Great Printers

Listing of Current
Great Printers

Great Printer Brochure

In the News:

WhatTheyThink interview

with Paul Gutkowski on the Great Printer Program

Beyond Compliance Projects:

Energy Saving Ideas

Special Earth Day Edition of Graphic News

What makes a printer a Great / Green Printer?

Participation in the PIM Great Printer Environmental Initiative is a totally voluntary effort by printers to demonstrate their commitment to minimize their company’s impact on human health and the environment while producing quality printed products for their customers. Great Printers go beyond what is required by government regulatory agencies in environmental, health and safety compliance.  Great Printers are green printers.

The PIM Great Printer Environmental Initiative has been in place for over 10 years.  It evolved from the Great Printers Project, which was a collaborative project undertaken initially by the Council of Great Lake Governors, the Environmental Defense Fund, and the Printing Industries of America, Inc. 

To qualify for the PIM Great Printer Environmental Initiative, a printer must meet the following criteria:

Commit to the PIM Great Printer Environmental Initiative Principles. The company must sign and return a copy of the PIM Great Printer Environmental Initiative Registration and Employer Commitment form.  This commits the company to:

• Complying with all applicable environmental, health and safety requirements;
• Going beyond compliance by minimizing wastes, reusing or recycling waste that cannot be prevented and maximizing energy efficiency; and
• Pursuing continuous environmental, health and safety improvements.

Complete an Environmental, Health & Safety Compliance Audit annually or once every 36 months if they have a written and effective environmental management system ( EMS) in place that meets the PIM Great Printer Environmental Initiative EMS Plan Requirements.

Pursue Beyond Compliance Projects: The company must have completed at least one beyond compliance project within the last five years and must currently be working on at least two other beyond compliance projects, one beyond compliance project if a company is renewing their participation in the initiative.  Beyond compliance projects are those projects that a company undertakes that have either an environmental or an employee health or safety benefit to them.

Print customers can have an impact on preventing waste and pollution by:

• Choosing companies for your print projects that participate in the PIM Great Printer Environmental Initiative;
• Letting printers know that PIM Great Printer Environmental Initiative membership was one of the reasons that you chose them;
• Encouraging printers you have worked with to participate in the PIM Great Printer Environmental Initiative;
• Asking printers about their environmental, health and safety (EHS) programs and projects that go beyond the minimum requirements of EHS regulations; and
• Working with your printer to develop your printed materials in a way that minimizes environmental impact.

Current members of the Great Printer Environmental Initiative: