Environmental Policy

AireTech IT’s Environmental Policy & Vision Statement

AireTech IT recognizes how vital it is to incorporate environmental stewardship in the conduct of business, including the efficient and sustainable use of natural and economic resources, which incorporates practices such as energy conservation and preservation of biodiversity. AireTech IT is committed to understanding the impact our organization has on the environment and working to continually improve our environmental performance, while encouraging our suppliers and customers to do the same.

To this end, we seek to adhere to principles addressing the following 5 areas, and to support these principles through specific initiatives. Our goal as an organization is to address these key aspects of our environmental performance as members of the direct marketing community:

PRINCIPLE AREAS
 

• List Hygiene and Data Management
• Design
• Paper Procurement and Usage
• Printing and Packaging
• Recycling and Pollution Reduction in our Workplace and Community

POSSIBLE INITIATIVES IN SUPPORT OF PRINCIPLE AREAS

I. LIST HYGIENE AND DATA MANAGEMENT

AireTech IT continually endeavors to manage data and lists in an environmentally responsible manner with a focus on reducing the amount of duplicate, unwanted and undeliverable mail [to both consumers and businesses]. To achieve our goals in this area:

A. We Maintain Suppression Lists

• We maintain in-house do-not-market lists for prospects and customers who do not wish to receive future solicitations from us (as required by DMA's Commitment to Consumer Choice).
• We maintain a more detailed suppression file that enables customers and prospects to opt off our organization’s marketing lists on a selective basis, such as by frequency or by category.

B. We Offer Notice & Choice

• We provide existing and prospective customers with notice of an opportunity to modify or eliminate future marketing contacts from our organization in every commercial solicitation (as required by DMA's Commitment to Consumer Choice).
• We provide periodic notices and opportunities for prospects to opt in or opt out of receiving future marketing contacts from our organization.
• We provide customers incentives (such as the offer of a discount on their next purchase) for notifying us of duplicate mailings and incorrect addresses.
• We offer customers a choice to receive communications from our organization electronically.

II. DESIGN, PRODUCTION AND PRINTING IN OUR MAIL, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION MATERIALS

We strive to design and print our advertisements and other communications in an environmentally responsible manner, and we communicate our environmental expectations to our supplier(s). Wherever feasible, in designing and printing communications, we look at opportunities for source reduction. We also communicate our goals to our suppliers. To this end:

A. We Reduce the Amount of Waste

• We review periodically direct mail and direct marketing packages and test downsized pieces when and where appropriate.
• We test and use lighter-weight papers wherever feasible.
• We adjust trim sizes of our publications and/or collateral in an effort to reduce waste.
• We test and use production methods that reduce print order overruns, waste allowances and in-process waste.
• We include overrun allowances in our contracts and specify that excess inventory be recycled.
• We work with our printer to explore using new printing techniques [such as digital and computer-to-plate (CTP) printing and pdf or virtual proofing] that help reduce chemical and paper waste, and emissions.

B. We Reduce Toxicity of Materials

• We test designs to identify and eliminate any environmentally undesirable elements (such as heavy metals, or non-water-soluble adhesives) in inks, envelopes and mail packages.
• We test designs to eliminate elements that may hinder recycling in our inks, envelopes and mail packages.

C. We Give Preference to Recyclable and/or Reusable Materials

• We routinely survey the marketplace for high recycled content for corrugated boxes and packing materials and/or recyclable or reusable materials.
• We seek to utilize recycled printing and writing paper with post-consumer content (when and where feasible).
  • We seek to utilize recycled paper in most of our printed communications.
• We ensure, where possible, that all packing and packaging materials are made of recyclable (collected locally throughout the country), recycled, reused or reusable materials.
• We establish and publicize packaging guidelines for our suppliers to increase recycled content of their packaging.
• On envelopes and parcels, we prefer and use:
  • Ink-jet addressing
  • Open address windows

D. We Communicate Environmental Principles to Suppliers

• We review supplier companies’ environmental policies and practices, and encourage them to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
• We specify environmentally preferable materials to our suppliers.
  We encourage suppliers to use environmentally sustainable materials, such as recycled packaging
• We work with our mail partners and printers to design products with less environmental impact.
• We give preference to printers that seek to reduce air and water pollution, energy use, and chemical waste in their operations. We communicate these goals within our organization and to our suppliers.

III. PAPER PROCUREMENT AND CLEAN PRODUCTION

AireTech IT recognizes that improving forestry practices is an important component of environmental stewardship and sustainability. We strive to procure, use, and recover paper in a manner that helps to ensure the sustainable use of forests and other natural resources. In support of this principle:

B. We Respect Forest Ecosystems and Biodiversity

• We require that our paper suppliers have made a commitment to implementing sustainable forestry practices that protect forest ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as provide the wood and paper products our company needs.
• We specify that paper suppliers use third-party, verified traceability or chain-of-custody so that we know the origin of fiber in our paper.
• If paper suppliers are purchasing pulp or logs from outside their organization, we ensure those sources have made a commitment to the practice of sustainable forestry.
• We ask our paper supplier where our paper comes from before buying it with the intent of not sourcing paper from unsustainably or illegally managed forests.
• We require paper suppliers to document for us that they do not produce paper from illegally harvested or stolen wood.
• We encourage our paper suppliers to identify forests with special ecological or biodiversity values in the regions where they source paper and wood.
• We recognize the importance of maintaining biodiversity and avoid sourcing from rare forest types and areas with high concentrations of rare and endangered species.
• We recognize the importance of maintaining biodiversity and will work with suppliers who have integrated conservation values and programs into their operations.
• We recognize the importance of preserving landscape integrity and encouraging forest restoration areas and forest landscapes that provide pathways for wildlife.
• We recognize the importance of preserving healthy ecosystems and work with suppliers who have integrated forest conservation and restoration, "carbon storage" and water and soil protection into their operations.
• We work with a variety of stakeholders -- among them non-governmental organizations as well as suppliers -- to identify the source of forest fiber in our supply chain.
• We work with stakeholders to encourage protection and sound management of forests with exceptional conservation values in key regions.

IV. USE OF PAPER IN PACKAGING

AireTech IT believes that sourcing environmentally preferred papers and other materials is only a beginning. Equally important is efficient use of papers and materials once they are purchased.

• We work continually to eliminate unnecessary packaging materials that do not protect merchandise or enhance its presentation before prospects and customers.
• We commit publicly to reduce the amount of packaging materials we use by 50 percent during the next 2 years.
• In our fulfillment, we implement packaging guidelines that optimize the ratio between the size of outgoing shipments and the size of cartons used.
• In our fulfillment, we use reusable packaging that allow customers to return items in the same package used for shipping to ease the return process.
• We sort incoming packaging materials for recycling collection.
• We reuse incoming packaging materials for outgoing shipments where possible.
• We employ lighter-weight or efficient packing materials where possible to minimize volume/weight and reduce our environmental footprint.
• We encourage packaging suppliers to submit alternate solutions for environmentally preferable packaging, in addition to quoting prices on approved or existing specifications.
• We share packaging guidelines with vendors to reduce the volume of incoming packaging per item.
• We specify environmentally preferable packaging and packing material to vendors who ship to distribution points or directly to our customers.
• We encourage customers to participate in any existing national packaging/recycle program wherever possible.

V. RECYCLING AND POLLUTION REDUCTION IN OUR WORKPLACE AND COMMUNITY

AireTech IT’s policies and initiatives in this area are guided by the Three Rs: "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle." With this in mind, we seek an efficient and environmentally sensible workplace, as well as to promote environmental stewardship in our community. Toward this principle,

A. We Reduce & Reuse in the Workplace

• Where possible and practical, we purchase office papers, packing and packaging materials made from recycled materials with post-consumer content.
• We use recyclable materials and materials that don’t hinder the recycling process.
• We integrate the use of electronic communications (e-mail, Web and intranet) for external and internal communications.
• We use recycled paper with post-consumer content for internal company print communications.
• We make primary use of two-sided printing and photocopying where appropriate.
• We develop online systems for reports, projects and monitoring to reduce paper generation.
• We reuse file folders, hanging folders and binders where appropriate.
• We substitute durable materials for disposable products.

B. We Deploy Recycling in Our Workplace

• We investigate energy, water, material usage and waste management procedures, practices, and patterns and set internal goals to reduce, reuse and recycle, and establish programs to measure internal savings in waste, energy and costs.
• We implement in-house recycling programs for:
  • Paper
  • Corrugated cardboard
  • Beverage cans and bottles
  • Plastics
  • Pallets
  • Printing ink and toner cartridges
  • Personal and laptop computers
• We coordinate recycling practices in office buildings with other tenant companies.
• We encourage building management in multi-tenant buildings to institute sorting and collection throughout offices.
• We recognize employees for:
  • Advancing our recycling policies and/or initiatives
  • Suggesting creative or innovative environmental solutions
• We participate in existing industry-specific or government programs for:
  • Energy savings
  • Increased recycled procurement