Driving Sustainability in Promotional Products: How Hit Promotional Products Used Green Business Benchmark° to Launch its Sustainability Program

This case study explores the challenges Hit faced, the role Green Business Benchmark° played in addressing those challenges, and the results they achieved through the use of Green Business Benchmark’s sustainability management software.

Green Business Benchmark°

Published

September 25, 2024

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In this article

Driving Promotional Products Towards Sustainability

In 2021, Hit Promotional Products (Hit), a prominent organization in the promotional product industry, set out to address environmental and social challenges in a sector often associated with waste and resource consumption.

Hit recognized the need for a more structured approach when facing increasing demands from clients, both for social compliance and sustainability. The rise in sustainability questions from RFPs (requests for proposals) and audits, especially during COVID-19, made it clear that sustainability was becoming essential. To navigate these complexities and continue reducing emissions in line with workplace safety standards, Hit adopted Green Business Benchmark’s sustainability management software to drive their sustainability goals and track key performance metrics effectively.

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Challenge

Prior to using Green Business Benchmark°, Hit Promotional Products faced numerous challenges in launching its sustainability efforts. Beyond internal constraints—such as a lack of dedicated sustainability resources — Hit was also seeing a shift in client expectations. For example, clients began assigning social compliance audits and questioning sustainability in RFPs. Because of this, Hit needed to meet rising ESG demands in social compliance audits, particularly around chemical safety, emissions, and sustainable production processes. During the pandemic, the industry’s focus on sustainability grew significantly, with clients seeking clearer answers and actions on these fronts.

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Why Hit Chose Green Business Benchmark°

While exploring sustainability options, Hit’s leadership conducted client interviews and discovered that there was a connection between workplace safety/compliance and sustainability. For example, clients were inquiring about chemical use, specifically how they’re verified as safe for workers and the environment. They discovered that aligning emissions control with compliance efforts not only met these new sustainability expectations but also reduced operational costs. This drive to optimize chemical use and track the resulting benefits for clients led Hit to seek a software capable of organizing its efforts—ultimately, leading them to Green Business Benchmark°.

Hit selected Green Business Benchmark° due to the software’s ability to simplify the management and tracking of sustainability initiatives. Green Business Benchmark’s software offered a curated list of initiatives with clear descriptions and impact, saving Hit’s team the effort to research and vet options. With sustainability becoming an essential focus for Hit's customers and stakeholders, the ability to adopt and implement initiatives based on impact and effort was the difference. Additionally, Hit could leverage their Green Business Benchmark°certification and public profile to allow customers to see their verified sustainability achievements.

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Use Case

Green Business Benchmark° became the central tool for managing Hit’s sustainability program. One of Hit’s primary goals, established in 2021, was to achieve zero post-manufacturing waste sent to landfills by 2025. The company is also committed to continuous improvement across all sustainability programs. With Green Business Benchmark°, Hit could easily track and measure their progress towards these objectives, while prioritizing high-impact initiatives like reducing waste, conserving resources, and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

With the support of Green Business Benchmark°’s initiative library, Hit avoided extensive research and instead directed its efforts toward implementation. Green Business Benchmark° has provided crucial guidance in shaping Hit’s sustainability strategy and the way the company tracks its progress.

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Results

As a result of their widespread adoption of initiatives, Hit earned the Green Business Benchmark° Platinum certification, the highest certification level an organization can obtain. Beyond certification, they also realized many other results, including:

Time and Resource Savings

With Green Business Benchmark’s initiative descriptions and guidance, Hit saved significant time and energy in identifying and launching sustainability initiatives. With a pre-curated list of sustainability initiatives with clear descriptions and impacts, Green Business Benchmark’s software allowed the sustainability team to focus on implementation rather than spending time identifying initiatives. This has allowed the company to make more strategic decisions about which initiatives to implement, focusing on areas that will provide the most benefit.

Top Leadership Engagement

Green Business Benchmark’s software was instrumental in securing top leadership engagement at Hit. This streamlined approach made it easier to present a well-structured sustainability plan to company leadership, helping gain their buy-in. The clarity of the platform's data-driven recommendations showed leadership the tangible benefits of each initiative, fostering stronger support and deeper engagement across the organization as they worked to implement their sustainability goals.

Securing Contracts with Buyers and Suppliers

By adopting and utilizing Green Business Benchmark’s software, Hit positioned itself as a sustainability leader within the promotional product industry. Green Business Benchmark° enabled Hit to effectively track and communicate its sustainability initiatives, meeting the growing demand from buyers and suppliers looking to partner with environmentally responsible companies.

Demonstrating concrete sustainability efforts allowed Hit to secure contracts with clients prioritizing sustainability in their procurement decisions. This bolstered the company’s reputation as a forward-thinking, eco-conscious supplier, proving essential in attracting and retaining business with partners focused on sustainable practices. As a result, client interest has doubled over the past few years. Without Green Business Benchmark° to organize and present their progress, Hit would not have been able to meet the growing demands of clients.

Foundation for Future Sustainability Goals & Certification

Green Business Benchmark° has helped Hit establish a strong foundation for future sustainability success. With Green Business Benchmark’s initiative library, Hit can efficiently track how environmental, social, and governance initiatives align with other ESG frameworks and certifications. This structured approach has also prepared the company for more rigorous ESG audits, ensuring they meet higher standards as they expand their sustainability program and commitment to responsible business practices.

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Conclusion

Green Business Benchmark° has played a pivotal role in guiding Hit on their sustainability journey, providing the tools and structure needed to meet growing customer demands and effectively respond to RFPs with sustainability requirements. By streamlining initiative implementation and enhancing leadership engagement, Hit has been able to track and showcase their progress, strengthening relationships with both clients and suppliers.

The foundation built through Green Business Benchmark’s sustainability management software not only helped Hit achieve Platinum certification but also positioned the company for future growth and success in meeting stricter ESG and regulatory standards. The software was essential in helping Hit create a lasting impact, laying the groundwork for the company to elevate its standing as a sustainability leader in the promotional products industry. By combining Hit’s structured approach with the capabilities of Green Business Benchmark’s software, the company has secured long-term success and firmly established itself as a sustainability leader. This collaboration demonstrates the transformative power of aligning strategic sustainability efforts with the right software, driving operational excellence, and strengthening market positioning.

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