The Sustainable Green Printing Parntership

What The Sustainable Green Printing Parntership does

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2008 that serves as the only independent, third-party sustainability certification authority for print and packaging facilities in North America. Its core offering is the SGP Certification Program, under which print and packaging manufacturing facilities are audited against publicly vetted sustainability criteria (currently v4.0, released in 2021) covering energy, water, materials, waste, and social responsibility; certified facilities gain the right to use SGP logos and are listed in a publicly searchable directory. SGP's primary technology asset is the SGP Impact Tracker, a cloud-based web platform co-developed with Sustainability Dashboard Tools, LLC, that is now a mandatory component of certification and enables facilities to upload sustainability metrics, track Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions, and benchmark performance against peers. Certified facilities span 36 US states and 6 Canadian provinces, with SGP claiming that fewer than 4% of North American printers meet its standard.

SGP generates revenue from two primary streams: recurring certification and recertification fees paid by print and packaging facilities, and tiered patron sponsorship programs (Platinum, Gold, and Silver) that monetize the supplier and brand ecosystem. Named patrons span large industry players such as Primex Plastics (Platinum), Kodak, EFI, Gilman Brothers, Polymershapes, Ultraflex, Monadnock Paper Mills, and Young Marketing Consulting (Gold), while brand leaders include REI, ANN INC., Brandkey Graphics, Snowball Print Marketing, 3M, The Pokémon Company International, and HH Global. Distribution and customer acquisition are community-led and event-driven, anchored by the annual SGP Community Day conference, Sustainability Summits, webinars, and presence at Printing United Expo, Label Expo, INFOFLEX, and TLMI printTHINK; trade associations (PRINTING United Alliance, TLMI, FTA) and academic institutions (RIT, Appalachian State, Cincinnati State) serve as resource partners.

The organization has expanded its scope over time, forming the 501(c)(3) SGP Foundation in 2016 to support education, launching the Impact Tracker in 2018, extending certification to supplier facilities in 2022 (with Primex Plastics' Reedsburg facility as the first), and pursuing the sports venue vertical through a Green Sports Alliance partnership. SGP is governed by a Board of Directors drawn from certified printers, suppliers, brands, trade associations, and academia; founding members Marci Kinter, Gary Jones, Doreen Monteleone, and George Fuchs remain in leadership roles as of the latest disclosures.

Name

The Sustainable Green Printing Parntership

Legal name

Sustainable Green Printing Partnership

Website

https://sgppartnership.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) is a 2008-founded non-profit that certifies print and packaging facilities against sustainability criteria across 36 US states and 6 Canadian provinces, operating the cloud-based SGP Impact Tracker and serving printers, brand buyers, and industry suppliers through certification fees and tiered patron sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Certification Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Printing (32312), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

Keywords

• Sustainability certification
• Print industry certification
• Sustainable printing standards
• Environmental certification programs
• Supply chain certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Sayville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. SGP Certification Fees: SGP certifies print and packaging manufacturing facilities against its sustainability criteria. Facilities pay fees to undergo the certification and recertification process, generating primary revenue for the organization. The certification process involves an audit against the SGP criteria, use of the SGP Impact Tracker, and periodic re-certification.
2. Patron Sponsorship Programs: SGP generates revenue through tiered patron sponsorship programs (Platinum, Gold, Silver levels). Patrons include suppliers, manufacturers, and organizations (e.g., Primex Plastics, Kodak, EFI, Gilman Brothers, Polymershapes, Young Marketing Consulting, Monadnock Paper Mills) that pay to support SGP's mission and gain recognition as sustainability leaders. Platinum is the highest level, followed by Gold and Silver.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) is a non-profit sustainability certification body that certifies print and packaging manufacturing facilities against rigorous sustainability criteria covering energy, water, materials, waste, and social responsibility. It supports certified facilities with the SGP Impact Tracker, a cloud-based platform for sustainability metrics tracking, carbon accounting (Scope 1, 2, 3), and peer benchmarking.

Product overview

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership offers a certification program and supporting technology platform for sustainable printing and packaging. The core offering is the SGP Certification Program, which certifies print facility sustainability practices. This is supported by the SGP Impact Tracker (an online sustainability dashboard tool) for facilities to track metrics and manage certification. SGP also provides a suite of logos including Certified Facility, Manufactured by, Brand Leader, and tiered Patron logos (Platinum, Gold, Silver) for members to demonstrate their sustainability commitment. The SGP Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, supports educational activities related to printing industry sustainability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SGP Impact Tracker: Online sustainable performance tracking tool for SGP certified facilities to report metrics and benchmark sustainability successes
• SGP Foundation

Products and services

• SGP Certification Program A sustainability certification program for print and packaging manufacturing facilities that sets standards for environmental responsibility, operational efficiency, and supply chain accountability. Facilities meeting the criteria receive certification, use of official SGP logos, and access to the SGP community.
• SGP Impact Tracker A cloud-based web platform that allows SGP-certified facilities to manage their certification, report sustainability metrics (emissions, waste, carbon footprint), track progress, benchmark against peers, and share data with customers. Includes Carbon Accounting for Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions tracking.
• Patron Sponsorship Program A tiered membership sponsorship program (Platinum, Gold, Silver levels) for suppliers, manufacturers, and organizations that financially support SGP's mission and gain recognition as sustainability leaders in the printing industry.
• SGP Foundation Inc. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization that provides education and awareness on best practices associated with sustainability in the printing industry, promoting sustainable innovation and advocating for a sustainable supply chain.

Quantifiable outcome

• SGP certified facilities are recognized as leaders meeting only 3.6% of North American printers who meet SGP's exacting standards
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sustainability Dashboard Tools, LLC (Green2Sustainable)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 June 2018SGP partnered with Sustainability Dashboard Tools, LLC to create the SGP Impact Tracker, a cloud-based web application for certification management and sustainability metrics tracking. The Impact Tracker is now a requirement for SGP certification. Katrina Saucier of Sustainability Dashboard Tools served as Program Manager for the platform.
• Green UmbrellaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Green Umbrella is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit working to improve sustainability in Greater Cincinnati through collective impact. Ryan Mooney-Bullock, Executive Director, was the keynote speaker at SGP Community Day 2018 in Cincinnati.
• Primex PlasticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimex Plastics is a Platinum-level SGP Patron and the first supplier facility (Reedsburg, WI) to earn SGP certification. The company recycles over 100 million pounds of plastic annually and offers recycled-content printable plastics for signage, displays, and packaging. It has been a supporter of SGP since its early days.
• Eastman Kodak CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKodak is a Gold-level SGP Patron with a strong commitment to environmental responsibility. With 31,000 patents earned over 130 years, Kodak develops products that help printers reduce their carbon footprint by reducing energy, water, and chemical consumption and eliminating waste. Kodak's SONORA Process Free Plates are highlighted as a sustainable product.
• EFI (Electronics For Imaging)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEFI is a Gold-level SGP Patron leading the transformation from analog to digital imaging. Based in Silicon Valley, EFI develops digital printers, inks, digital front ends, and workflow software that increase competitiveness and productivity for printers, supporting sustainable print operations.
• The Gilman Brothers CompanyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Gilman Brothers Company is a premier manufacturer of foamboard products for signage, displays, graphics, and wall art. It holds Gold Patron status and joined SGP to support print and graphics sustainability efforts.
• PolymershapesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolymershapes is the premier distributor of plastic sheet, rod, tube, film, and associated products with 75 years of industry heritage and 80 stocking facilities across the US, Canada, Mexico, and Chile. It holds Gold Patron status.
• Ultraflex SystemsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUltraflex Systems is a leading provider of high-performing digitally printable textiles and flexible substrates for soft signage, building wraps, banners, floor and wall coverings. It holds Gold Patron status.
• Young Marketing ConsultingcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerYoung Marketing Consulting (YMC) is an Arlington, VA-based strategic marketing agency that joined as a Gold Patron to provide comprehensive marketing strategy and execution support to SGP to grow awareness of SGP certification and the work of certified facilities in building a more circular economy.
• Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonadnock Paper Mills, the oldest continuously operating paper mill in the United States, is a Gold-level SGP Patron providing premium printing and packaging papers for leading brands worldwide, with a passion for environmental stewardship.
• PRINTING United AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRINTING United Alliance is the trade association for screen printing and digital imaging facilities and their supplier base. It provides a Peer to Peer program that gives companies a blueprint toward SGP certification. SGP founding members Gary Jones and Marci Kinter are from PRINTING United Alliance.
• TLMI (Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLMI is dedicated to helping members succeed in the label and package printing industry through knowledge sharing and open networking, including sustainability. TLMI's Eco Stage at Label Expo supports a more environmentally conscious label industry.
• Flexographic Technical Association (FTA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFTA is the world's leading professional society promoting the flexographic print process. Doreen Monteleone, FTA's representative, serves on the SGP Board. FTA hosts INFOFLEX where SGP regularly exhibits.
• Appalachian State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAppalachian State University offers a challenging academic environment combining attributes of a small liberal arts college with a large research university. George Glisan, Ph.D. from Appalachian State serves on the SGP Board.
• Cincinnati StateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCincinnati State provides fundamental graphic arts training in all areas of print with a student-focused, technology-driven approach and a leader in co-op education.
• Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRIT's School of Media Sciences offers integrated print and new media education, preparing graduates with an innovative, integrated skill set and solid technical background in digital workflow processes.
• DscoopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDscoop is a not-for-profit community helping print industry mavericks connect to transformative ideas. With 15,000+ members in 90+ countries, Dscoop joined SGP as a Resource Partner to bring sustainability to the digital print community.
• Center for Resource Solutions / Green-eminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRS administers the Green-e certification program for renewable electricity, carbon offsets, and biomethane products. Through the Green-e re:print program, CRS certifies printers and paper lines using renewable electricity, complementing SGP's sustainability certification.
• Consortium for Waste Circularity (CWC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCWC envisions a world where waste is treated as a valuable resource. Calvin Lakhan, Ph.D. of CWC serves as SGP Board Vice Chair Academic. CWC aligns the packaging industry toward a science-based route of waste to syngas to green methanol.
• PrintReleafminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrintReleaf helps companies meet sustainability goals by automatically reforesting the equivalence of their paper consumption and offsetting carbon emissions from paper and packaging. DATA Communications Management planted 3 million trees through PrintReleaf.
• Re-nourishminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRe-nourish is a nonprofit providing online tools and advocating for sustainable systems thinking in the graphic design community, helping designers make responsible and pragmatic design decisions.
• Green Sports AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSGP partners with the Green Sports Alliance as a Community Partner for their annual summits and regional symposia (e.g., St. Louis Sports & Sustainability Symposium, Kansas City Sports & Sustainability Symposium) to reach sports venues and teams as sustainable print buyers.
• SGP Foundation Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSGP Foundation Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization formed in 2016 to support the educational activities of SGP. It promotes sustainable innovation, advocates for sustainable supply chain, provides a forum for sustainability discussions, and educates the public on print sustainability. Jonathan Graham serves as SGP Foundation Chair.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Climate Neutral Certified: Climate Neutral certifies brands and products as carbon neutral through measurement, reduction, and offsetting. It is comparable to SGP as an emerging sustainability certification targeting consumer-facing companies, though narrower in scope (carbon only).
• How2Recycle (GreenBlue): How2Recycle is a standardized recycling labeling system for packaging administered by GreenBlue. It is comparable to SGP's Manufactured by logo program in providing supply chain sustainability signaling, focused specifically on packaging recyclability.

Broad incumbents

• B Lab (B Corporation): B Lab certifies whole companies (not just facilities) on broad social and environmental performance across industries. It is comparable to SGP as a third-party sustainability certification body but operates at the corporate level rather than the facility level.

Direct peers

• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): FSC is the leading global third-party certification for sustainable forestry and chain-of-custody for paper, wood, and packaging products. It is the most directly comparable peer to SGP, certifying the paper supply chain that feeds the printing and packaging facilities SGP certifies.
• Green-e (Center for Resource Solutions): Green-e certifies renewable electricity, carbon offsets, and biomethane, with a specific Green-e re:print program that certifies printers using renewable energy. It is an SGP Resource Partner and a direct adjacent certification in the same print sustainability space.
• Green Seal: Green Seal is a US-based third-party eco-certification across multiple product categories, including printing/printing services. It uses a similar model of independent third-party certification with public standards and is directly comparable in approach to SGP.
• Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI): SFI certifies sustainable forest management and chain-of-custody primarily across North America. It overlaps with SGP in certifying paper sourcing for the printing industry but focuses upstream on forestry rather than facility-level operations.
• Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute: Cradle to Cradle certifies products and materials across multiple sustainability dimensions including material health, circularity, and social fairness. It is comparable to SGP as a multi-attribute product/facility sustainability standard, including for packaging and printed materials.

Regional players

• OEKO-TEX: OEKO-TEX certifies textiles and leather for harmful substance compliance and sustainability. While it operates in a different industry (textiles vs. print/packaging), it uses a comparable third-party multi-label certification model that informs SGP's own tiered logo system.
• Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC): PEFC is the world's largest forest certification system, primarily operating outside North America. It is comparable to SGP/FSC in certifying paper and packaging supply chains but is more relevant to European and Asian print and packaging markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SGPPartnership
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SGPpartnership
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/9462398

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Sustainable Green Printing Parntership