At HP, we have a responsibility for sustainable change, and our ambition is to make a positive impact for people and communities around the world. The print and packaging industry is where we are driving significant activities improving energy efficiency, increasing circularity, reducing waste and empowering our customers to reduce the environmental impact of their businesses.

Sustainability is one key driver transforming print and packaging producution
The print and packing industry is undergoing an unparalleled period of change. Sustainability is one key driver across the entire industry – from consumers expecting new type of prints and packages, to brand owners aiming to reduce, reuse and recycle. It also encompasses our clients – printers and converters – who serve brand owners, as well as all the equipment, substrates and software providers who contribute to the production process.

It’s time to go beyond talk into action. At HP we have a critical role to play and must be at the forefront of innovation, to bring groundbreaking technologies and inventive collaborations that will transform and decarbonize the print and packaging industry. Three core pillars shape our approach as we work to deliver on our commitment: Optimizing the day to day operation, advancing on design circularity, and partnering for driving sustainable change, together.

Everyday optimization
Printers and converters play a pivotal role in helping brand owners deliver on their sustainability goals. Our end-to-end print solutions, such as HP Indigo and HP PageWide, enable more sustainable production processes, equipped with capabilities such as automated digital printing, optimized energy and ink consumption and ink innovations that ultimately reduce waste and empower brands to explore more sustainable substrates.

Take for example Incapto. With the goal to revolutionize the coffee category by delivering a sustainable and flexible packaging alternative to the traditionally wasteful coffee capsules, the company moved its coffee pouches to HP Indigo. Not only did the sustainable-first packaging and cases deliver on Incapto’s sustainability goals, it also drove positive change in consumer habits too, strengthening its position as a sustainable brand.

To deliver on our shared vision for packaging to be synonymous with sustainability, we also collaborated with sustainable packaging provider Rootree to help them achieve their goal to make 90% of its packaging recyclable and compostable. Thanks to HP Indigo Electro Ink that can be printed on compostable packaging on the HP Indigo digital press, Rootree was able to make its flexible packaging more sustainable and solidified its position in the sustainable packaging market.

Reduce, Reuse, Renew: Circular Design
To deliver sustainable solutions we tackle improving efficiency, reducing the need for transportation, and increasing circularity by reducing print media waste. We help our customers along that journey with our sustainably-led innovations.

First of all, we believe circularity should be weaved into every element of the process from R&D to manufacturing and services. That’s why we prioritize longevity in manufacturing equipment that is built to last and is more sustainable by design. Through upgrade options and robust maintenance strategies, we ensure a longer equipment lifespan. Incorporating 12% of recycled plastics and metals in our press manufacturing we’re working constantly innovation to reduce the environmental impact of our equipment.

We’re helping customers improve efficiency with the HP PageWide Advantage 2200 and its 2200 High Efficiency Drying (HED) system that reduces up to 60% energy per page. We’re also helping customers reduce their travel impact through HP xRServices for instant remote diagnostics and resolution (typically saving up to 800kg of CO2 from flying a field support engineer).

And, at the end of life of our products or supplies the HP Indigo Take Back program recovers the presses and supplies for remanufacturing and recycling. In the last two years, more than 100 Indigo presses have been recovered and remanufactured as certified pre-owned, reusing more than 90% of the parts and saving more than 60% in CO2 impacts.

Going Beyond: Driving sustainable change, together
But designing environmentally efficient products and services isn’t enough. We must collaborate with the entire print ecosystem. Through HP’s Amplify Impact pilot program we’re doing exactly that, extending HP’s Sustainable Impact strategy to our partners who can tap into HP’s extensive knowledge, data, training and resources to assess and optimize their sustainability performance.

Plus, we’re empowering our customers to better measure and reduce their emissions with tools such as the Print Job CO2 Calculator, which enables the assessment and active reduction of a print job’s carbon footprint.

Yet, we know that the journey doesn’t end with us and our customers, but with suppliers and third parties throughout the entire supply chain. By leveraging technology and partnering with suppliers, we consistently reduce CO2 emissions throughout our supply chain to achieve our 2030 50% reduction goal.

And as we look beyond to the natural world, we recognize the important of forests in the fight against climate change. Sadly, nearly half of the world’s forests are under threat. With our Forest Positive by 2030 goal, we’re working to protect and restore forests with every page our customers print, investing in forest conservation and collaborating with environmental organizations.

About the author: Haim Levit assumed the role of Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Industrial Print Organization in April 2022. In this role, he leads the overall digital print strategy and execution for HP, overseeing both the Indigo and PageWide Industrial businesses, accelerating the global digital print transformation.