Avalon Consulting Group's Environmental Policy & Vision Statement
Avalon Consulting Group recognizes how vital it is to incorporate environmental stewardship in the conduct of business, including the efficient and sustainable use of natural and economic resources, which incorporates practices such as energy conservation and preservation of biodiversity. Avalon Consulting Group is committed to understanding the impact our organization has on the environment and working to continually improve our environmental performance, while encouraging our suppliers and customers to do the same.
To this end, we seek to adhere to principles addressing the following areas, and to support these principles through specific initiatives. Our goal as an organization is to address these key aspects of our environmental performance as members of the direct marketing community:
PRINCIPLE AREAS
- List Hygiene and Data Management
- Design
- Paper Procurement and Usage
- Recycling and Pollution Reduction in our Workplace and Community
POSSIBLE INITIATIVES IN SUPPORT OF PRINCIPLE AREAS
I. LIST HYGIENE AND DATA MANAGEMENT
Avalon Consulting Group continually endeavors to manage data and lists in an environmentally responsible manner with a focus on reducing the amount of duplicate, unwanted and undeliverable mail [to both consumers and businesses]. To achieve our goals in this area:
A. We Maintain Suppression Lists
- We maintain in-house do-not-market lists for prospects and customers who do not wish to receive future solicitations from us (as required by DMA's Commitment to Consumer Choice).
- We maintain a more detailed suppression file that enables customers and prospects to opt off our organization's marketing lists on a selective basis, such as by frequency or by category.
B. We Offer Notice & Choice
- We offer clients a choice to receive communications from our organization electronically.
C. We Clean Our Lists Prior to Mailing
- We use the Direct Marketing Association (U.S.) Mail Preference Service (MPS) monthly on all applicable consumer prospecting lists. In addition to use of MPS, we maintain clean, deliverable files by using:
- ZIP Code correction
- Address standardization
- USPS National Change of Address (NCOA)
- Other USPS products such as
- Delivery Sequence File (DSF)
- Address Correction Requested (ACR)
- Predictive models and RFM segmentation
- We use the DMA "Deceased Do Not Contact" list to eliminate names of deceased persons from mailings.
- We encourage our client mailers to use MPS.
- We encourage companies and organizations that rent our list of customers to screen consumer names through MPS, and to maintain their own do-not-rent and do-not-mail in-house name suppression lists.
D. We Merge/Purge Our Data
- We match outside lists against each other to prevent duplicates.
- We use match definitions in merge/purge that minimize duplicates.
- We match outside lists against other commercially available suppression files where appropriate.
E. We Test Market Offers
- We test a sample of a list before mailing or marketing to the entire list.
- We test different versions of advertising and marketing offers, in mail and other media, to select those offers and media combinations that receive the best response.
II. DESIGN, PRODUCTION AND PRINTING IN OUR MAIL, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION MATERIALS
We strive to design and print our advertisements and other communications in an environmentally responsible manner, and we communicate our environmental expectations to our supplier(s). Wherever feasible, in designing and printing communications, we look at opportunities for source reduction. We also communicate our goals to our suppliers. To this end:
A. We Reduce the Amount of Waste
- We review periodically direct mail and direct marketing packages and test downsized pieces when and where appropriate.
- We test and use lighter-weight papers wherever feasible.
- We adjust trim sizes of our publications and/or collateral in an effort to reduce waste.
- We test and use production methods that reduce print order overruns, waste allowances and in-process waste.
- We include overrun allowances in our contracts and specify that excess inventory be recycled.
- We work with our printer to explore using new printing techniques [such as digital and computer-to-plate (CTP) printing and pdf or virtual proofing] that help reduce chemical and paper waste, and emissions.
B. We Reduce Toxicity of Materials
- We test designs to identify and eliminate any environmentally undesirable elements (such as heavy metals, or non-water-soluble adhesives) in inks, envelopes and mail packages.
C. We Give Preference to Recyclable and/or Reusable Materials
- We seek to utilize recycled printing and writing paper with post-consumer content (when and where feasible).
- We seek to utilize recycled paper in all of our printed communications.
- We ensure, where possible, that all packing and packaging materials are made of recyclable (collected locally throughout the country), recycled, reused or reusable materials.
- On envelopes and parcels, we test the use of:
- Ink-jet addressing
- Open address windows
III. PAPER PROCUREMENT AND CLEAN PRODUCTION
Avalon Consulting Group recognizes that improving forestry practices is an important component of environmental stewardship and sustainability. We strive to procure, use, and recover paper in a manner that helps to ensure the sustainable use of forests and other natural resources. In support of this principle:
A. We Research & Understand Our Investment in Paper
- We work to understand the investment our company has in paper.
- Our designated buyers have expertise in procuring environmentally preferable paper.
- We partner, meet or dialogue with other companies, environmental groups and/or local community groups to better understand their concerns.
B. We Respect Forest Ecosystems and Biodiversity
- We request that our paper suppliers have made a commitment to implementing sustainable forestry practices that protect forest ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as provide the wood and paper products our company needs.
- We request that paper suppliers use third-party, verified traceability or chain-of-custody so that we know the origin of fiber in our paper.
C. We Encourage Sustainable Paper Procurement and Clean Production
- Wherever feasible, we require paper suppliers to provide annual reports on their environmental practices.
- We give preference to suppliers who are committed to sustainable practices throughout the "life cycle" of paper production, from forest to recycling, including pulp and paper mill performance.
- We encourage our paper suppliers to increase wood purchases from recognized forest certification programs.
- Currently we adhere to standards maintained by:
- FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)
- SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative
D. We Encourage Responsible Use of Forest Resources
- We evaluate paper used for marketing pieces, product packaging and internal consumption to identify opportunities for increased recycled content, increased post-consumer recycled content, lower basis weights and other environmental attributes.
- We consider the net environmental benefits and detriments of using recycled fiber before purchasing it. We recognize that recycled fiber manufacture, transportation and de-ink sludge disposal can have significant environmental impact.
- Whenever the economics are sound and the environmental benefits clear, we purchase paper with recycled content, including papers with post-consumer content
- We negotiate with our paper suppliers about purchasing papers with post-consumer recycled content at a comparable price, environmental impact and performance to virgin papers
- We print order forms, blow-ins and order envelopes on paper with a higher percentage of post-consumer recycled content whenever feasible.
- We specify to our suppliers that we want 30-percent recycled content where feasible in our use of papers.
- We understand the need for virgin fiber in some paper manufacturing to ensure adequate strength. Where feasible, we strive to reduce the selected use of paper and paper products (including newsprint, packaging, tissue products, office papers and printing stock) made from 100-percent virgin fiber content.
- We work with our printers to reduce paper waste (reduced overage counts, make-readies, etc.).
V. RECYCLING AND POLLUTION REDUCTION IN OUR WORKPLACE AND COMMUNITY
Avalon Consulting Group's policies and initiatives in this area are guided by the Three Rs: "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle." With this in mind, we seek an efficient and environmentally sensible workplace, as well as to promote environmental stewardship in our community. Toward this principle,
A. We Reduce & Reuse in the Workplace
- Where possible and practical, we purchase office papers, packing and packaging materials made from recycled materials with post-consumer content.
- We use recyclable materials and materials that don't hinder the recycling process.
- We integrate the use of electronic communications (e-mail, Web and intranet) for external and internal communications.
- We use recycled paper with post-consumer content for internal company print communications.
- We make primary use of two-sided printing and photocopying where appropriate.
- We develop online systems for reports, projects and monitoring to reduce paper generation.
- We reuse file folders, hanging folders and binders where appropriate.
- We substitute durable materials for disposable products.
B. We Deploy Recycling in Our Workplace
- We investigate energy, water, material usage and waste management procedures, practices, and patterns and set internal goals to reduce, reuse and recycle, and establish programs to measure internal savings in waste, energy and costs.
- We implement in-house recycling programs for:
- Paper
- Corrugated cardboard
- Beverage cans and bottles
- Printing ink and toner cartridges
- Personal and laptop computers
- We encourage building management in multi-tenant buildings to institute sorting and collection throughout offices.
- We recognize employees for:
- Advancing our recycling policies and/or initiatives
- Suggesting creative or innovative environmental solutions
C. We Promote/Advance Recycling in Our Community
- We use the recyclable symbol to identify paper and paperboard products made from fibers that, after use, are suitable for recycling.
- We ensure that all environmental labeling is clear, honest and complete, so that the consumers and business customers may know the exact nature of what is being claimed.
- We encourage customers to reuse, return or recycle materials where appropriate.
- We support recycling collection programs for in our own community.
- We partner with environmental groups, other companies and/or local citizen groups to help "green" our operations, and to make positive environmental contributions in our local community.
D. We Employ Efficient Transportation and Distribution
- We implement transportation policies and practices guided by objectives to reduce vehicular emissions, decrease traffic congestion and improve air quality. In support of this principle,:
- Wherever feasible, we plan for the greatest efficiency when drop shipping our mail.
Avalon Consulting Group is committed to continually improve our environmental performance. To this end, we endeavor to make responsible, sound business decisions and wherever feasible integrate environmental considerations into all aspects of our operations. We readily acknowledge that environmental stewardship is an ongoing challenge and a continual learning experience. We continue to research best practices and to explore the possibility of partnerships with other companies, environmental and conservation organizations, and local communities, all with the intent of further strengthening our environmental stewardship.
Files for Download
Avalon Going Green.pdf