Is becoming a certified sustainable or green printing operation a priority for you? If not, you may want to take a closer look at what certification can do to transform your business. Many print customers are demanding that their products be produced in a sustainable fashion. In addition to meeting customers demands, sustainable business practices provide business benefits as well as protect the environment. Companies that have become certified under the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership have been able to cut their operating costs, increase their productivity, and reduce their impact on the environment. In an exciting development, New York State has become the first state to preference printing companies certified under the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership. This means that decision makers in the state are encouraged to issue contracts to printing companies who follow SGP’s standards in sustainability. By making this decision, New York clearly announced their positive stance on a drive for a greener tomorrow. “The decision to give preference to SGP-certified facilities is significant, as it formally recognizes the value that SGP certification provides for sustainability and sustainable print procurement,” commented Gary Jones, Assistant Vice President of EHS Affairs at Printing Industries of America and SGP board member. “This is the first step in a wide-scale recognition that facilities certified by the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership are able to meet the needs of those print customers that have made sustainability a part of their print procurement specifications.” If you’d like more information on the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership or how your business can become more environmentally friendly, contact our Environmental Health and Safety department by emailing Gary Jones by clicking...

Is becoming a certified sustainable or green printing operation a priority for you? If not, you may want to take a closer look at what certification can do to transform your business. Many print customers are demanding that their products be produced in a sustainable fashion. In addition to meeting customers demands, sustainable business practices provide business benefits as well as protect the environment. Companies that have become certified under the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership have been able to cut their operating costs, increase their productivity, and reduce their impact on the environment. In an exciting development, New York State has become the first state to preference printing companies certified under the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership. This means that decision makers in the state are encouraged to issue contracts to printing companies who follow SGP’s standards in sustainability. By making this decision, New York clearly announced their positive stance on a drive for a greener tomorrow. “The decision to give preference to SGP-certified facilities is significant, as it formally recognizes the value that SGP certification provides for sustainability and sustainable print procurement,” commented Gary Jones, Assistant Vice President of EHS Affairs at Printing Industries of America and SGP board member. “This is the first step in a wide-scale recognition that facilities certified by the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership are able to meet the needs of those print customers that have made sustainability a part of their print procurement specifications.” If you’d like more information on the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership or how your business can become more environmentally friendly, contact our Environmental Health and Safety department by emailing Gary Jones by clicking...

This post was contributed by Jim Kyger, Assistant Vice President, Human Relations, Printing Industries of America. In this installment, Jim discusses the role of 401(k) plans in your business. Two interesting studies were released in May analyzing various statistics of 401(k) plans in 2014. First, Financial Engines reported that as many as 25 percent of employees are not taking full advantage of their company’s match to the 401(k) plan. They calculated that these employees are, on average, missing out on $1,336 a year of “free” employer money. Calculated over 20 years, this equates to $42,855 (including investment gains). Second, Aon Hewitt reported that 2014 average 401(k) balances increased by 10.2 percent ($100,320).  Plus, Aon Hewitt found that 401(k) participation increased to 79 percent, the highest rate since the company began tracking in 2002. On a side note, printers who won in PIA’s 2014 Best Workplace in the Americas program had an average employee contribution of 6.1 percent. Tip: Want to get your 401(k) metrics up? Is your firm having trouble passing non-discrimination testing?   Run an article in your company’s employee newsletter with your average and cumulative employer match “left on the table.” If your average employee 401(k) balance is not $100,000, then challenge your employees to do something about it—it’s their retirement after all. Plus, compare your participation rate to the national average (according to Aon Hewitt). When your employees retire, they will thank you. For additional HR resources, news, and more, visit...

This post was contributed by Jim Kyger, Assistant Vice President, Human Relations, Printing Industries of America. In this installment, Jim discusses the role of 401(k) plans in your business. Two interesting studies were released in May analyzing various statistics of 401(k) plans in 2014. First, Financial Engines reported that as many as 25 percent of employees are not taking full advantage of their company’s match to the 401(k) plan. They calculated that these employees are, on average, missing out on $1,336 a year of “free” employer money. Calculated over 20 years, this equates to $42,855 (including investment gains). Second, Aon Hewitt reported that 2014 average 401(k) balances increased by 10.2 percent ($100,320).  Plus, Aon Hewitt found that 401(k) participation increased to 79 percent, the highest rate since the company began tracking in 2002. On a side note, printers who won in PIA’s 2014 Best Workplace in the Americas program had an average employee contribution of 6.1 percent. Tip: Want to get your 401(k) metrics up? Is your firm having trouble passing non-discrimination testing?   Run an article in your company’s employee newsletter with your average and cumulative employer match “left on the table.” If your average employee 401(k) balance is not $100,000, then challenge your employees to do something about it—it’s their retirement after all. Plus, compare your participation rate to the national average (according to Aon Hewitt). When your employees retire, they will thank you. For additional HR resources, news, and more, visit...

What factors make a company a top place to work? This is an important question considering the average time an employee stays in a job is only about 4.5 years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. To employers this means more time and resources spent toward recruiting and training new employees. People leave jobs for a number of reasons, including poor management practices (“I can’t get along with my boss”) and lack of motivation and engagement. But there are also many practices you can implement to make them want to work for your company and be a more satisfied, productive employee. We’ve compiled key stats from the print and graphic arts industry’s top workplaces. Based on data provided by the 2014 winners of the Best Workplace in the Americas program, we can say that 69.6% recognize employees and have an average voluntary turnover rate of just over 7%. Take a look at the infographic below and see how your company compares. And if you think you have a great place to work, consider entering the 2015 Best Workplace in the Americas program. Download the infographic, HR Secrets from the Industry’s Top...