We are Committed to Sustainability – Are you?

Are you concerned about your end waste?  Are you looking for direction on how to make or lead positive lifetime changes?  The Association together with some leading suppliers of the industry have come together and are collectively trying to ensure that more sustainable options are made available for sign makers, and their customers.

The challenge starts at the beginning as we begin to seek out solutions on managing and mitigating end waste for a better circular economy and the future sign makers.  So beginning at the start is where we gather feedback from the industry so that we can better understand the different perspectives, concerns, or arrangements.  We must implement a pathway forward so that we can establish some clear processes and procedures with our suppliers and industry to maintain a full circular economy.

Every conversation, and every small intention helps the beginning of a good thing.  Taking action is good for your business, for your people (staff) and your community.  Leading and inspiring other local businesses to become more sustainable can gain momentum very quickly, as it will boost your sales and reputation within your community, and it will also attract and motivate your staff.  You can start to lead change just by looking at some keyways in which you can manage outcomes.  How do you move your people and your products? Have you looked at how your office or site operations and equipment are used? Lastly, a real difference can be made at right at the beginning with the sign makers with the design of products.

The design of products is where positive change can be made quickly, as sign makers you have the power to change what and how your end products are manufactured, this can also make the design last longer, as you may choose to ensure that they will be reusable, recyclable or repairable, your customers will love it!  Keep in mind that you should be responsible for every stage of your product, thereforeconsidering the whole life cycle.  Products have an environmental impact before you start making them, while you are making them, while your customers are using them and when they are no longer needed.  So, small changes made to materials, operations, and waste management add up to one big positive change.  Almost all customers are now wanting more sustainable options with their products, so why not please them and build loyalty while reducing waste.  By tweaking or rethinking your products to become more sustainable can also expose ideas for new ones.

If you are also looking for ways to reduce emissions, then ask for suppliers to deliver with bare packaging, source locally, change to reusable materials, and look for options with a sustainable certification.  Avoiding materials that are hard to separate into recycling, like single use items and making an effort to repurpose materials will gain you loyalty from both customers and staff.   Not to be dismissed is to join or start a take back scheme – ask your customers to bring back their items when done, so you can repurpose or reuse, alternatively ask your suppliers to pick up unused items in bulk once a month.

Also by improving your business operations by tweaking how you can work with less energy and understanding how you use it and reduce it, can ideally knock dollars off your overheads and increase workflow.  Lastly, believe in the power of your people, your staff, embrace their ideas and their passion, after all they work and breath your business every day and if their opinions and ideas are heard they will feel valued and appreciated and will want to make the changes happen.