Environment
From product sourcing to our internal operations to the recycling services we offer our customers, Staples' environmental initiatives help us operate our business in a more sustainable manner.
Eco-Conscious Products
From remanufactured ink and toner to recycled-content paper and furniture, Staples is your one source for all your sustainable purchasing needs. We offer more than 3,000 eco-conscious products.
- More than 2,000 paper items with post-consumer recycled content
- A full selection of pens, scissors, binders and other office products that contain post-consumer recycled plastics
- Notebooks and paper made from sugarcane fiber residue
- Biodegradable packing peanuts made from cornstarch
- Our exclusive e3 furniture systems made up of more than 60% recycled content
- ENERGY STAR-qualified and EPEAT-registered technology
- Sustainable Earth by Staples™ remanufactured toner and cleaning supplies
From our Environmental Paper Procurement Policy to our forest conservation efforts, Staples is committed to reducing the impact of our product sourcing initiatives.
Recycling Services
Staples believes in the value of recycling. Over the past two years, we recycled more than 75 million ink and toner cartridges and 8 million pounds of technology waste through customer recycling programs. In May 2009, Staples received the National Recycling Coalition’s 11th annual Recycling Works Award for our broad-reaching efforts to promote recycling and waste reduction among our customers and throughout our operations.
Energy & Climate
Staples is committed to reducing energy consumption through conservation and the use of energy-efficient technologies and renewable power. We’re currently ranked #16 on the EPA’s list of the largest Fortune 500 purchasers of green power.
Some of our major goals and initiatives include the following:
- Reducing our absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 7% from 2001 to 2010
- Achieving at least 20% "Green Power" utilization through direct renewable-energy projects and the purchase of renewable-energy certificates (RECs)
- Investing in clean energy sources, such as fuel cells and solar power systems, for our fulfillment centers, sales offices and stores
- Reducing fuel use by our truck fleet, thereby helping to minimize the carbon impact of our deliveries
Environmental Education
By partnering with organizations focused on environmental education, we’re helping associates and customers understand how they can make a difference for the environment. Through our partnership with Earth911, we help provide businesses with an online resource for finding environmental tips and articles, as well as recycling locations. Staples Foundation for Learning® is proud to be a supporter of Earth Force, a nonprofit that engages young people to become active citizens who improve the environment and their communities.