Connect Promotions

Sustainable Promotional Solutions

As a responsible business in the modern world, we are committed to ensuring that our products and processes are as sustainable as possible, and we work in partnership with selected companies that are leading the way as environmentally aware businesses.

Our suppliers are a cornerstone of our business and it is vital that they share the same high environmentally conscious standards that we strive for. We work with suppliers who share our sustainable goals and we believe in fully transparent supply chains to ensure we can maintain our high standards.

Together with our suppliers we are committed to the EcoVadis programme who audit against these standards to ensure sustainability and continued efforts to improve. EcoVadis medals are awarded to recognise the outstanding companies that complete their process of assessment for sustainability criteria and demonstrate a strong management system that prioritises a sustainable approach. Our largest three suppliers are recognised with a platinum medal, working within the top 1% of companies assessed by EcoVadis. Over 90% of all Connect Promotions products are covered by this programme.

Standardising Global Good Practice

Standardising good practice worldwide is an important mission in the quest for sustainability in practice, and Sedex, a global membership organisation, is a leading platform through which more than 20,000 companies manage their performance on issues such as labour rights, health and safety, business ethics and the environment. As part of the Sedex process, members can access social audits to assess their sites and suppliers to ensure that the working conditions throughout their supply chain meet their requirements. This is known as a Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA), and provides a framework of human rights standards and local law, taking the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Base Code into consideration as part of the the most widely used format for social audits in the world.

As we aim for global standardisation, we recognise the importance of ISO, the International Organisation for Standardisation. ISO 9000 lays out a set of international standards on quality management and quality assurance to enable companies to identify key elements and document their quality management systems effectively. ISO 14000 aims to make it easier for companies to reduce their adverse impact on the environment, providing a framework for improvement that highlights more environmentally-conscious quality management systems for large and small organisations.

Supplier Certifications

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Our supply base are committed to replacing fossil fuel-based plastics by 2030, and they have identified six of the UN Sustainable Development Goals that are relevant to their business to focus on and invest in. Goal 8 is key, and aims to promote ‘sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all’, encouraging stable employment and training opportunities, particularly for young women, on a global scale. This goal aims to combat the situation in which more than two billion workers find themselves, without social protection and in precarious employment.

Many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals relate to the processes and materials used in manufacture, including goal 12, which aims to ‘ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns’. This is an essential goal for global business, addressing the large environmental footprint of high income countries and opening conversation on how to reduce this. Goals 13, 14, 15 and 17 take a deeper dive into how businesses can commit to real and effective climate action through the principles of sustainable development.

Sustainable Materials

Many high-profile products are now manufactured more sustainably, incorporating materials like recycled stainless steel and plastics. We work closely with our suppliers to reduce reliance on conventional plastics, actively exploring recycled and bio-based alternatives as more sustainable options.

We work closely with our partner suppliers to ensure the quality, traceability, and responsible sourcing of our products. These suppliers are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), reflecting our shared commitment to environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable forest management. Through this collaboration, we help support the sustainable use and conservation of forest resources across a range of products. They also work to Oeko-Tex standard 100, recognising their commitment to safe textile production that complies with international requirements and regulations.

A Sustainable Future

As a business, we make deliberate decisions about the suppliers and businesses we work with, and we are committed to making changes wherever we can to improve our practice. It is crucial to us that we minimise our impact on the planet and we will continue to seek out opportunities to raise the bar with our environmentally conscious approach.