Looking for inspiration on how sustainability improvements can help your business as well as the planet? Promotion Products, a successful Australian merchandising company, is a great example. Their sustainability efforts have inspired and educated customers, staff and suppliers, creating a ripple effect along the supply chain.

Sustainability takes focus and effort, but it’s worth it

Promotion Products has been focusing on sustainability for over 15 years. Way back in 2007, the company launched a range of eco-friendly, ethically sourced products, and has been building and refining the range since then.

Impressively, they were one of the first in the merchandising industry to achieve ISO:14001 (environmental management) accreditation on top of their ISO:9001 quality management credentials. All this is hard work, but it pays off in terms of process efficiencies, cost savings, staff/customer satisfaction and environmental or social benefits.

“Focusing on sustainability is the right thing to do not just for our planet and people but also for our business”
Chris, Promotion Products

Watch the video story…

Credits: Video researched and produced by Sebastian Bustamante

In this short video, Promotion Products’ Sustainability Manager, Chris, discusses the company’s sustainability journey and how Green Street resources helped them along the way. Chris mentions some of the sustainability measures Promotion Products have taken over the years, which include:

• Launching a dedicated range of eco-products
• Achieving ISO 14001 environmental management accreditation
• Auditing the supply chain for environmental management and modern slavery
• Reducing plastic packaging
• Composting waste
• Installing energy-efficient light bulbs
• Measuring, tracking and reporting progress
• Giving back to the community.

It’s an ongoing process…

Sustainability is a journey, and Chris is the first to admit Promotion Products is not perfect. However, they are definitely having an excellent go at being sustainable! For an industry that produces and sells millions of products, reducing negative impacts and increasing positive impacts makes a big difference. As Howard from Green Street says, “Benefits for the business equate to benefits for the planet”.

To read about the company’s approach, see info on their website: Sustainability at Promotion Products. Hint: if you are a Green Street member, you may be eligible for a discount on their products (see member offers).

How can others follow their lead?

For small to medium businesses keen to build a sustainable future, it can be hard to know where to start. Well, the best place and time to start is here and now! First, review your business impact and identify where changes will make a difference. Tools like the Sustainability Roadmap can guide you through the process, supported by templates for sustainability planning, facilitating cafe-style consultations with stakeholders, embedding sustainability into role descriptions, and other practical actions.

>> See the resource finder for a guide to what’s available.

Credits

Green Street would like to thank our student intern Sebastian Bustamante for his excellent work planning, producing and editing the video. In addition, we are proud to have worked with Promotion Products and appreciate the generous participation of Chris and the team. The image above, and the original video footage of the Promotion Products team and merchandising products, are copyright of Promotion Products.