Top 40 supplier Gemline (asi/56070) increased charitable giving year over year by 31% in 2023 – one of many achievements detailed in the Lawrence, MA-based company’s just-released fourth-annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) report.

The supplier, which last year rebranded the report through its “Betterway” framework, looks at ways to make a meaningful difference and positively impact people, planet and products.

“At Gemline, we believe in the power of responsible and progressive business practices to create positive change,” said Frank Carpenito, president and CEO of Gemline and a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list of the most influential people in the industry. “Our commitment to corporate social responsibility runs deep, and we are thrilled to see the tangible results of our efforts.”

Highlights of the report include Gemline contributing more than $973,000 in cash and in-kind donations to both national and local charitable causes in 2023 – a 31% increase in giving compared to 2022.

Nationally, the supplier joined forces with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, a youth organization dedicated to providing safe places for millions of young people. Gemline noted in November that it had donated over $150,000 to the nonprofit in 2023.

At a local level, Gemline said it continued its focus on health and wellness projects, housing and human welfare programs, and leadership activities in Lawrence, MA. The supplier supports organizations including the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence, Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, Elevate New England, One Family and Junior Achievement.

Also last year, Gemline launched a partnership with One Tree Planted, a nonprofit dedicated to reforestation, and had 37,850 trees planted in North America. Overall, One Tree Planted noted in a 2023 recap that its partners helped facilitate the planting of 51.9 million trees, spanning 395,462 acres across 394 projects in 72 countries.

Gemline’s partnership with One Tree Planted was also part of its efforts to offset Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – those that come from sources controlled or owned by an organization, or via the purchase of electricity, heating and cooling. Gemline completed two planting projects in the U.S., both of which were accredited by the Climate Action Reserve, an offset registry for the global carbon market. Noles Farm in North Carolina and Pungo River in South Carolina are considered “Avoided Forest Conversion projects,” according to Gemline. Through the supplier’s support, 1,026 acres at Noles Farm and 704 acres at Pungo River have been conserved and shielded from human development.

On a product level, Gemline continues to make progress on its pledge to completely remove polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from its product line by the end of 2024, with 94% of its products considered PVC-free by the end of 2023. PVC, known for its hazardous production process and minimal recyclability, poses serious human safety and environmental risks, according to the supplier.

“When we started to get rid of PVC, I knew it was problematic but had no idea how bad,” said Jonathan Isaacson, executive chair of Gemline, in an October 2023 ASI Media feature about the growing trend of PVC-free products. “It’s important to think of the next generation, and PVC is not good for our children. When kids are trying to do good things for the environment, Gemline wants to feel proud and provide good things, too.”

Gemline also partnered with Aware, a hybrid traceability technology, to ensure the authenticity of sustainable materials throughout the production process. Aware combines physical tracers with a public blockchain to create a virtual passport; end-users can scan a QR code on a hangtag to see validated information about a product’s supply chain. Gemline integrated Aware technology to its MiiR Olympus 2.0 collection last year. Then, in early 2024, the supplier launched a line of recycled cotton products, at budget prices, that also contained Aware’s traceability solution.

In addition, Gemline said it continued to expand its range of eco-conscious products, with 48% of all new products introduced in 2023 qualifying for eco-conscious status, by incorporating recycled materials, recyclable materials, renewable materials and alternatives to single-use plastics.

The full 2023 Betterway CSR report is available for viewing on Gemline’s website.

Founded in 1958, Gemline ranked 12^th on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest suppliers in the industry, with reported 2022 North American promotional product revenue of $151 million.

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