It’s hard to believe it’s gone by so quickly, but April marks the one-year anniversary of ASI’s Promo for the Planet initiative. When we launched our sustainability hub last year, I committed to adding new content to the page every week, but I’ll admit that at the time, I was a bit skeptical that I’d be able to pull off that feat. Could I really find enough earth-focused fodder to fertilize the new page, or was I grasping at (reusable, stainless-steel) straws?

Turns out, I needn’t have worried. In the last year, ASI Media has published more than 160 pieces of content on Promo for the Planet – everything from in-depth features on the growing B Corp movement to informative infographics to expert podcasts to actionable how-tos. I was also lucky to have the assistance of a generous editorial advisory board composed of longstanding sustainability champions in the promotional products industry, all of whom graciously shared their wisdom when I had questions and helped me brainstorm when I was looking for content ideas.

Even more encouraging is that the promo industry as a whole has really embraced the sustainability movement and is meeting end-user demand for more robust eco-efforts. Seemingly every other week, a supplier or distributor was celebrating a major milestone or announcing a significant sustainability pledge, and ASI Media was there to document them all.

For example, in October, Top 40 supplier SanMar (asi/84863) launched a plan to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 in partnership with the Science Based Targets Initiative. 3M, parent company of Top 40 supplier 3M/Promotional Markets (asi/91240), shared in December that it will stop manufacturing and using “forever chemicals” across its portfolio by the end of 2025. Also that month, Top 40 distributor Staples Promotional Products (asi/120601) launched a sustainable procurement platform, and Top 40 distributor Corporate Imaging Concepts (CIC, asi/168962) announced plans to be carbon negative by 2030. Koozie Group (asi/40480) and sister company IMAGEN Brands (as/93990) pledged in February that they would be carbon neutral by the end of 2024.

Of course, that’s just a small sampling of the coverage from the last 12 months of Promo for the Planet, and it really is just the beginning of our commitment. ASI is actively gathering eco-certification and diversity data from suppliers to include in ESP+, which will help distributors make informed sourcing decisions for their end-buyers. And in the near future, we’ll be adding a new section to Promo for the Planet – a “Do-Gooders Directory” sharing details on the various giveback programs, corporate social responsibility initiatives and sustainability certifications suppliers and distributors offer through their promo sales.

Today, however, in the days leading up to Earth Day 2023 (taking place this year on Saturday, April 23), we’re kicking off a special Promo for the Planet week. Each day, you can look for something new from ASI Media.

• Tuesday: We have an in-depth look at the circular economy – a model that seeks to eliminate waste and pollution in part by designing long-lasting products that are reused, remade and recycled, rather than sent to a landfill. I spoke with suppliers and distributors – as well as some outside experts – about how they’re using this paradigm to transform the industry’s environmental impact.

• Wednesday: When it comes to selling eco-friendly promo products, there’s a ton of misinformation and misperceptions out there. We’ve gathered five of the most common myths and objections to sustainability and the ways promo companies are working to combat them.

• Thursday: We’ve always maintained that sustainability is a journey of many small steps – an ongoing process of continual improvement. In today’s article, we share 10 meaningful ways you can make your office greener. Some of them require capital investment and time, but others are simpler and more inexpensive. What these improvements have in common, though, is that all will help you save energy and reduce waste in your operations.

• Friday: We’ve gathered some eye-opening sustainability stats and presented them in infographic form – everything from what consumers think of companies that engage in greenwashing to how much plastic and packaging waste is generated each year.

In addition, I’ll be hosting a live video tomorrow, April 18, at 11 a.m. ET on Facebook and LinkedIn with Liz Haesler, a Promo for the Planet board member and the chief merchandising officer of Top 40 supplier Polyconcept North America (PCNA, asi/78897), and Holly Brown, chief revenue officer, to talk about PCNA’s Proud Path and what kind of sustainability initiatives the supplier has planned for the future. Join us with your questions and comments.

As always, I welcome your suggestions, comments and questions. If you’re launching a new sustainability initiative, have a burning question about the environment you’d like us to get to the bottom of, or just want to share your thoughts with me, please reach out to thegel@asicentral.com.

Reflecting back on the past year, it’s clear that the promo industry has made some tremendous strides in sustainability. However, there’s still more we all can do, whether it’s to reduce packaging and other waste, invest in greener operations and production methods, or encourage the purchase of high-quality, long-lasting products that end-users will treasure. Let’s continue this journey together!

Promo for the Planet is your destination for the latest news, biggest trends and best ideas to help build a more sustainable and socially-responsible industry.