With sustainable products, the promo industry can connect communities to businesses that share their values all while eliminating waste. One industry leader shares three questions he asks suppliers about sustainable products.

Communities and employees are looking to connect with businesses that share their values.Looking at Google trends in the past 12 months, there’s a 60% increase in searches related to “business sustainability” and an 80% increase in searches related to “what does CSR mean.”

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is no longer optional. Leo Friedman, founder and CEO of Chicago-based distributor iPromo says, “If we don’t get on top of this, consumers will make the decision for us.”According to a recent IPSOS poll of more than 20,000 people across 28 countries, three in four people worldwide want single-use plastics to be banned as soon as possible.

Industry research says the average person owns at least 30 promo items. But most recipients will keep promotional products for less than a year, leaving many mass-distributed items in the trash. “The only way we can address this reputation in our industry of contributing to the waste is by taking it head on,” Friedman says.

In the promotional products industry, sustainability starts with a conversation between distributors and suppliers. “You have to ask the hard questions, and you’ve got to keep it super simple,” Friedman says. As a distributor, Friedman says he’d ask a supplier three questions.

  1. Is it made with recycled materials?
  2. Can it be recycled after use?
  3. How does this product contribute to a greener world?

Friedman says sustainable products are useful products. iPromo has a line of sustainable products like bamboo notebooks and wheat straw chargers.

“Our internal motto is ‘we’ve declared war on the junk drawer.’ If a product we’ve sold ends up in a junk drawer, we’ve failed. How do you make sure the product you sell is actually meaningful?”

Sustainability is key. “It starts with business leaders,” says Friedman. “It starts with us. If you genuinely care, it takes work.”