Proving that Your Printing Process is Sustainable

By Gary Jones

Some SGP Fast FAQs

FAQ: What is the difference between the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and the SGP Partnership?

Unlike FSC or SFI chain-of-custody certification programs, the SGP Partnership program is a holistic approach to sustainability. Whereas FSC or SFI concentrate on the use of forest products, SGP looks at the entire print production process, the facility and grounds, as well as staffing and human resources. Consumers and print buyers are asking for printing companies to be truly sustainable and to have proof that they are sustainable businesses.

FAQ: What are the requirements of the SGP Partnership program?

Regardless of the status being sought, there are several common criteria that need to be met. They include a commitment to EPA and OSHA regulatory compliance, development of a sustainability policy and embracing the guiding principles. The criteria for a Sustainable Green (SGP) Printer builds upon the core criteria and requires a sustainable management system, choosing and working on one improvement project annually, adopting the mandatory best management practices and meeting corporate social responsibility elements.

FAQ: What is the first step a printer needs to take in order to get involved in the SGP program?

The first thing the applicant should do is download the SGP criteria document. Then they must choose between applying as a Candidate Pending Verification (CPV) or SGP Printer. CPV status is appropriate for facilities without a sustainability management system in place or if no real preparation has been done toward a sustainability program.

To enter the program and be listed on the SGP Partnership Website as a CPV, a company needs to be in compliance and have a sustainability policy document completed. It is not necessary to have an entire management system in place.

Registering as an SGP Printer is more involved. In addition to the CPV requirements, the printer must have an environmental management system in place. After applying as an SGP Printer, the facility is listed on the site as awaiting verification. The plant must become fully verified within four to six months of applying. Once verified, then it is listed on the Website with full company and contact information.

MORE THAN ever, printers are being asked by their customers to prove their green credentials. In response to the demands for printers to create a creditable recognition program, the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP Partnership) was created. On August 28, the SGP Partnership began accepting applications from printers that want to be recognized for their efforts at being a sustainable green printer. The launch of the program was the culmination of more than a year of hard work by several key printing trade associations. The SGP Partnership is an independent, third-party registration organization formed in June 2007 as a collaboration between the Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation, the Flexographic Technical Association, and the Specialty Graphic and Imaging Association. The National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers and the Envelope Manufacturers Association also joined the partnership in May 2008.

The SGP Partnership is an independent recognition organization that provides printers with an opportunity to demonstrate their sustainability efforts and receive recognition for their actions. Printers that meet the criteria, and have it verified by an audit, are listed on a registry for print buyers and customers to use when searching for sustainable green printers.

One of the initial goals of the SGP Partnership was to establish a benchmark in the printing industry for sustainability. By working with the printing industry, suppliers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, state agencies, print buyers, consumer groups and environmentalists, criteria for recognition were developed with total transparency to meet market needs. The SGP Partnership has created a structure to develop a workflow for sustainability. The process can begin with simple steps and allow a company to move down the path to SGP Printer verification.

Becoming an SGP Printer requires three steps, and it starts with the completion of an online self-assessment application accompanied by supporting documentation that demonstrates compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements, as well as meeting the established criteria. The other steps are meeting the pre-audit documentation requirements and passing the on-site audit.

The criteria for being listed on the SGP registry as a sustainable green printer are listed on the SGP Partnership registry Website (www.SGPpartnership.org). Candidates can easily apply online by going to the “Become an SGP Printer” page.

There are two categories of registration now open for applications: Candidate Pending Verification (CPV) and SGP Printer. The CPV category gives a facility a 12-month time frame in which to meet all criteria for being an SGP Printer. Facilities that already meet the criteria may bypass the CPV category and apply directly for recognition under the SGP Printer category.

Once accepted as meeting these criteria and verified, a printing facility will be considered an SGP Printer, enjoy recognition on the Website, 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 local area and across the country.

SGP Printer recognition is more than just completing a checklist of discrete actions. It is a commitment to continuous improvement. Utilizing and embracing the approaches identified in the SGP Partnership has allowed printers to find many ways to reduce their environmental footprint, cut their operating costs and cement their relationship with their customers.

Since the SGP Partnership is not a membership association, SGP is not in the business of helping printers become verified. The focus of the SGP Partnership is to establish sustainability criteria and verify that applicants meet them. If a facility needs help, SGP encourages them to contact their respective trade association. PI

About the Author
Gary Jones is the director, EHS Affairs, at the Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation. He can be reached at gjones@piagatf.org.

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Gary Jones Author's page

Gary A. Jones is the director of environmental, health and safety (EHS) affairs at PRINTING United Alliance in Fairfax, VA. His primary responsibility is to monitor and analyze EHS regulatory activities at all domestic and some international government levels. He provides representation on behalf of the printing and specialty graphic imaging industry. In doing so, Mr. Jones works closely with the federal and state-level Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA), Department of Transportation (DOT), and other agencies. He also provides membership assistance on EHS compliance and sustainability programs through a variety of approaches including responding to inquiries, presentations, writing, and consulting services.

Mr. Jones is also supporting PRINTING United Alliance’s efforts for the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP). SGP is dedicated to assisting printing operations respond to the customer demand for sustainable printing.

He holds a BS in biology from LaRoche College and an MS in chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh.

Proving That You're Sustainable