Replanting Forests: Sepire Joins PrintReleaf
2020 was the second warmest year in the last 141 years (NOAA annual global analysis for 2020). As global warming reaches new record levels, it goes without saying that we should - both as corporates and individuals - proactively search for solid climate change solutions in an attempt to reverse, to some extent, the serious damage brought about by deforestation.
At Sepire we are acutely aware of how dependent we are on the planet’s natural resources and we are passionate about finding ways to conserve and protect the environment. We know that restoring the world’s forests increases our chances of reducing the impact of climate change.
As part of our continued drive to not just reach our own sustainability goals, but also help our clients reach theirs, we got on board with the PrintReleaf initiative. PrintReleaf offers a verified reforestation program that measures a client’s paper consumption and automatically replenishes forests by planting trees in areas where it’s needed most on the planet.
How PrintReleaf Works
PrintReleaf has developed the first-ever software platform to automate reforestation on a global scale for paper-based products. The software, PrintReleaf Exchange [PRX], enables customers to certify their paper consumption and the number of trees reforested through this initiative.
Cutting-Edge Technology
PrintReleaf’s patent-pending program, PRX, interfaces with third-party Managed Print Services (MPS) print monitoring software applications installed inside the customer’s network to measure how many sheets of paper are used. The consumption data is captured and transmitted into PrintReleaf who guarantees that every sheet of paper, irrespective of the paper type or origin, will be reforested at a rate of 8,333 sheets per tree.
On-Demand Data
Customers are able to manage their paper consumption and reforestation projects through their own PrintReleaf portal. They can also select the global reforestation projects where they would like to releaf.
Certification
PrintReleaf certifies the reforestation of every customer’s forest footprint in accordance with the measurement and calculations set out in the PrintReleaf Standard. Monthly certificates are issued to clients for trees planted at their selected reforestation projects. This certificate is automatically updated when trees are planted, audited, and verified as survived over an eight-year cycle.
Verification
PrintReleaf has set the industry’s first standard for reforesting paper consumption with the help of leaders in the print and forestry industries. They have developed strict and innovative industry standards to accurately verify the performance of their reforestation projects and provide certification to their partners and end customers that their reforestation measures are verified and sustainable. The PrintReleaf Standard document can be viewed and downloaded from their website.
The third-party field audit process is verified by SGS International, a leading global inspection, verification, testing, and certification company, recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity.
While the established reforestation experts PrintReleaf partners with on projects around the world do regular monitoring of planting sites, PrintReleaf and SGS perform their own independent audits to meet the strict requirements of the PrintReleaf Standard for data collection and analysis. All PrintReleaf Certified Global Reforestation Projects are audited over an initial eight-year verification period, then on an ongoing basis, to ensure 100% net survivability of trees planted.
Benefits of Working with a PrintReleaf Partner
Working with PrintReleaf not only has a profound positive impact on the environment but goes a long way towards enabling partners to help customers enforce their commitment to sustainable business practices.
1. Simple Automation
PrintReleaf’s innovative approach to reforest every measured sheet of paper offers a simple online means of implementation and automates measurement, reforestation, reporting, and verification. The client simply prints while PrintReleaf takes charge of measuring consumption and planting trees.
2. Active Participation
PrintReleaf has a network of Global Reforestation Projects across the world. Customers are able to personally participate by reviewing and selecting which of these projects they want to contribute the planting of their trees to. At Sepire, we have selected the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Madagascar, and the United States reforestation projects for our clients.
3. Promote Company Participation
Companies are able to effortlessly connect and integrate their PrintReleaf account with their social media channels (Facebook and Twitter) to promote their sustainability impact and participation.
Once a company’s Facebook and Twitter accounts are connected with PrintReleaf, the system automatically syndicates a post or tweet to each platform, showing that the customer has reforested their paper consumption.
Joining PrintReleaf’s innovative reforestation program has enabled Sepire to expand our deeply ingrained dedication to sustainability by allowing us to help our customers accomplish their sustainability goals.
Nearly 2 Million Pounds of Paper Offset
As of April 2024, Sepire has offset 1.88 million pounds of paper and reforested nearly 25,000 trees through the PrintReleaf program. But our participation in the program is only one part of our sustainability initiatives. From PrintReleaf to our participation in the United Nations Global Compact, we’re putting in work to ensure that everything we do has minimal impact on the environment.
Looking to learn more? Let’s talk sustainable printing.