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Changing our behaviors & habits can have a huge impact. Yet. figuring out whether a certain business or product is sustainable can be overwhelming. It’s such a broad term that means different things to different people – and that doesn’t even get into the so-called “greenwashing” that runs rampant with marketers trying to piggyback on green goodwill with shoppers. To make the task a bit easier, we compiled this list of sustainable labels and certifications, and while not exhaustive, it explains the more common ones related to various sustainability concerns. 1% for the Planet This nonprofit was created by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies, as a way to fund diverse environmental organizations. Business members join the network and commit to donating the equivalent of 1% of gross sales – combining monetary, in-kind and approved promotional support – directly to environmental nonprofits. 1% for the Planet certifies member donations, reviewing and confirming sales and donation details annually. So far, members have invested more than $350 million toward environmental causes. American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN) This is a membership organization, representing more than 250,000 businesses. It advocates for solutions that support an equitable, regenerative and just economy that benefits the people and planet. The ASBN was formed by the merger of the American Sustainable Business Council and Social Venture Circle, which became effective Jan. 1, 2022. B Corp A company that receives this official certification undergoes a lengthy audit process where the nonprofit B Lab scrutinizes its legal structure, supply chain practices, philanthropy, customer relations, and employee engagement. To achieve certification, companies must achieve a “B Impact Assessment Score of 80 or above” and pass a risk review, demonstrating high social and environmental performance. Certified businesses also must make a legal commitment to change their corporate governance structure to be accountable to all stakeholders, not just shareholders, and exhibit transparency by allowing their performance to be measured against B Lab’s standards, as well as be publicly available on their B Corp profile. Better Buying The Better Buying Institute created a rating system that allows suppliers to communicate with their buyers about purchasing practices that work well and ones that need improvement. The institute examines seven key categories of purchasing practices that could affect the supplier’s ability to work efficiently while providing a safe work environment. Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) Better Cotton is the largest cotton sustainability program in the world, with more than 2,100 members. Better Cotton-licensed farmers produce cotton in a way that cares for the environment, minimizing the negative effects of fertilizer and pesticides and caring for water, soil health, and natural habitats. Now you know a little more about some of the organizations and certifications that work to advance sustainable options.

Our Eco-dictionary journey takes us to the letters O, P and R. A common thread between all of these letters is a commitment to the environment. OEKO-TEX A group of 17 independent research and test institutes in Europe and Japan is responsible for the joint development of test methods and limit values to create the OEKO-TEX standards. It offers a number of labels that show textiles have been tested for harmful substances and have been made with socially responsible and ecologically friendly processes. One Tree Planted This nonprofit partners with reforestation organizations across the globe. For each dollar donated, one tree is planted. Since 2014, it has planted over 40 million trees in more than 43 countries. It's also an organization embraced by our partners. We've created some fun, custom pieces that also planted trees! Read more here. Plastic Pollution Coalition This global alliance of more than 1,200 organizations, businesses and thought leaders in 75 countries works to rid the world of plastic pollution and its impact on humans, animals, waterways, oceans and the environment. It’s a project of nonprofit Earth Island Institute. Regenerative Organic Certification (ROC) This is a relatively new certification for food, textiles and personal-care ingredients, overseen by the nonprofit Regenerative Organic Alliance, which was founded by Patagonia, Dr. Bronner’s and Rodale Institute. It requires farming communities to meet a variety of criteria that prioritize soil health, animal welfare and the social well-being of farmers and farm-workers. Even wooden badges that plant trees, yes really! Read more here.

Today we are focusing on the P-S terms around sustainability efforts. Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) - a group of chemicals used to make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease and water. Many of these chemicals don’t break down in the environment, instead building up in wildlife habitats and waterways. Exposure to high levels of PFCs may adversely affect growth, development and reproduction, and injure the liver, according to the CDC. PFCs are often used in durable water-repellent (DWR) coatings on various performance fabrics, giving them water- and stain-resistant properties, although brands have recently been developing alternative DWR apparel in response to health and environmental concerns. Plant-Based Plastic - a type of bioplastic created from agricultural scraps, such as corn, sugarcane, wheat or food waste. Some bioplastics are biodegradable and compostable, but environmentalists caution that they’re not as green as they seem. Post-Consumer Recycling - reprocessing items previously used by a consumer into a new product, like cans and water bottles. Pre-Consumer Recycling - material that has never reached the end-user and is diverted from a landfill during the manufacturing process. For example, cotton scraps are gathered from the cutting-room floor and re-spun into yarn to make new fabric. Recyclable - an item that is able to be made into a new product after use. Reforestation - the act of replanting trees in areas that have been affected by natural disturbances like wildfires and drought, as well as unnatural disturbances such as logging, mining and development. Replanting forests can help to mitigate climate change. Regenerative Agriculture - a holistic approach to farming and cultivation that focuses on interconnection and the ecological system as a whole, with the goal of improving the environment by increasing things like soil fertility and biodiversity, while improving water quality and quantity. Social Enterprise - a business that aims to make a profit while working to change the world for the better. Sustainability - meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same. It’s often broken down into three pillars: environmental, economic and social. Which letters in the Eco-alphabet surprised you?

The words, formula one are associated with excellence. Our team works together to maintain high standards for your brand. Creating conversation that keeps your brand remembered , is part of our formula for you. Along our 16 years, we've jumped into programs & partnered with organizations that value the pursuit of education, like our industry certification programs. Relationships matter. Whether it's investing time in the community that also supports your business or whether it's just getting to know your neighbors. Everyone has a back story, how much do you know about our owner Olivia? She has been actively serving in the community since day one of Promotional Partners. Check out her profile for the full story. Through a pursuit of service, she's met some amazing individuals and our company has been honored to be a recipient of some notable awards. Locally Apex Chamber Small Business of the Year Town of Apex, Think Apex Award recipient Triangle Women in Business Award Recipient - TBJ Industry Awards PPAI Silver Pyramid Award Even though Olivia is the face of our business, she would be the first to tell you that no team functions alone. It's working in tandem, with shared goals & vision. Together, we will explore ways to keep driving for excellence for our partners.

Partnerships Matter. Tasks, both large and small are easier when we work together. Often challenges don't seem nearly as difficult when we look at challenges as one step at a time. The modern consumer has access to information at their fingertips. Quickly an individual can dive into your personal and professional social media to learn what you are liking, sharing and posting. Looking for local investments, we suggest you consider local programs & organizations where we volunteer, mentor, sponsor and donate. Learn more here. Looking for a way to make a difference on a larger scale? Simple ways to help include purchasing products for your marketing campaigns that are tied to national and global efforts. As always follow our social media & newsletters for ways to invest in our Cares Program!

Triple bottom line - this breaks down a company’s performance goals into three areas: people, planet and profit. The idea is to improve performance over the long term by following more-sustainable business practices that take all three areas into account. Upcycling - the process of transforming products into something new, perceived to be of greater value than the original. In the promotional industry, a number of brands are making upcycled merchandise; one example is screen-printing designs onto pre-worn tees. Vegan A diet and lifestyle that avoids animal-derived products. Wish-cycling When you recycle items without knowing whether they can actually be recycled, but expecting them to be properly dealt with anyway. Zero waste A movement focused on waste prevention by encouraging reuse of products so that no trash is sent to landfills, incinerators or the ocean. Recycling, repurposing and composting are several ways items are diverted from landfills to get closer to zero-waste goals.

Ask anyone what they learned in a book versus what they learned when they became part of the workforce and you'll likely get some great stories in return. The fact is, no amount of prep or reading prepares you for working in the "real world"- with real people, on real projects, with real deadlines, for real money. Earlier this summer, Promotional Partners' team member, Angela Schulze, lead a team of student interns from two local WCPSS career academies to share a fresh perspective on the value of these career academies. There are 20 career academies throughout Wake County and Promotional Partner's own full circle story, inspired this story below. What Can The Academy Do For You? The “Peak of Good Living” slogan encompasses more than purely living; it is a promise of flourishing growth and continuous education. It’s only fitting that The Peak has two career academies that focus on preparing students for the workforce through an enhanced curriculum by developing and sharpening student skillsets. Apex Friendship High School’s Academy of Engineering (AoE) prepares its students by teaching the engineering design process to solve problems, a skill that can be taken with them as they enter the workforce and are presented with real-world obstacles. Apex High School’s Academy of Information Technology (AoIT) program leans toward teaching technical skills to students to set them apart in the workplace and propel them forward with the mindset of regularly improving their skills. While both programs have similar missions, each career academy is unique with specialized values to better prepare its cohorts for the working world. This summer, two current academy interns and one former academy intern worked together to blend their respective experiences to show how the versatile courses and values of a career academy are beneficial to a variety of students. Meet the students: Connor Schuh, a current AoIT intern at Promotional Partners Inc., Etalia Plesh, a current AoE intern at Positively Apex, and former AoIT intern & team member at Promotional Partners Inc., Angela Schulze. They collaborated about their educational journeys and how this summer’s experience will be beneficial in their professional journey. Schulze points out, “Systemic desensitization works, because the networking workshops and mock interviews helped me get through my nervousness of talking to adults in a higher position than me, so I could become more confident and be the charismatic person I am today.” Schuh, who plans to pursue an engineering career, favors working on projects that are hands-on and straightforward. His coursework and internship experiences have been pushing him to be succinct in his writing and to shine a spotlight on himself within seven seconds. It seems that any suggestion of a teambuilding activity is met with a grimace but being in AoIT showed Schulze that once you get past feeling cliché, teambuilding can be fun and carefree. Some of her favorite memories from being in the Academy are from the field trips, when the cohort wasn’t paying attention to friend groups or teenage angst; it was all smiles and laughter. Conversely, Plesh hasn’t been able to participate in many of the teambuilding field trips due to the coronavirus pandemic, so she hasn’t been able to experience the memories created from these excursions. However, Plesh did say that she appreciates that the AoE has taught her how to use the decision matrix to come up with solutions to problems. An essential aspect of these academies is to apply a student’s skills in an internship with a local company to gain insight into the professional world with a student’s own eyes. Local businesses benefit from these symbiotic relationships – the employer gets to mentor an aspiring professional and learn the perspective of a younger demographic, and the student gets to be mentored by a seasoned professional. Such experiences are valuable to students because it forces interns to apply what they’ve learned in the academy to real-world circumstances. Without partnerships with local businesses, career academies would struggle to prove that their missions are successful. Internships provide businesses the chance to be recognized within the community for giving back, and for investing energy and resources into future professionals. Academy Director Diane Cadavid of Apex Friendship High School said, “The local business community plays an active role in helping to develop the college and career readiness skills of our students enrolled in the Academy. Our advisory board members serve as mentors, meeting with students on a monthly basis in preparation for their internship experience. In addition, they help judge student presentations, assist with work-based learning experiences, and guide us on curriculum decisions.” Director of AoIT Teia Robinson agrees, succinctly saying, “The support of the local business community is vital to the success of AoIT and more importantly the individual students. Through job shadows and internships our students enter the Apex career pipeline, gaining transferable and technical skills.” In addition to mentoring, students receive the opportunity to grow their network as they graduate and move cities. This strong, unifying factor of collaboration between academies, students, and participating businesses helps all parties gain valuable perspectives while encouraging professional growth to uphold the title of “The Peak of Good Living.” Article Authors for local Greet Friendship Magazine: Angela Schulze - Promotional Partners Connor Schuh - Apex High student; AoIT Academy - Promotional Partner's Intern Etalia Plesh - Apex Friendship High student, AoE Academy - Greet Friendship Magazine Intern As a business with 2 former AoIT interns as valued teammates - we tend to agree that Academies Make Careers!

Feed the head, the heart and the mind. The more you know about the terminology around environmental efforts the easier it is to discuss how our partners are offering choices for your marketing campaigns. Like what? Today is the DO list- D through 0! Deforestation - the action of clearing a wide swath of trees. It decreases habitat and threatens biodiversity, while contributing to other problems such as climate change, soil erosion, flooding, increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and more, according to environmental scientists. Ecolabel - a visual communication tool showing that a particular product, service or company meets specific environmental standards. Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) - investors and others will look at metrics from these three areas to evaluate how advanced a company or other entity is with sustainability goals. Fair Trade - an arrangement to help producers in developing countries achieve equitable trade relationships. The idea is to provide sustainable living wages and safe working conditions for farmers and workers around the world. Greenhouse Effect - a process that involves the trapping of the sun’s warmth in the lower atmosphere, resulting in a warmer planet. Greenhouse Gas - carbon dioxide, methane, and other gases that let sunlight pass through the atmosphere, but prevent heat from leaving the atmosphere. Greenwashing - when a company makes sustainability claims for marketing purposes without making any real efforts to follow through. Examples include oil and gas companies advertising "low-carbon energy products" when the vast majority of their offerings are still traditional fossil fuels, or brands announcing plans to end virgin plastic use without outlining clear benchmarks or timelines for doing so. On a smaller scale, it could be a brand logo that incorporates nature-themed graphics to piggyback on the positive public sentiment toward “green” products, without making changes to the products being sold. The term "greenwashing" was coined in 1986 by environmentalist Jay Westerveld. Microplastic Pollution - tiny plastic particles that result from the development and breakdown of larger plastics that cause harm to the environment. There are 24.4 trillion pieces of microplastics – equivalent to about 30 million plastic water bottles – in the world’s upper oceans, according to a recent estimate. Organic - a type of agriculture that minimizes the use of chemical pesticides, hormones, synthetic fertilizers and other toxic materials throughout the cultivation of crops. Genetically modified (GMO) seeds are also prohibited. Organic is also a food-labeling term, showing that something was produced under the authority of the Organic Foods Production Act. Stay tuned for the next section of eco-vocab!

Reborn. In nature worms to caterpillars, which is one of nature's dramatic changes. In the human world change usually happens because individuals form organizations that focus on actions that will bring about change. Today's alphabet letters include F-L. Fair Labor Association (FLA) This organization has been around since 1999 and operates under the conviction that “all goods should be produced fairly and ethically,” bringing together three groups – universities, civil society organizations and socially responsible companies – to create sustainable solutions to solve systemic labor issues. The FLA offers tools and resources to businesses, delivers training to factory workers and management, conducts due diligence through independent assessments and advocates for greater accountability and transparency in supply chains. Fair Trade Certified The nonprofit Fair Trade USA is the leading certifier of fair trade products in North America. The Fair Trade Certified seal on a product shows that it was made according to standards that promote sustainable livelihoods and safe working conditions, protection of the environment, and strong, transparent supply chains. According to the nonprofit, the seal is given to thousands of products, sending $740 million to farmers and workers since 1998. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) This organization has been around for about 25 years and is devoted to promoting sustainable forest management. The FSC provides two main types of certification: FSC Forest Management and FSC Chain of Custody. An independent organization audits the forest or supply chain to ensure businesses meet FSC standards, which cover issues ranging from environmental impact and community relations to workers’ rights and monitoring and assessment. The FSC also has three product labels: FSC 100%, which means all the materials are sourced from certified forests; FSC Recycled, which means products are made from 100% recycled content, whether pre- or post-consumer; and FSC Mix, which means products are made from a combination of certified forests, recycled materials or FSC-controlled wood. Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) This organization guarantees organic fibers, from the field to fashion, using a quality assurance system based on on-site inspection and certification of the entire textile supply chain. According to GOTS, it’s a “stringent voluntary global standard for the entire post-harvest processing of apparel and home textiles made with certified organic fiber and includes both environmental and social criteria.” Green America This organization certifies companies that are committed to using businesses as a platform of social change. Companies that receive the Green Business Certification must meet and exceed a set of standards to operate a values-based enterprise that follows the principles of social justice and environmental sustainability. They must be environmentally responsible in how they source, manufacture and market materials. Gold Certified Green Businesses are a tier above the first designation, and firms can earn this distinction after completing additional work beyond the general certification. LEED This certification, an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is given out by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). A building project earns points by meeting standards for areas like carbon, energy, water, waste, transportation, materials, health and indoor environmental quality. Projects go through a verification and review process and can be awarded with various levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. According to USGBC, there are more than 100,000 buildings participating in the program today. Note- Once again, our A-Z look at sustainability was pulled from ASI, Advertising Specialty Institute articles.

Wind- what can it do? Cool us, add to a fall day experience, damage and offset costs. How? 99% lower emissions than fossil fuels Emissions only need to happen once for each wind turbine, which will be in service for at least 25 years. In this time, they will be producing electricity without emitting any more carbon dioxide, except for those from the vessels used for service and maintenance. Today we focus on letters C and E. Carbonfree CarbonFund.org offers this product certification as a way to promote environmentally responsible, carbon-neutral products. To qualify, businesses must perform a life-cycle assessment to determine the carbon footprint of a product, register products as Carbonfree, offset the product’s carbon footprint quarterly and promote the product’s environmental benefits to customers. Climate Neutral Climate Neutral is working to eliminate global carbon emissions by encouraging brands to measure, offset and reduce the carbon they emit. Companies certified through the nonprofit measure their carbon footprint and must offset and reduce their carbon emissions, achieving zero net carbon emissions for all the carbon created while making and delivering their products and services for a year. Companies must report on their reduction progress annually. Cradle to Cradle The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute aims to power innovation in the circular economy, by setting the global standard for products that are safe, circular and made responsibly. The institute administers a third-party certification program that looks at five categories of sustainability performance: material health, ensuring that materials are safe for humans and the environment; product circularity, enabling a circular economy through regenerative products and process design; clean air and climate production, protecting clean air, promoting renewable energy and reducing harmful emissions; water and soil stewardship, safeguarding clean water and healthy soil; and social fairness, respecting human rights and contributing to a fair and equitable society. ENERGY STAR For a building to be certified as ENERGY STAR, it must meet strict energy-performance standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), earning a score of 75 or higher on the EPA’s 1-100 scale. That shows it performs better than at least 75% of similar buildings nationwide. Certification is given annually, and the application must be verified by a third-party licensed professional.

Learning the alphabet is critical to learning to read. Similarly, learning the alphabet behind sustainability starts with A to C! Ever wonder what “carbon neutral” really means? Or what makes a shirt organic? And what the difference is between compostable and recyclable? The more you delve into the realm of sustainability, the more terms there are to learn. Use this glossary to get quick definitions of some of the more common concepts and materials in the industry. Biodegradable - items like paper or food waste that will eventually break down into their basic components and return to the earth. “In terms of environmental benefits, the best biodegradable material will break down quickly rather than taking years. It leaves nothing harmful behind and saves landfill space,” according to The Balance Small Business. Be aware that not everything marketed as biodegradable meets these standards. Carbon Footprint - the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions (such as carbon dioxide and methane) from the production, use and disposal of a particular product or service. According to the Nature Conservancy – which features a carbon footprint calculator on its website – the average American has a carbon footprint of 16 tons, one of the highest in the world. Carbon neutral - you’ve probably seen big brands announce their “carbon neutral” goals. Netflix, for example, plans to achieve “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions by the end of 2022. Google says it achieved this goal in 2007. Facebook and Apple have set a date of 2030, Amazon is aiming for 2040 and Coca-Cola for 2050. When a person or company becomes carbon neutral, that means their output of greenhouse gases has a net neutral effect on the environment, often because they’ve offset it through various means. Carbon Offset - businesses, governments and individuals can pay someone else to cut greenhouse gases from the atmosphere by investing in solar or wind energy, planting trees, restoring rainforests or other alternatives. The buyers then get “credit” for that reduction, helping to zero out their own emissions. The practice is not without controversy, but has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry. Vox has a good explainer with details on how carbon offsets work. Chain of Custody - how a product is traced through a supply chain to determine if it meets criteria of an environmental certification or ecolabel. Circular Economy - the traditional economic model is to take, make and waste – a linear progression. Those in sustainability spheres aspire to a more circular model, based on three principles and driven by design: - eliminate waste and pollution - circulate products and materials - regenerate nature “A circular economy decouples economic activity from the consumption of finite resources. It is a resilient system that is good for business, people and the environment,” says the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Climate Change - long-term shifts in temperatures and weather. Though it can occur naturally, human activity has been a main factor in climate change in modern times, particularly through the burning of fossil fuels, which produce heat-trapping gases. This simple guide from the BBC explains it in more detail. Closed-Loop System - the idea is to use the same materials over and over again in production, both to conserve natural resources and to keep items from ending up in a landfill. Patagonia is, for example, an apparel company that encourages consumers to mail in old shirts, which are then broken down into recycled fibers and turned into a new shirt. Patagonia also has a program called "Worn Wear" where people send in pre-worn garments for repair and resale. Compostable - a product that can decompose into nontoxic natural elements, at a rate similar to other organic materials. Compostable products should not be recycled or thrown in the trash, since these products require special conditions to biodegrade that aren’t necessarily found in a landfill. You can take them to facilities that specialize in composting or sometimes add them to home compost piles. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) - the policies and practices a business adopts to support various social and environmental improvements. Cradle-to-cradle design - also called circularity, this is when brands design products with their end-of-life in mind, figuring out ways from the very beginning of the product lifecycle to keep them from a landfill, whether it’s through reuse, composting or recycling. Keep following this week for the complete list of terms A-Z! Data provided by ASI- Advertising Specialty Institute's PromoForThePlanet initiative.

While not all crime is preventable, common sense goes a long way. Locking up valuables and keeping them out of sight, as well as not leaving keys in the ignition of an unattended car or being aware of your surroundings are frequent education tips from first responders. Since 1984, the month of October has been designated National Crime Prevention Month. Ever since, the National Crime Prevention Council has been on a mission to educate communities on ways to prevent crime and stay safe. From local law enforcement agencies to neighborhood watch groups, many organizations can spread safety messages with promotional products. Harry Hall said, “Crime prevention is everybody’s business.” Which means businesses can give away items to remind others of safety tips or add an extra layer of protection to early morning or evening walks & runs with glow in the dark bands, whistles and bike locks are perfect for keeping your bike secure when you take a break. Do you lock your car doors when the car is in the driveway or you run errands?