Quocirca has released its Print Sustainability Leaders Study 2024, which reveals that vendors in the print sector are robustly focusing on sustainability initiatives at both product and corporate levels. As consumer expectations continue to rise steadily, many vendors are making significant strides in circularity and emissions reduction.
This comprehensive report, part of Quocirca’s third sustainability study, tracks the evolution of vendor sustainability initiatives, detailing corporate strategies and approaches towards circularity, alongside how vendors are providing customer and channel support for sustainable practices. It also identifies areas of vendor-specific innovation.
Key findings from the study highlight the maturation of product circularity initiatives, with remanufacturing gaining prominence. Several vendors have established remanufacturing and refurbishment programmes, with plans to expand these initiatives. This effort is further supported by design-for-reuse strategies that aim to standardise components for integration into remanufactured projects. A notable trend is the increase in post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic content in new devices, with some vendors reportedly achieving over 50% PCR inclusion.
The transition to renewable energy sources is becoming increasingly prevalent, with one leading vendor reporting a complete shift to 100% renewable energy. Many others are advancing towards similar goals, particularly within their printing divisions. Some companies are investing in solar installations at manufacturing sites, while others are exploring innovations in carbon capture and storage technologies.
The report also indicates that artificial intelligence (AI) is playing an integral role in addressing sustainability challenges. Vendors are incorporating AI into various aspects of sustainability offerings, including managed print services (MPS) optimisation, virtual customer assistants, on-device machine learning, and intelligent capture software.
Louella Fernandes, CEO of Quocirca, remarked, “It is encouraging to see innovation and continuing momentum around the pursuit of sustainability in the print sector, especially in the application of artificial intelligence to key challenges. Remanufacturing is growing as a focus, too, despite Quocirca research showing that it is not yet a top priority for customers.”
When it comes to customer priorities regarding sustainability, factors such as energy consumption, device longevity, and the use of sustainable ink or toner are paramount. Many vendors have responded by ensuring that their devices achieve Energy Star ratings, while several have introduced longer-lasting products and life extension options. There is also a continued effort to enhance recycling programmes and increase recycled content in ink and toner products.
Despite these advancements, remanufactured devices are not yet a significant consideration among IT decision-makers; only 14% regard them as a top three priority, increasing to 19% for refurbished devices, with a higher inclination among French respondents due to national regulations requiring the inclusion of refurbished technology in public sector procurement.
Fernandes added, “Vendors can do more to raise awareness of the high-quality performance of genuine remanufactured and refurbished devices, and the measurable reduction in their environmental impact compared to new devices.”
The study outlines additional opportunities for vendors to elevate their performance in response to customer and partner demands. Notably, 83% of decision-makers prioritise transparent data regarding the environmental impact of print infrastructure, with this figure escalating to 93% among C-level executives. A significant barrier to reducing environmental impact is the lack of available environmental data on printers and multi-function printers (MFPs). Some vendors are taking steps to develop impact assessment calculators to facilitate clearer environmental performance insights for customers.
Moreover, the channel through which vendors communicate sustainable options is vital, and while some companies have solid channel enablement programmes in place, a clearer articulation of sustainability benefits could better help partners in promoting these choices.
Quocirca’s Vendor Landscape delivers insights on industry leaders, major players, and contenders in the context of sustainability, covering notable vendors such as Brother, Canon, Epson, HP, Konica Minolta, Lexmark, Ricoh, Sharp, Toshiba, and Xerox. The complete Sustainability Leaders 2024 Report provides detailed profiles of these vendors, highlighting their sustainability strategies, product lifecycle approaches, recycling initiatives, and partnerships, alongside an overview of their stated sustainability goals.
This report complements Quocirca’s Sustainability Trends Report 2024, together providing an extensive overview of both buyer expectations and vendor performance concerning sustainability in the print industry.
Source: Noah Wire Services