Probably one of the biggest trends in the PROMO industry is sustainability. Now, if you’ve been hearing this word everywhere these days and are not sure what it really means, you’re not alone.

This is probably the number one thing that is part of every industry newsletter and conference. Every time we have a supplier representative provide a product knowledge session, it begins with a conversation about the supplier’s sustainability goals and what new products are considered sustainable.

For years we’ve talked about recycling and recycled products, and we are all aware of the environmental movements. So, is the sustainability movement just a new word for environmental impact?

Sort of. And no.

Although environmental concerns make up part of what suggests a product is sustainable, it is so much more. What started as a focus on the natural world is now about the entire environment in which companies operate – the social, economic, ecosystem, business practices and more.

So much, in fact, we’ll break things down in a series of blog posts.

We’ll start with a bit of a history (don’t worry, it’s a very abbreviated history lesson).

The initial conversation about sustainability goes back to 1972 when the interconnection between social, economic, and environmental issues were recognized.

In 1987 it was defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability to future generations to meet theirs. There were two key notions:

• The concept that needs, that those of the world’s poor should have an overriding priority; and

• The idea of limits to the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs.

In 2015, the United Nations Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It was an acknowledgement that ending poverty other deprivations must go together with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. There are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which I won’t get into, but you can learn more about them here.

Essentially, sustainability is about a balance. It’s about finding policies, strategies and programs that support economic development while ensuring social equity and progress and finding ways to ensure ongoing production without impacting the environment.

Here are some key things you’ll hear about when it comes to sustainability:

• “Cradle to Grave” or “Farm to Product” – Sustainability is all about supply chain transparency and tracking all the inputs and impacts of production for all parts of a final product, not just about one aspect or even one company’s involvement in the production of the final product.
• Minimizing consumption – This covers many different areas from reducing packaging, energy consumption, to creating items that will last longer thus reducing overall consumption of these items.
• Biodiversity – This refers to having a “variety of life in our natural world” and is required for healthy ecosystems. Think of it as everything having a job to do to support the stability and resilience of nature. The more abundant and variable the life and resources, the more likely that species will have the ability to withstand stressors like drought, disease or changing climate.
• DEI – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and is about fairness and justice for all. It does not mean treating everyone equally but understanding that different people and groups may have unique needs to fully participate in society, whether it be employment, access to services or basic human needs. It boils down to the fair treatment and full participation of all people.
• Fair Labour practices – We know that companies will always be looking for ways to access the labour required at a price that keeps them competitive, but this should never mean taking advantage of workers. Regardless of where a company operates, it needs to operate within labour laws in that jurisdiction and with concern for employees’ health, welfare, and safety. This also includes no forced labour, no child labour and overtime being consensual and compensated.
• Transparency and Accountability in Governance – Regardless of whether companies are public or private, they are expected to hold themselves to the highest standards of corporate governance.
• Accountability and Responsibility at all Levels in an Organization – Like “see something, say something”, ethics and accountability for actions and decisions are part of every level in the organization. Employees at all levels need to be able to refuse unethical or unsafe directions.
• Social Impact – More and more, companies are expected to be supporting social initiatives and to be participating in making things better in areas they do business. Many organizations have a particular cause or initiative they partner with, donating a portion of sales or amount per item/order to a cause. Others choose various projects within their communities dependent on their size – ranging from supporting a local sports team to large infrastructure projects.

Over the next few posts, we’ll talk more about finding out if the companies you do business with have Sustainability Goals and some of the common certifications you might see.