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Hill & Partners- Going Green

Posted by Danielle DeBenedictis on Jun 3, 2010 5:25:00 PM

• 62% of exhibitors expect their interest in Green exhibiting will increase over the next 12 months

• 51% of exhibitors believe adopting greener practices will enhance their company’s brand and image.

The following quote captures the essence of our time and continued efforts to adopt shades of green wherever possible:

“As American businesses go greener by the minute, the exhibition industry is poised for an emerald-hued evolution.”
The truth is, it’s not “if” or “when” you consider the environmental impact your programs have, but, “how much?” or “to what degree?”

Along with many of our customers, professional associations, destination cities and employees, Hill & Partners is looking at all aspects of our corporate behavior and product offerings to see where we can make a difference. The exciting thing that we have found about the growing global focus on our environment and how our activities can have a positive impact is that with greater involvement comes innovation and opportunity.

There are production processes, materials advances and service choices right now that can contribute to meeting your green initiatives. We have never proclaimed to have all the answers at H&P and it’s this attitude that has kept us growing. We have even designated people to explore solutions to support our customers’ eco-friendly activities while also achieving their branding goals.

Competitors in the trade show industry have used the green movement to seek differentiation and stand out in the crowd. There are companies that were “early adopters” and have spared no cost in projecting that image. It has been their efforts that have helped to fuel new innovations in the field and make green solutions more affordable for all companies today.

There are many ways that H&P is taking the opportunity to improve your ever-changing shade of green. We are looking at all of the things we do, the solutions we provide, and the explosion of activity in our industry to bring earth-friendly programs to our customers.

These areas of focus include:

DESIGN
• Purposeful materials designed to meet specific initiative requirements
• Weight and packaging considerations to minimize affects of fuel use when shipping
• Reduce, reuse, recycle initiatives that focus on alternative solutions

PRODUCTION
•More earth-friendly raw materials; instead of farmed wood products, we are focusing on fast growth materials like bamboo or local harvest materials
• Recycled materials are becoming more durable; our rental panel inventory is manufactured from 80% recycled aluminum.
• Tube & fabric components that provide impact but are lightweight to ship
• Soy based inks used in our labs’ printing processes, as well as regular use of direct printing to substrates (also increasingly more eco-friendly), meaning less material and energy usage

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
•    Our programs have always focused on eliminating waste or minimizing cost
•    Warehousing close to program sites minimizes fuel usage and shipping costs
•    Universal graphics that are not sensitive to particular shows use less materials and save production energy
Rental inventory provides a lower cost alternative for some of our clients and results in a more useful life for those materials. Our newest rental components are the ideal example of reduce, reuse, recycle, as they are produced from recycled materials and are in constant use among many clients.

Many of our opportunities to discuss green solutions start off with the prospective client asking us “what’s new” for green solutions in branded environments. While this is a fair question, it puts the cart before the horse. Every solution is different, and many “new” eco-friendly resources only qualify for that description when applied to a specific environment.

We’re sure you’ve heard the stories about the eco-friendly product that has to be flown halfway around the world to be utilized by a consumer that brags about their greenness. It looks really good on the surface , but it doesn’t stand up in the details. We take the position that, in its purest form, a commitment to be earth-conscious in our business is in and of itself noble. So, we’re rolling up our sleeves on the issue and committing to provide more eco-friendly options to our customers going forward.

Below are a number of sites that we have explored in our search for answers and guidance on all things green. We appreciate the opportunity to share our thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to call us with any questions.

Going Green Resources
Find the best places to meet green through travel and sustainable cities.
Check out www.bestplacestomeetgreen.com

Find requirements and guidelines for planning and managing sustainable green events of all sizes and types.
Check out www.bsi-global.com

Find green hotels and resorts when traveling in the US and beyond.
Check out www.greenlodgingnews.com or www.allstays.com

View Design Portfolio

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