To add to this, it’s no longer just a question of self-reflection – companies are also looking for greater transparency from their suppliers on what steps they are taking to minimise their environmental impact and support the circular economy. Taking the print industry as an example, Quocirca recently revealed that 70% of organisations cite that it’s important for their print suppliers to provide a range of sustainable products and services, with nearly three quarters (69 per cent) saying it’s key that print suppliers show they are reducing their own environmental impact too.
These factors are driving our global journey to improve sustainability across the business, looking at the impact of our own operations and developing more sustainable products, solutions and services for our customers.
Organisations want to understand what actions they can take to reduce the environmental impact of their print operations - and how printing solutions and services can help them achieve their sustainable goals. Here we summarise some of the key concerns businesses have when evaluating the sustainability of their print estate, into a four-step approach: Analyse, Optimise, Digitise and Compensate.
Sustainable Print: A Guide to Greater Efficiency
Analyse inefficiencies
The first step towards more sustainable print is to look at ways to analyse inefficiencies. Understanding current printing practices is crucial for identifying areas where emissions can be directly avoided. A lack of overview, monitoring and a failure to perform preventative maintenance are common areas that can be corrected for more efficiency.
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Our assessment services can help pinpoint device-related inefficiencies. Consider the age and energy efficiency of devices as well as investing in a sustainable print fleet with energy-efficient models is key.
We can also help analyse print volume, device usage, and paper and electronic workflows. In addition to identifying areas where printing and scanning can be made more efficient, we also work with businesses’ directly to help them understand what options are available to print more sustainably. -
To minimise energy usage, look for features like automatic sleep, low power modes and double-sided printing. Preventative maintenance is also crucial for supporting efficiency; for example, regular servicing helps extend device lifespan and the need to purchase new equipment.
In addition, our remote monitoring, maintenance systems and AI-powered machine learning capabilities (featured in the new imageFORCE devices) help to minimise the need for in-person intervention and reduce travel by engineers. -
Regular maintenance ensures that printers and MFPs operate at peak efficiency, minimising energy consumption and waste. Extending device lifespan through preventative maintenance helps avoid emissions associated with manufacturing and shipping new replacements.
Optimise: output management
Once initial inefficiencies are addressed, the focus should be on optimising output management practices. This involves implementing strategies and solutions to oversee print and scan activities, enforce responsible usage policies, and minimise unnecessary consumption of energy and resources. Smart print and scan management tools can give businesses greater control over their printing, leading to significant reductions in their environmental footprint.
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Output management solutions can be implemented that help businesses to track volumes, set quotas, and enforce print and scan policies. This enables them to gain more control over printing and supports with waste reduction by reinforcing more responsible printing behaviours. Our uniFLOW software, for instance, provides comprehensive print and scan management capabilities that optimises the use of resources, for example through secure printing, automatic job deletion, electronic workflows and cost tracking.
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The use of simple features like ECO STAPLE, which crimps paper together instead of using metal staples, is an easy way of reducing waste and facilitating recycling. Also, ensure devices are configured to automatically power down after a period of inactivity.
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All businesses should do their best to be more sustainable and supporting the circular economy is essential. We are aiming for a no waste to landfill approach and offer a range of different recycling programs for devices and consumables, many of which take place in Canon-owned facilities, for example, Canon Giessen in Germany.
At Giessen, we remanufacture selected models within our imageRUNNER ADVANCE range – to create the imageRUNNER ADVNACE ES models which are built with at least 90% used parts. This helps to keep materials in use for longer and contribute towards the circular economy.
Our cartridge and toner recycling initiatives have both been established for over 30 years and are a free and easy way to ensure empty cartridges are recycled, and waste toner is responsibly processed.
Digitise: Transform processes
In the digital age, there are a multitude of ways that businesses can minimise environmental impact through digitisation. This can play a transformative role in management and monitoring, and is vital for better decision making, and business processes. Once businesses improve their digital maturity, they can access even more strategies that enhance their sustainability.
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Especially in a hybrid working culture, it is important to ensure that employees are part of every digital transformation process. Businesses can benefit from encouraging employees to adopt sustainable digital habits that improve environmental impact. We can help businesses create a digital data base of information for best practices – with everything from how to incorporate e-signatures, introduce digital workflows, automate key business processes to how to optimise data storage.
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Increasing the sustainability of businesses means encouraging more sustainable behaviours and decision making, and looking for ways to minimise wasteful resource use, both physical and digital.
Looking at opportunities to digitise workflows through cloud-based document management can help offer numerous advantages, including significant space savings from reduced physical storage needs, improved productivity, and streamlined access to information.
Compensate: Address remaining impact
Even with optimised printing, scanning and workflow practices and a shift towards digitisation, some level of environmental impact may remain. This final stage focuses on addressing this residual impact through responsible initiatives. By actively contributing to environmental projects and supporting sustainable practices, businesses can further minimise their footprint and demonstrate their commitment to a more sustainable future.
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Businesses should endeavour to reduce emissions where possible but for unavoidable emissions compensation could be possible. Our Climate Project Contribution service allows businesses to compensate their unavoidable print-related emissions by investing in certified environmental projects which help to reduce the equivalent greenhouse gas emissions and support sustainable development. Transparent reporting is also crucial for driving further progress in sustainable printing.
Businesses should also consider their paper choices. For instance, we launched our Red Label Zero FSC® and Recycled White Zero FSC products in 2023, which are supporting customers to achieve CO2 reduction goals.
Print and scan responsibly
Action to implement sustainable printing and scanning infrastructure requires a holistic approach that considers how the demands of businesses and customers are changing. Although it isn’t always easy, the good news is that even the smallest of changes can add up to a positive impact. By embracing the assess, optimise, digitise and compensate framework, businesses can minimise their environmental footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future.
If you are interested in learning how Canon can help you on your journey towards responsible printing and scanning, please contact one of our experts to hear more or visit the web page: Sustainable Workspace Printing: Canon's Commitment to Sustainability