New Eco Catalogues are a sham

The recent publication of 2 new catalogues aimed at selling green gifts has highlighted the extremes some companies are willing to go to to try and jump on the green band wagon. Regular readers of my columns will be thinking not again Evan, we’ve heard this all before. You are right but it’s potentially serious on two fronts and it’s becoming more widespread.

Firstly it’s incredibly insulting to some marketers to try and pull the wool over their eyes so blatantly. Secondly if you are deemed to have miss sold a product the financial outcome could be very damaging.

Listing products as 20% recycled and partly recycled is one thing but continuing to list items because they are simply reusable or could be recycled is spurious in the extreme. The polypropylene non-woven shopper is the on-going culprit, along with the reusable coffee mug that could also be recycled. Some items in a recent catalogue do not state any environmental credentials at all. I have to ask myself why they got into the catalogue in the first place but more importantly there is an insinuation that these items are beneficial to the environment and that’s misleading. Distributors are being asked to pay for these catalogues and take them out to their clients. No doubt distributors assume the necessary checks were made by the publisher before such items were listed in the catalogues. I’m sorry to say they aren’t. Publishers of the catalogues and mailers simply expect the suppliers to only submit items that are eco-friendly or ethical and they make no checks beyond that.

Be aware that what you are selling is accurate as the comeback could be catastrophic.  Ask the publishers of such collections and catalogues what they have done to safe guard your position. Don’t insult your clients with claims like “partly recycled”; they wouldn’t be able to make any claims on a product they chose with so little supporting information anyway. I can hear the conversation now and it could be very embarrassing. “But it’s in your eco catalogue, so what are you saying, it’s not actually recycled or eco-friendly at all?”  

Making our social media meaningful

Social media and the environment, do they have anything in common? In
literal terms very little, but as philosophies or movements perhaps they
do. Certainly both have skeptics and supporters. Both are something of
an annoyance at times but undeniably they are both here to stay. Some
people are slow on the uptake of both and others are embracing them. One
thing is certain, at some point we'll all be touched by both and however
the arguments stack up for and against it's dangerous to bury your head
in the sand and pretend they don't exist.
I've been a skeptic of social media for many years but it has come on
and may now be poised to actually help businesses to develop and drive
sales. Beyond hearing what people had for lunch or the story they read
their 3 year old before bed there are potentially very useful avenues to
explore within the many platforms of social media or networking. There
are of course those that still make a lot of noise and appear to be
posting inane continual streams of rubbish. Anyone following twitter
will have them. To them I say move on and get a life, I'm not interested
in your decaf latte from whatever coffee shop you've visited en route to
the office. However there are others that pop-up and I know they'll be
relevant and interesting - this is a good and acceptable use of social
media.  Sharing details of your life is fine as long as there's a fair
balance between the agenda of your online personality, your cause /
business and how it relates to your personal life.
Similarly the eco movement has a lot of noise, generally less inane but
none the less it needs filtering. The journalists, documentary makers,
bloggers and tweeters are more often than not writing from a position or
stand point they want to re-enforce.  I read a lot about the environment
as you can imagine but I do read the anti as well as the pro
environmentalists. I believe it's very important to hear both sides as
long as you are aware of the contributor's agenda. Both sides try to
discredit the other and in so doing both can lose sight of the absolute
truth. Publishing statistics that can be interpreted to suit their goals
and taking extracts from reports is a well trodden path.

Over the coming months I will be spending more time communicating my
views via twitter, LinkedIn, blogs and Facebook. I will also be
forwarding the writings, views and comments of others.  On the whole of
course my stance is a positive one towards encouraging environmental
protection. However there will be occasions when I uncover some of the
ridiculous schemes and legislation that are simply not helping. On those
occasions please don't assume I've gone across to the other side, don't
think it's ok to stop doing our bit because Evan doesn't think it's
working either.  Until we know 100% the benefits of social media or
environmental issues, and that's unlikely, it would be crazy not to be
involved.  I look forward to bringing social media and the environment
together and having your input too. I want people's engagement and
opinions, comments and thoughts; after all it makes for much more
vigorous debate. But please don't tell me what flavoured biscuit you
just had, or more annoyingly ask me which flavour would I have chosen.

Can the Olympics really be the “greenest games ever”?

The recent closing date for Olympic tickets has further increased the volume of coverage the games are receiving. Much of the interest is generated of course from within the organisers of the games, and their green message has been noticeable by its absence. From the outset the Olympic committee outlined its commitment to being the greenest games ever. They may well be working to internal guidelines on green purchasing and construction but the public are certainly not being made aware of it. From our perspective as a supplier of green promotional gifts the emphasis appears to be clearly aligned towards the corporate partners rather than achieving any green objectives. Recently at a regional BPMA event in Bristol Gordon made a presentation on the do’s and don’ts of the working with the Olympic logos, associated terms, design styles etc that may infringe on the Olympic trademarks and copyrights. The focus of all the supporting documents provided by the organisers was purely designed to protect the interests of the commercial partners and sponsors; and thereby maximising the revenue going towards the cost of hosting the games. That is fair to a point as the partners have forked out huge sums to be associated with the games but does that leave a conflict of interest. I believe it does, we have certainly been told by LOCOG that they can lend us no assistance when getting products approved as we are not a licensee. As a result multiple sponsors buying from our distributors have to go through the entire approval process each time even if the same item is being provided. Distributors and sponsors are being told that where possible and available all promotional merchandise must be purchased from the official licensees. There is no mention in these guidelines of whether the licensees items are more environmental or ethical than other options available. It seems to me that if you are a supplier with very deep pockets and pay to be a licensee your items will be prioritised over the mantra of being the greenest games, clearly a conflict of interest.  I am squarely behind the games and look forward to getting at least some of the tickets I’ve applied for but I also hope they improve the approval processes for promotional merchandise in the months ahead and I hope they stick to their claims and can achieve a genuinely green Olympic and Paralympics games.

Independent and Self Certification

I recently attended a meeting chaired by the ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative), arranged to discuss certification and supply chain transparency.  The transparency is an emotive and highly complex issue that I’ll not go into today. Certification however should be mentioned as this is fundamental in the world of green and ethical products. There is often confusion about what reporting is worthwhile and what isn’t.

Truth be told, certification bears some relevance to environmental products but is limited in its availability and far more widely used nowadays to determine the “ethical” status of products.

Certification should be broken down into 2 categories; independent and self assessment. Independent certification is undertaken, as the term suggests, by an independent expert. Self certification on the other hand is done by the supplier or manufacturer themselves. Clearly more credibility can be given to the results from an independent expert than by the supplier who stands to benefit from a positive report.

There are now plenty of certification bodies worldwide that can be used for this sort of reporting. Some specialize in certain market sectors and some in particular regions. If commissioning an audit enquire about the organisation undertaking the audit and which elements of the production is being audited, otherwise an audit may be undertaken that’s subsequently not recognised or even relevant.

Self certification does still have a place in the promotions market but should be used for answering the more peripheral questions not answered in the independent audit. Normally less crucial questions; how are the goods shipped for example and how are they packaged, country of origin and similar questions to which the answers are easy to quantify.

If you are giving away a product and claiming it’s ethical it’s best to have the certificate to hand before the promotion or you may get egg on your face when asked to prove what you’re claiming. Please remember to check whether the certificate, audit or report has been independently generated or is a self assessment. 

Mucky colours, limited choice, higher costs and longer lead times? It’s time to know the truth about eco products

If you’re not buying recycled or other eco-friendly items the likelihood is you have the same pre-conceptions as many others and they’re putting you off.

The three main points we are asked about are always the same; aren’t they more expensive, are they still mucky coloured and isn’t there a limit to what’s available. These days there is often a fourth; can they be produced as quickly as standard promotional products or do they still take ages. This last one is the easiest one to dispel so I’ll deal with that first. Speaking from my own position we offer a next day, 3 day and 5 day despatch service, I’m also aware of our competitors offering express services on at least some of their eco range.

As for the other three they too should be resigned to the past, unless  these pre-conceptions can be dispelled you’ll struggle to find the green options out there or change the minds of those around you.

The point about choice has no grounds these days. If you are prepared to do the ground work there are green or ethical alternatives to literally thousands of products required for our industry - my company alone provide over 200 products and we’re particularly restrictive in what we allow into our ranges. There are electronics, bags, clothing, desktop, kids and outdoor ranges, paper and plastic based products, wooden and metal products that all have benefits over their standard virgin counterparts.

Mucky colours and camouflage effects are also a thing of the past, though lots of buyers actually still want this. We design some items to look more “natural” as that’s what we’re asked for. A lot of marketing literature also focuses on these natural ranges as they are more easily identified as eco friendly. However the choice of colours and finishes now far outstrip the limited selections of the 80’s and 90’s, partly this is due to technical improvements, partly fashion but mostly demand. All corporations want items that reflect their brand, and colour is a large part of their corporate identity.  Don’t just select or focus on the natural looking items as that’s what you associate with eco-friendly, you may well find something much fresher and brighter.  

Lastly price;  there is any number of price variations within virgin non eco products and there is a place for all of them. Not all eco products that are more expensive are so because they are eco friendly, there are differences in quality and finish with recycled items as well as standard. There are cheaper and dearer items available from eco suppliers for any number of reasons. There are of course some ethical items that cost more than their standard equivalents, it’s for that exact reason that they are in fact ethical, the items in question are supporting higher wages for growers and producers.

Let’s be honest, in this day and age I, and the myriad of other companies supplying eco friendly and ethical products, wouldn’t be in business if we couldn’t supply a well priced, brightly coloured wide range of products that couldn’t be delivered within an Express lead time. If you’re missing out on recycled and ethical products it may just be that you haven’t moved on and therefore can’t see how things have changed, beware though your competitors out there may have.

Extract the truth from eco-friendly marketing jargon

Mis-information is rife when it comes to recycled and eco-friendly items as more suppliers jump on the bandwagon.  A classic case in point is the myth of the “eco-friendly” PP (polypropylene) bag.

Some years ago I was asked to make a 10-minute presentation to a group of established business gift distributors and marketers. The topic, “Eco and Recycled gifts - plainly speaking!” was designed to unravel the jargon now surrounding the recycled and eco-friendly gifts sector.

In the brief time I had to speak, I wanted to go back to basics and clear up the definitions and differences between recycled and recyclable, sustainable, non-polluting, ethical, fair trade and organic.   

It made me realise that what I considered very basic terminology was clearly not as widely understood as I had imagined, and that even the most experienced distributors and marketers were at the mercy of what they are told by their suppliers. In hindsight it should have been obvious, with so many items available there’s no way anyone can be an expert in all areas and people have to rely on what they are told. Sadly, it appears that the ‘green revolution’ had resulted in some truths being stretched a little in the name of sales and marketing.

Many companies and products are now joining the recycled and or eco-friendly bandwagon with a worrying degree of ignorance regarding what it’s all about.  A glaring example of wide spread misinformation and companies “band wagoning” is the idea that the non-woven PP (polypropylene) bag can be marketed as “green” or “eco-friendly”. The truth is, it shouldn’t be.

Recently, I received an email from a company claiming they “didn’t do plastic and never would.”  Their email was promoting their new “eco-friendly” PP (polypropylene) bags.

The advert, among other things, claimed the item was biodegradable, 100% recyclable and re-usable and their direct intent was to insinuate the bag wasn’t plastic and was somehow beneficial to the environment.

Quite simply put, polypropylene is plastic.  It’s as much plastic as PVC or polystyrene, and polypropylene is NOT biodegradable as so often claimed. As for whether it’s recyclable, in theory yes it is on an industrial level but I’ve yet to hear of a council that separates or specifically sorts household PP, making its recyclability for the end user almost 100% unachievable.  Re-usable it may be but that does not make a PP bag or any other product eco-friendly in itself. A kettle is re-usable, in fact they are used many times a day but that’s not a measure of its eco-credentials.  A water bottle isn’t “green” just because it can be used time and again, it’s just a water bottle; if it were made from recycled or biodegradable plastic it would be going some way to earning an eco-friendly tag.

The PP bag is just one clear example of mis-information being bandied about the industry. It’s misleading but not necessarily dishonest, in fact probably it’s not dishonest but a misunderstanding in an eagerness to generate sales. In fact when I rang the company in question about their PP bags the lady who answered told me the bag was 100% biodegradable, she also said with great conviction that it was a “recycled by-product of crude oil”, perhaps she wasn’t aware that that’s exactly what plastics are. I don’t believe she knew any better and actually thought what she’d been told may have held enough truth for her to “get away with it”.

If a company throws enough “facts” at the wall some will stick, sadly buyers  may catch a cold when they in turn repeat what they are told and sell an item or give it away on that basis, only to discover it’s nothing of the sort.

Buyers and re-sellers alike beware and press hard for more information when a company that doesn’t normally sell eco-friendly items suddenly starts marketing an item on its eco credentials, a bit of fact checking, common sense and trusting your instincts may be the first step.

The Holistic View

At a recent Trade Show show in Germany many suppliers were marketing their items as eco-friendly and their reference was specific to the materials used in production. Equally many European distributors were asking searching questions beyond the material used about the production and overall impact of the products life-cycle. A clear demonstration that they and the marketing departments they communicate with are digging a little deeper when presented with “green” options.  This is also fast becoming the trend within the UK.

How can one determine whether an item really is good for the environment even if it’s made from a recycled or other eco-friendly raw material? Well I’m afraid there is no simple answer or formula to working that out. To take a holistic view on a product you have to take a step back and look at the whole life-cycle and ask whether the item in question is best in class, worst or somewhere in the middle. The only way to do that is to compare it with the alternatives. Also you need to know what it is you are trying to achieve by buying recycled, eco-friendly or ethical items.

 

The easiest example to use is thankfully also the biggest selling promotional item; the pen. Pens come in all shapes and sizes, styles and price points. If you are after a relatively in-expensive plastic pen there are lots of great value recycled pens made in Europe in factories where all staff are covered by EU laws and should be paid properly and well looked after.  This is certainly near the top of the class compared with similar pens made in China where carbon footprint needs to be considered and the well-being of the staff producing them. If you are trying to use recycled materials and reduce carbon emissions and are considering the ethical production it achieves your goal. However these pens are often not refillable and have a relatively short life.

If you have the budget and your aim is to reduce the amount a power that goes into making pens and the volume of raw material used you may opt for a refillable metal pen that is going to last a long time, for example 20 or 30 times longer than a plastic pen with regular refill. It may not have any recycled material at all and may have been made in China where conditions are not great but looking at it from a carbon point of view rather than ethical it achieves your criteria.

Comparing cheap plastic pens with one another and expensive ones alike it is possible to determine which of the options available to you is best for the environment even if they are not always zero impact or actually “good” for the environment. The same principles apply to bags of course, Fairtrade versus Organic, Chinese versus Indian, and unbleached cotton versus recycled PET.

Ethical production, transportation issues, recycled or sustainable materials, cost, carbon emissions in production, life time of the product, the list goes on and it’s hard to know where to stop. Think about all these things and prioritise them, make comparisons between products and try to find out more about the overall life cycle of the product rather than simply looking at the one benefit being pushed by the producer / wholesaler.