Powerful Sustainable Ideas From the JPP Corporation

by Wendy Jedlicka with Tim Cattrysse

Unlike many producers now just stepping tenderly into new waters, Johnson Printing and Packaging has been growing and staying ahead of the curve since 1921. Part of what has kept them at the fore, has been their desire to not only anticipate their customers needs, but to maintain a positive and safe environment for their workers, and look at them as valued stakeholders. The simple idea being, respected team members deliver the best quality work.

Example: When indoor air quality standards tightened in the industry, many scrambled to install new ventilation, but didn't look at the underlieing causes—toxic petroleum based inks, coatings, and wash-ups. Johnson on the other hand, had already been on top of these issues and had made the switch to low VOC vegetable inks, coatings, and wash-ups as soon as they became available.

Taking the ideas of stakeholder respect further, when a worker can take pride in what the company is about, they are motivated to help that company offer that intangible extra that sets them above the rest.

Always looking to take things to the next level, Johnson was one of the early Great Printers—a collaborative project undertaken initially by the Council of Great Lake Governors, the Environmental Defense Fund, and the Printing Industries of America, Inc. The Great Printers Project was (and is) a totally voluntary effort by printers participating, to demonstrate their commitment to minimize their company's impact on human health and the environment while producing quality printed products for their customers. The Great Printers Project goes beyond what is required by government regulatory agencies in environmental, health and safety compliance.

Today's Printing Industry of Minnesota Great Printer Environmental Initiative evolved from the Great Printers Project, and takes the Great Printers Project one step further by doing regular Environmental, Health & Safety Compliance Audits that meet the more stringent PIM Great Printer Environmental Initiative EMS Plan Requirements.

Over the years, Johnson has prided itself on listening to its customers and has always been a willing partner in their creative process. A long time vendor for sustainable business pioneer Aveda, Johnson has helped their design team members by finding substrates that meet or exceeded their customers' specifications. Often, working directly with materials suppliers to create whole new and more sustainable products that the whole of the industry benefits from. And then goes one step further by looking at the whole of even the most demanding customers goals by going deeper and looking at the whole of their own production process to include sustainable energy and material sourcing certification. They understand sustainability is not about just printing on recycled stock and calling it good, it's about looking at all inputs and efforts. And about being willing to be open to continuously looking for new opportunities to evolve and grow.

Tim Cattrysse is Operations Manager at Johnson Printing & Packaging Corporation (www.jppcorp.com), an award-winning, nationally recognized specialist in customized design, commercial printing, packaging, and fulfillment.