Eight In-plants Earn FSC Certification

Eight more in-plants recently earned Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) chain-of-custody certification through the InGreen group certification program for in-plants. They are:

• Bayer Corp. Printing Department

• Colgate University Document & Mail Services

• St. Joseph’s University Print Services

• University of Pennsylvania/Wharton Printing

• Villanova University Graphic Services

• Yale Printing and Publishing Services

• University of Delaware Printing and Mailing

• Washington State University/University Publishing

“Having an FSC certificate allows us to make a positive statement that we are a sustainable organization and that we care for the environment,” remarks Steven Rigby, director of printing at Washington State University, in Pullman, Wash., whose in-plant was recertified through InGreen. “It also gives us some excellent talking points with our clients related to FSC and other sustainable initiatives we are involved with at University Publishing.” 

Managed by Printers Green Resource LLC, the InGreen (In-plant Graphic Reproduction for the Environment, Ecology and Nature) program allows U.S. in-plants with annual print sales of less than $5 million to get certified for less than half the cost of doing so independently. (For instance, Rodney Brown, of the University of Delaware, says his in-plant’s first FSC certification cost $4,800; recertification through InGreen cost $1,895.) At the same time, InGreen handles many key administrative and compliance requirements, such as documented procedures and training.

“InGreen was excellent to work with,” praises Jeffrey Gworek, director of Yale Printing & Publishing Services, in New Haven, Conn. “They use standard formats, templates and basic guidelines to make an easy-to-follow approach to the certification process.”

Yale’s in-plant pursued FSC certification due to customer demand and the university’s strong “green” focus. Yale’s president actively supports sustainability, he says.

“We have had customers requesting this for the five years I’ve been here. However the investment in time and money was previously way too costly,” remarks Gworek. InGreen’s program made it more feasible. “With the low cost and relatively small investment in staff resources, it now made sense to become certified. With customers looking for it, and Yale wanting to be a leader in sustainability, it was the right thing to do.