Sustainability Leaders Rise to Top of 2018 Blueline Ranking of North American Printers

VANCOUVER - November 15, 2018 - The Printing House, Taylor Communications and Mitchell Press are the three highest ranked printers in Canopy’s 2018 Blueline Ranking, the only comprehensive assessment of the environmental performance of North America’s printers. Published by global environmental not-for-profit Canopy, the interactive Blueline Ranking is designed specifically to help paper and packaging customers choose printers that can help them meet their own climate and sustainability goals and access Ancient Forest Friendly papers.

Printers at the top of this year’s ranking were active in advocating for the conservation of Ancient and Endangered Forests, supporting the development of next generation solutions, and bringing greater transparency to sustainability reporting.

"We are thrilled to come in first in Canopy’s 2018 Blueline Ranking. TPH has worked hard on all of our sustainability commitments, and it is gratifying to have our commitment for forests recognized and honored this way,” said Andrew O’Born, Vice President of Business Development. “Our clients are proud of our leadership role and look forward to our future contributions to the protection of Ancient and Endangered forests.”

"Protecting forests, reducing our impact on the environment, and working toward a more sustainable supply chain are all big priorities at Taylor Communications,” said Melissa Kirk, Sustainability Program Manager at Taylor Communications. “We are pleased and proud to be the highest ranked US-based printer in Canopy’s 2018 Blueline Ranking, and we look forward continuing to strengthen our sustainability performance over the next year.”

“Congratulations to those printers who made the top positions in this year’s ranking,” said Nicole Rycroft, Canopy Founder and Executive Director. “Canopy’s Blueline Ranking is the environmental resource for big print customers. Protecting forests has never been more crucial in the history of humanity as we race to address climate change.”

This year’s Blueline features a new rating system and some significant shifts as new big players climb up through the ranks. Highlights of the 2018 ranking include:

• Only six printers were awarded the Blueline’s top honor of Dark Green Ink-drops, well ahead of the other printers assessed in the Ranking. They achieved this through strong commitments to environmental sourcing and transparency.  All six dark green ranked printers are:
  • Displaying their fiber sourcing policies on their company websites;
  • Supporting the use of ForestMapper and working to map their supply chains;
  • Engaging governments on protected area proposals in forest Landscapes of Hope;
  • Supporting markets for papers made with agricultural residues;
  • Reporting transparently on their company websites.
• The top-rated, Dark Green Ink-drop winner, The Printing House, received 43.5 of a possible 45 points, the highest ranking in Blueline history.
• Taylor Communications moved up 9 points to 2^nd place, making them the highest ranked US-based printer – making them a top 10 printer in terms of sales as well as environmental performance.
• Mitchell Press makes their entry in the Ranking as 3^rd top printer.

• Freedom Graphic Systems improved its ranking the most, gaining 22 points, moving from 32^nd place in 2017 to 8^th place in 2018.
• The 44 printers featured in the 2018 Blueline Ranking represent almost $29B USD in total annual sales.

The Blueline Ranking 2018 closely follows on the release of ForestMapper, and is part of a range of business-friendly sourcing tools designed by Canopy to help paper and packaging customers minimize risk by keeping Ancient and Endangered forests out of their supply chains.

Source: Canopy

The preceding press release was provided by a company unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within do not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of Printing Impressions.