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It is a fact that has been reiterated to the point of cliché: environmental care is a big issue for business. Where companies could once be comparatively passive about their impact on the planet, today they are expected to actively innovate, to continually shore up their ethical and ecological credentials, a process that encompasses everything from the social impact of boardroom strategies to the amount of waste expelled at the end of the production line.
Meanwhile, the public has become more scrupulous in its expectations about transparency and accountability: your supplier’s credentials have become your credentials. Few companies can afford to turn a blind eye to the effect that they or their partners are having on the world around them.
With profitability and public perception now tied to ethical and ecological performance, organisations are vying to prove their environmental commitment. However, a proven track record still has value: Océ’s ecological policy was in place long before close public scrutiny forced such issues on to the wider agenda and it therefore has the rigour of many years of debate and technical ingenuity behind it. But Océ is aware that the future will constantly pose fresh environmental challenges – this is why the company still refers to sustainability as “tomorrow’s value”.
What is a green printer?
Printing offers unique environmental challenges to a manufacturer, but Océ has proven that targets can be met and exceeded with a two-pronged strategy. Firstly, Océ has put in place a sustainability policy that takes into account the effect of its business on the planet that has undergone the full scrutiny of external verification and publication. Secondly, Océ has continually held its own product lifecycles up to critical analysis and applied its engineering expertise to diminish environmental weaknesses.
A green print provider is one that not only sets down a stringent sustainability policy but also takes immediate and practical steps to reduce its negative ecological influence on the world. 
Sustainable solutions
Océ has a track record in sustainability – what the company calls “tomorrow’s value”– stretching back to the beginning of the 20th century with innovations such as an ammonia-free, diazo-copying process in 1927 through to the launch of the Océ 7050 – the first Eco-copier – in 1995.
However, since the dawn of this century, its sustainability policy has become even better defined. “As we stated in our Sustainability Report 2006, Océ distinguishes three phases of implementing its sustainability policies throughout the organization: the present, the medium term and the period beyond,” says Pierre Vincent, Senior VP Controlling and Chairman of Océ Sustainability Forum. “The first phase focuses on compliance and structure with regard to international and local regulatory obligations as minimum standards for our operations, products and services. The second phase is for identifying focal points with regard to sustainability, for which targets can be set. The next step will be to set targets and monitor Océ's performance on these focal points. Our long-term sustainability ambitions will integrate Océ’s business model with the strategic planning process.”
One key component of Océ’s sustainability policy is that every element of its business is influenced by the desire to operate in a way that ensures profitability without any detrimental effect on employees, the environment or stakeholders’ profitability. “We strive to be a sustainable company, built on our social responsibility and core values,” explains Rokus van Iperen, Chairman of the Océ Executive Board. “The only way to safeguard the objectives of corporate sustainability in the future is by ensuring that our ambitions in the area of sustainable business practices converge with our corporate strategy.”
Certifiable winners
Océ is no stranger to environmental benchmarking, having established Europe’s first award for research in the field of environmental protection in Germany in 1975.
Today, all Océ products comply with relevant safety laws, standards and directives in the countries in which they are sold. Océ complies with the European directive on the Restriction of Hazardous Substances and is a partner with Energy Star, the United States government program promoting energy efficient consumer products. The company has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index since 2004, making it a qualified, eligible investment option for “green funds”.
Océ’s machines have received as much recognition as its sustainability policy. For instance, the Océ VarioPrint family has been awarded Blue Angel certification: a leading measure of environmental competence that signifies a printer that has fulfilled very strict requirements on emissions of dust, heat, ozone and noise, and that no carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic substances have been added to the plastics used in casing and toners.
Intelligent design
It is Océ’s own unique innovations that have earned its machines such plaudits. In many cases, operational efficiency naturally leads to environmental improvements. One example is the Océ Gemini Instant Duplex technology, which allows for double-sided print technology with a single-pass operation and therefore saves on paper, toner and energy.
The Océ TDS700 is another example of a user-friendly machine with a strong environmental pedigree. The winner of the International Forum Product Design Gold Award for its innovative design, usability and commitment to a healthy environment, the Océ TDS700 has the lowest energy use, noise level and ozone emission in its class. In part, this is because of a unique capability called Océ Radiant Fusing: whereas most competitive wide format printers use silicone-oil-lubricated hot pressure rollers to fuse images to media, Océ Radiant Fusing works because of heat rising from a grid of heating elements. The fusing section heats and cools swiftly, going into sleep mode to draw minimum power when not in use and consuming significantly less electricity and generating less noise, while maintaining an “instant-on” capability.
Océ’s unique Copy Press technology is similarly beneficial to the environment – normal xerographic techniques require toner to “jump” from the photoconductor to the papers via an electrostatic charge – a source of ozone. Océ Copy Press “presses” toner onto the paper with heat and pressure, producing virtually no ozone emissions. Because toner adhesion is better and the paper path is very short, there is little contamination or jamming, hence less wastage.
Tradition and renewal
However, this commitment to reducing wastage goes beyond minimizing unnecessary prints. “Design for reuse” is a key criterion in Océ’s lifecycle development program: considering environmental impact throughout the entire product cycle and attempting to bring back as many machines as possible. The company has its own asset recovery department concerned with recycling components and a remanufacturing plant where equipment is made suitable for reuse.
Some have questioned whether modern companies can embrace sustainability and profitability at the same time, but Océ’s actions prove that eliminating waste is both profitable and efficient. The company came about because of an environmentally friendly innovation 130 years ago: founder Lodewijk van der Grinten’s invention of butter-colouring agents from vegetable raw materials rather than chemicals. Sustainability is not a barrier to success, then; it is the reason why Océ exists and one of the key drivers of its success. For Océ, achieving sustainability means taking “tomorrow’s value” to heart today.
To download the 2006 Océ Sustainability Report, go to http://www.oce.com/en/about/HSE/Presentation2006.htm
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