Top 40 distributor Corporate Imaging Concepts (CIC; asi/168962) has announced ambitious climate goals, noting that they’re part of the next phase of its commitment to corporate social responsibility goals.

CIC said its operations are on target to reach carbon neutrality by 2025 and that it’s aiming for carbon-negative status by 2030. The Northbrook, IL-based distributor plans to reach these goals “through a combination of energy efficiencies, forestation, ecosystem creation and continuous monitoring of CIC’s headquarters and distribution facilities.”

To be carbon negative means that a company emits less than zero carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Essentially, to achieve this status, an organization must offset more carbon (whether through carbon capture, sequestration or avoidance) than it contributes to the environment.

CIC noted that it “takes its role in this global carbon-reduction effort seriously, demonstrated through its cloud-based technology solutions, diverse supply chain, and a core belief that it can help customers effect intentional, meaningful changes to the environment, for decades.”

In addition to working on reducing its own carbon footprint, CIC often advises clients on sustainable projects. Earlier this year, the distributor was lauded for Best Sustainability-Driven Campaign in the 2022 Promo Campaign Awards for work it did for Microsoft. CIC incorporated a carbon-sequestering tree-planting initiative into a traditional thank-you gift of eco-friendly promotional products. As part of the campaign, CIC had 60,000 mangrove trees planted in Madagascar – effectively sequestering nearly 13,000 tons of carbon, according to CIC.

With 2021 North American promo products revenue of $99.8 million, CIC ranks 22^nd on Counselor’s most recent list of the top distributors in the industry.

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