PrintIT Reseller - issue 67

PRINT IT RESELLER.UK 45 VOX POP consumption. Our team is determined to match these growing trends and offer sustainable services. “Aside from encouraging customers to print double-sided and recycle cartridges at every opportunity, we also point out that many of our products have in-built functions that conserve energy. For example, our digital signage solutions have a low power mode that is employed automatically when inactive for a long time – the products also have movement sensors that wake the device when a user approaches, ensuring there is no loss of functionality. A highlight of our environmentally friendly products is the Skywell atmospheric water generator. Cutting back on deliveries of plastic bottled water ultimately reduces the amount of plastic in circulation and demonstrates that there are other options for businesses that are serious about green initiatives.” Gemmer Crozier: “We sell our solutions through a network of reseller partners, and demonstrating sustainable practices is quickly becoming an essential requirement for them to secure sales. We’ve supported some resellers on tenders where up to 40 per cent of the total score was owed to responsible business practices. End-to-end transparency is essential and those that are able to demonstrate best practice are in a strong position commercially.” James Pittick: “Being sustainable is no longer viewed by customers as a ‘nice to have’. It’s an expectation. Long-term investment and a focus on product quality are at the heart of customers’ procurement processes, and sustainability is now a key part of this. “Alongside our partners, we address customers’ sustainability requirements directly through Canon’s energy-efficient product designs, developing printers that are smaller and lighter to further reduce CO2 emissions and improve shipping efficiencies. “Customer expectation has also driven the increasing popularity of our remanufactured devices. Canon’s EQ80 initiative, whereby it takes end-of-life printers and rebuilds them to as-new quality, has seen great success in catering to the rising demand for low-cost, sustainable devices.” Martin Fairman: “Customers first want reliable and secure print solutions – but the opportunity to participate in recycling programmes without additional costs is a real selling point. Like us, customers want to buy services safe in the knowledge that they are not doing any additional damage to the environment or breaching their own CSR or compliance targets, so sustainability credentials are important considerations when choosing a supplier.” Gillian Anderson: “Sustainable business practices and products are becoming increasingly important. We have been refining our procurement processes and emphasising sustainability. During our prequalification process, suppliers who are unable to meet our environmental, safety, security, quality or CSR requirements will not progress regardless of price. However, we are always happy to work with our supply chain to get them to the required level. We are increasingly seeing this approach being adopted by our customers as well.” Daniel Quelch: “In general, buying preference is still very much led by quality and price, but research proves that there is a growing majority of people who lean towards a brand or a product with sustainable features. By adding value through our sustainable products, we provide greater choice to end-users, whilst helping to solve some of our society’s greatest issues. Aside from making pledges at manufacturing and corporate levels to align with the UN’s SDGs, we have also put the onus on our channel partners to do the same.” Lars Hargaard: “Absolutely. It might be costly in earlier stages, but will pay off in terms of long-term relationships, increasing employee satisfaction and so on.” Jeremy Spencer: “Working towards clear and defined environmental accreditations and standards is a great discipline and, having achieved these goals, I can confirm that it is absolutely worth the considerable investment in time and money. “When we first started we recognised that we had to do something, and we did what we did because it neutralised the environmental impact of our business. Yet some ten years after we introduced the Carbon Zero scheme, on a fundamental level everyone here feels it is the right thing to do, as our efforts actually help saves lives. Beyond the cost, we and our partners are doing the right thing because we should.” Carlo Longhi: “Attaining environmental accreditations and standards are part of our sustainable environmental, social and governance strategy. Working towards achieving environmental accreditations not only makes good business sense, but it also benefits our employees, customers and the planet. Customers first want reliable and secure print solutions – but the opportunity to participate in recycling programmes without additional costs is a real selling point PrintIT Reseller: Is working toward achieving environmental accreditations and standards a worthwhile cost? continued... Gemmer Crozier Daniel Quelch