Unsurprisingly, when conducting the 2022 Vision Report, FuturePrint found sustainability to be one of the major themes. Since the 2021 report was published, FuturePrint has noticed an increase in businesses scrutinising their partners and stakeholders to ensure that environmental goals are met throughout a product’s lifecycle. 

According to Graham Kennedy at Ricoh, sustainability is a fundamental goal, and they remain committed to achieving net-zero targets as well as reducing their overall environmental impact. He comments: “This isn’t new to Ricoh, but is now a key element that is directing buying decisions from consumers to print buyers to industrial technology buyers. [Sustainability] is high on the agenda and will remain there.”

It’s not just businesses announcing their eco objectives. There’s a huge spotlight on governments across the globe to pull their weight, and to keep the pressure on businesses in an effort to shape a positive future for our planet. As well as Rishi Sunak’s 2021 plan to strengthen Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) reporting, the UN recently revealed their plan to keep an eye on businesses by forming a body to examine the net-zero pledges made by large corporations. The UN also plans to implement a framework of standards to make sure corporations can’t market such reporting in a way that deceives the reader, more commonly known as greenwashing.  

All eyes on packaging 

The packaging industry can have a great impact on the environment, but more sustainable solutions are gaining a lot of attention. The FuturePrint and Pack Survey in partnership with Ricoh found that almost half of respondents (48%) think “a focus on reaching net-zero is the main priority” in the near future. 

We can already see packaging moving in a certain direction; according to Marc Graindourze at Agfa, when it comes to corrugated packaging, water-based inks are becoming increasingly popular. Digital products are also supporting a move to more sustainable practices by enabling efficiencies and reducing waste. 

Simon Lewis at Highcon hopes to see us all rise to the challenge of mitigating our harmful impact on the planet. Through accelerating the adoption of digital printing, digital die-cutting and digitising end-to-end processes, he believes businesses can shift towards only producing the quantity of items that are needed, when they’re needed, therefore minimising waste. 

Sustainability as the norm

The 2022 Vision Report ultimately found we should no longer deem sustainability to be a buzzword or a key trend. Making more sustainable decisions and reducing our environmental impact has to become a part of our everyday thinking and must become a fundamental aspect of how our businesses operate.

With the help of business to business scrutiny and frameworks like the one set out by the UN, we must eliminate greenwashing and make sure our decisions do not cost the planet for years to come. 

Download the 2022 Vision Report now