Rob Newman interviewed in magazine

Rob Newman, our Sales Director, was recently interviewed by journalists exploring recent trends in environmentally friendly office products and IT services.

What follows is an excerpt of the article:

The green mile

By Rufus Jay

Many office supplies dealers have chosen to offer green products and/or run their business in a more environmentally conscious way, OPI Green Thinking finds out what challenges the change throws up.

The motivations for going green are many, but the change will certainly always involve a business studying and resetting the mechanics of how it does things.

One dealer that decided to take the plunge into the world of green office supplies is Status IT; a London-based IT and office suppliers reseller.

Rob Newman, the company's Sales Director, explains that he feels there is a moral obligation to look after the environment.

"At Status IT we've always operated policies that are aimed at reducing our own environmental impact...and although some see it as counter-intuitive for a reseller of office products, we encourage our customers to follow suit as best we can," Newman says.

is.group dealer Keeney's Office Plus, based in Redmond, Washington, is also a company that is committed to being responsible towards the environment. Steven Sterne, Keeney's General Manager, explains that its decision to offer green products was also value-based.

"We were charter members of King County Greenworks almost 20 years ago, and one of our sales reps founded one of the first laser cartridge remanufacturing/recycling companies in the area," says Sterne. "For us, the decision to is more than a business decision; it's a core value."

The first steps

Showing willing to make the change to green products is one thing, but once that decision has been made there is a big checklist of things that need to be done. UK Office Club dealer Wiles Greenworld is a company that was set up in 1989 specifically to provide environmentally friendly products. The company now boasts over 390 green office products, and was one of two UK office products dealers commended for their green credentials in the Sunday Times' best green companies list. Wiles Greenworld has vast experience of the practicalities of putting systems in place to work, and sells on a green basis.

Toby Robbins is Operational and Environmental Director for Wiles Greenworld. He starts by explaining the importance of assessing products, and how this process is much more than just quoting recycled content.

"In these days of global sourcing there is a danger of making the worst choice environmentally if, for instance, it has a high recycled content but has been shipped half way round the world," Robbins comments. "By questioning suppliers and understanding the underlying environmental issues we are able to allow the end-user to make an informed choice. If you have said that something is green that is subsequently shown not to be, by someone else, then it is your integrity that is lost."

Newman points to creating distribution lines and ensuring suppliers' green credentials as a particular challenge, but adds that Status IT was fortunate in finding that a number of the manufacturers it already worked with could supply green products, but had not necessarily promoted that over their mainstream offering.

"We spent time looking into each existing supplier we had an association with, as well as various alternative suppliers, investigating their green credentials and then choosing products from each that not only are 'green' in themselves, but that also form part of a more environmentally friendly supply chain," says Newman.

Newman points out that when these choices about products have been made, things become simpler. "Once over any initial hurdles, with everything in place it's become as easy and efficient a product base to work with as any other we offer."

After gathering information, Keeney's decided on a process to help its clients use green products. The company decided to offer every customer a green programme, which involves an analysis of its usage to discover the greenest possible alternatives. These alternatives are then "aggressively priced" on a customer-specific contract. With the customer's approval, Keeney's then implements hard or soft substitutions from the traditional items to the alternative green items. Keeney's also partners with furniture companies that make systems sourced from some new and green-made components to offer their furniture products as cost-saving, green alternatives to new furniture. Partnerships have also been forged with as many local suppliers as possible to save on shipping and carbon costs. The company also runs green print and online versions of its catalogues.

Spreading the word

Once the research has been done, the products sourced and the systems to counsel clients are in place, there comes the matter of communicating this proposition to customers and partners.

US-based Baker Office Products in Lubbock, Texas, is also another is.group dealer. The company said it went about explaining its green offering through its wholesaler's green products catalogue distributed through its sales reps. In the spring of this year, Baker also used a green-themed booth at the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce Annual Business Expo. The company contacted its manufacturer reps and collected green samples; then packed 5,000 green tote bags with all those samples and used the day to discuss green products.

Keeney's opts to keep its green message alive and fresh in the marketplace by sending out regular bi-monthly mailings to its customers and vendors which include information on green products.

The distribution of the green catalogue is also important to the company, and there is a prominent link to Keeney's online catalogue on its e-commerce site. A sustainability statement also features. Keeney's sales staff also regularly meet customers to discuss green procurement and products.

Newman says that when Status IT first introduced green products it made a point of highlighting these to customers, and dispelling myths centred around the lower quality and excessive costs.

"When we started to back green products we emailed, telephoned and pretty much harassed everyone we knew, simply because as an organisation we believe that the cause behind supplying and using green products is worth every possible effort," Newman says. "We advertise them on the web and via email, we also promote them as we send out invoices and encourage clients to pass our details to other companies,"

Market Response

Have companies found the market response to be lacking after all this effort? The resounding answer seems to be "no". Sterne says that Keeney's green product offering has been very well received. "The market response has been great, in terms of both 'feel-good' approbation from customers, prospects and suppliers, and in terms of sales," he explains.

Status IT's Newman says that his company's green product offering has also performed well in the market. "The response has been good," Newman comments. "More and more customers demand green products as their first choice now, and we are finding companies are genuinely interested in helping the environment. As companies become more aware of their own environmental responsibilities through positive action by the government in regulating carbon footprints and organisations encouraging us as individuals to 'think green', we've seen a constant increase in demand for recycled and low environmental impact products."

He points out that in days gone by an individual in a companies would take control of the green agenda and decide whether they would buy green or not. He says that these were the individuals that Status IT was in contact with. But in the last couple of years, the environmental agenda of many of its clients has switched to being driven from the top down.

"This flip in environmental thinking in UK PLC and other organisations has meant that now more than ever it's becoming a prerequisite in buying to 'buy green'," says Newman. "In spite of the recession driving cuts and squeezing spending, we haven't seen demand for green falter against other product lines, and we hope it continues to take a greater market share."

The experience of selling green products and operating on a green basis has taught these companies many valuable lessons about their own businesses and their customers. Sterne thinks that people do care about what they consume and are looking to buy wisely.

"Our customers are eager for knowledgeable vendors to help them set and meet attainable, meaningful goals for sustainability," he comments.

Robbins says that one major advantage to selling green products is knowing that his business is doing something to address climate change. He adds that it helps to differentiate you from the crowd and add value to your proposition.

According to Sterne, offering green products provides customers with another reason to do business with his company, provides a feel good factor and meets a growing need in the market. But he has words of caution for anyone who is attempting to greenwash.

"It is actually work and if you try to fake it the customer will catch you," Sterne says. "Dedicated, environmentally aware customers are looking for the greenwashers and mete out punishment when they find them."

Many say that selling green products has actually helped to draw business in, even in these troubled economic times. "As a green specialist you are aware of the important role there is for companies to play in constantly helping other organisations to improve their green credentials," Newman says. "We often gain new business from companies recommending us as a sound source for green products."

Talking the talk

But in order to be taken a seriously as a green company a business must also take stock and ensure that it is taking into account its own environmental impact.

Sterne says that Keeney's have joined the Seattle Climate Partnership and have a green team which meets regularly. Keeney's has also eliminated disposable plates, vessels and cutlery from its break room. "That's reduced our waste production by about 40 percent," Sterne comments. "We are continually measuring and evaluating our carbon footprint."

Status IT attempts to be as green as it is able to, according to Newman. The company only uses products which are recycled and as non-damaging to the environment as possible.

"We've ensured all our lighting is energy efficient and take basic steps like making sure all equipment is powered off at night; it's amazing how many businesses overlook such simple steps to decrease their environmental impact," Newman explains. "We encourage staff to cycle to work and we offer clients free collection and recycle facilities for toners they buy from us."

Baker Office Products gives each employee a box for used paper and recycles cardboard boxes, aluminium soft drink cans and toner cartridges. Any old office furniture that the company gets stuck with during an installation is also recycled. Green lighting is being added and when Baker's decorates its offices it will be making decisions based on green values.

What's more is that going green can actually show benefits in terms of costs, according to Robbins. He points out that being green is about reducing resource use and waste. "Less resource required means less cost. Less waste to be disposed of means less cost."

Sterne says that individual items can be costly, but agrees that overall the costs are lower. "For example, recycled batteries cost more than disposables," Sterne comments. "But per use cycle, recycled batteries are far less costly. We see the bigger picture, and we help customers to think that way too."

Now more than any other time, saving cost is crucial. According to Sterne, learning about, and becoming green has not been difficult. "New programmes and new lines come out all the time," says Sterne. "But we must make it a lifestyle and remember to bring it to customers' attention. Switching to another product is easy; switching habits is a little harder. But it's the habits that determine the product usage."

Over the years, the popularity of running a business on green values has increased. It is now no longer a niche concept. Once new systems are in place it is not that difficult for a business to adapt to being greener. This is certainly good news for businesses, but especially so for our ailing environment, which needs all the help it can get.