Environmental sustainability initiatives are taking place with companies of every size.  A major driver of these initiatives is the increased awareness of the impact businesses can have on the environment.  Recycling programs has made its way into many organizations along with programs to reduce their carbon emissions to help mitigate these negative effects on the environment. There are several major corporations who are taking a big-picture approach by closely examining their product lifecycle and implementing green supply chain management practices.  These companies are thinking of many creative - and surprisingly easy - ways to incorporate environmental sustainability to their advantage. What exactly is Environmental Sustainability? When talking about sustainable business this can be related to social, corporate and/or environmental sustainability.  Altogether, they examine business processes and practices in terms of people, planet, and profit with the goal of creating a positive impact in each area. These practices are improving working conditions while protecting the environment at the same time which have proven to be good business strategies. For example, by using green supply chain management could potentially eliminate waste which increases cost savings and a better bottom line.  Additionally, many consumers favor companies that 'go green' ...

In today's depressive stock market it is hard to find a silver lining. Green investing is a way to feel good about your stocks and mutual funds while having the potential to make a healthy return on investment. Socially responsible investing makes sense during the corruption on Wall Street and the search for alternative energy sources.Green investing is finally coming into the mainstream. People can do what's right for the environment and build wealth too! Socially responsible investing has been around for decades and is now becoming popular. SRI already has .3 trillion in investments. SRI started by appealing to investors who wanted to avoid sin stocks, the stocks of companies that are involved in alcohol, tobacco, and gambling.  Today, Social Responsible Investing is an all encompassing term that generally means screening companies out that are abusive to the environment, practice poor labor relations, are not responsible to their communities and lack corporate integrity. SRI has evolved to serve in an advocacy manner. The new focus by consumers, business and government on sustainability and the environment has created its own category of SRI. Goldman Sachs, the darling of Wall Street, has already ...

IntroductionBusinesses worldwide are taking steps to reduce their environmental impacts, and printing is an area where businesses large and small can make a difference by choosing to print more sustainably. But how do you know if the printing company you're working with is truly sustainable?1) Environmental Management System and accreditationLook for a printing company that works under a documented Environmental Management System (EMS). An EMS is a set of policies and procedures that ensures the company adheres to best practice when it comes to their environmental impact. As it must be fully documented, get them to send you a copy.Better still, choose a company that is certified to ISO 14001 - the most thorough, internationally-recognised accreditation available for environmental management systems.2) Carbon neutralityA lot of carbon dioxide and carbon-equivalent gases are generated through printing and its associated processes. Energy usage, transportation, manufacturing of raw materials etc. all generate greenhouse gases and if your printing is to be truly eco friendly this must be countered through the purchase of carbon offsets.Check with your printing company if they offset their carbon emissions. And if they say they are, ask whether they offset only their ...