry focusing on a holistic view of the print facility - not the product going out the door - but the operations of the facility itself. Built on the three pillars of susainability, societal, economic and environmental, SGP certification provides validation to a print company's sustainability program. Check it out - sgppartnership.org
By Raymond Prince on Dec 14, 2019
Warren you are tight on target. The industry does not need FSC etc. Years ago when ISO was becoming the rage and GATF stepped up and offered to be the champion for the industry in certifying printers and even had 5 consultants certified the board of directors of GATF said no. Now who was on that board -- PRINTERS. Well others did it and the result was that we had to teach (and pay)automotive engineers printing so they could audit us. Solution is to have one of the various associations in "OUR" industry bring forward the message.
Final thought - In my experience the buyers I have dealt with care about quality, delivery and price and not at all about FSC.
To quote an old cartoon character "We have met the enemy and he is us."
Warren you are right on.
By Warren Werbitt on Dec 16, 2019
Hi Marci,
I really appreciate what you are saying. I was not aware of SGPPARTNERSHIP.ORG Which leads me to my next point. And that is if I am not aware, then there are many others like me and we should start working on getting this message out. My goal over the next couple months is going to be to try & flush out the real benefits if any from FSC, PECF & SFI to our industry, as we are pouring 10's of millions of dollars into the auditing. Saving the environment is way more than planting trees.
By Warren Werbitt on Dec 16, 2019
Hi Ray, your words or bang on. I only hope that we as an industry can come together and decide on a common environmental path to take, ie the the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership Program, which was developed by printers for printers and it covers more than just the trees.
It's time we take ownership of our industry and teach our customers how and why we operate to help save the environment.
Discussion
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