The first of a new series of initiatives centred around sustainability was launched by the British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA) at Merchandise World and with over a quarter of members already registering their interest in the member only Pledge which launches officially this year, the conversation around demonstrating sustainable standards is growing.

 

Hosting the first of a series of webinars, members have been invited to find out more. The StepForward Pledge aims to help BPMA members take proactive steps to embed sustainability within their products, their operations and in the communities they serve, members can register their interest in signing up now. Encouraging early adopters, the BPMA is aiming to understand where their members are on their sustainable journey, establish the support they need and provide support to help them reach specific goals.

 

By signing up to the Pledge, members will declare their commitment to tracking and measuring their sustainability performance each year. This in turn will help enhance the reputation of participating companies, together with raising the profile of the promotional merchandise industry as it addresses climate change and other environmental challenges. Citing the business case for all members to adopt measures which involve the products, people and planet, the BPMA is encouraging all members to find out more.

 

Sustainability driving the agenda

The BPMA set up a working group last year to address the industry’s response to the push towards net zero. The StepForward Pledge is the first in a series of exciting initiatives originating from this group. Every BPMA member is invited to sign on to the Pledge, whether they have already been working on sustainability for a while or are just beginning their journey.

 

Why does our industry need a Pledge?

As the global fight against climate change intensifies, businesses and consumers are increasingly concerned about their impact on the environment. According to a 2022 Global Sustainability Study*, 56% of UK consumers rank sustainability as a top five value driver. This means the end user is increasingly conscious of their supply chains and buying choices, driving every sector to consider their approach and get their house in order.

 

‘This is aimed at changing the way we work and the work we make. A very simple expression to describe the way we need to approach the huge task for member companies. It’s important to the future health of our industry that we get our house in order; our customers expect it from us. Open to every member of the BPMA, this voluntary process helps you assess where you are, where you need to get to and support on the journey so matter what stage you’re at, we can help you improve your position as a business.’ Said Carey Trevill, CEO at the BPMA. Supported by Board Director, Melissa Chevin, the informative sessions the BPMA are hosting are providing members with the why, what and how of getting involved in the Pledge.

 

Demand for the right information is high

Those invited to register their interest in the Pledge this January, told the BPMA more about the demand and reliance on sustainable sales within their organisations. With 61% of members stating the demand for evidence of sustainable best practice was high, only 7% stated they weren’t asked for this information. 62% of those respondents said they had a sustainable programme or policy in place and whilst 32% said they didn’t have any current policies, they were keen to implement sustainable best practice.

 

Revenue generated from sustainable sales was also growing exponentially across the industry as end users migrated their requests from a ‘nice to have’ to a ‘must have’ in their orders. Whilst not every sale was attributable to sustainable requirements, over 70% of respondents stated up to 50% of their order books were linked to a sustainable product request. With 32% of suppliers registering stating the majority of their income (75%-100%) is in sustainable goods, this strong trend needs industry standards to be continuously improving.

 

To register interest in the Pledge and find out more, click here.

 

The Pledge is only open to BPMA members. Members signing up to the Pledge will have access to resources and support including how to create a sustainable statement for their business.

 

If you would like to attend the webinars to find out more, the next webinar is on 22^nd March and you can register here, noting all registrations are approved by the BPMA. Not a member and want to find out more? Please register interest and the BPMA will be in touch.

 

Published on: February 16th, 2023