Today marks 54 years since the first Earth Day – and the second anniversary of ASI Media’s Promo for the Planet sustainability resource and education hub.

In addition, last week we celebrated 70 years of Counselor with a slew of content – much of which required me and my fellow editors to scour thousands of pages pulled from chest-high stacks of vintage magazines for big moments, bold predictions and other noteworthy tidbits.

Besides giving my fingers a workout (it’s not easy flipping that many pages!), the research put me in a reflective mood – especially when I noticed how similar some of the features from decades past are to the kinds of topics our editorial team tackles today.

Back in 1977, a feature on “Survival Tactics for the End of the 20^th Century” lamented that “Americans waste more energy than any other people on earth” and stated that “the nation will have to alter its energy habits now or risk catastrophe.” This would also spell a “change in manufacturing methods, materials, products and selling techniques within the next two decades” for the promotional products industry. The piece also predicted that inexpensive plastic promo would soon become obsolete.

Nearly half a century later, we’re still talking about the plastic problem (in promo and beyond) and how to solve it.

Another issue that stood out was published in January 1991, when Counselor ran a cover story on “The Green Market,” noting that: “As consumers become more aware of the environmental effects of the products they use, the environment has begun to influence purchasing decisions. As a result, the growth of green marketing has exploded.” The feature pointed out, however, that the trend raised more questions than it answered, because “a lack of consensus among environment groups and the U.S. government has resulted in confusion, leaving the green market wide open to environmental claims of all sorts.”

A 1991 issue of Counselor delved into the intricacies of serving the "green market."

Sounds kind of like the many, many, many discussions about greenwashing we’ve had over the last two years.

This history-repeats-itself, broken-record feeling can be a bit discouraging, but I don’t think we have to become defeatist about sustainability and social responsibility. I’ve always maintained that sustainability is a journey, and that still holds true – even though our archives prove it’s a much longer journey than I previously considered.

There have been plenty of encouraging signs since Promo for the Planet launched two years ago. A slew of suppliers and distributors are sharing annual sustainability reports, developing carbon reduction plans, seeking out third-party environmental and social certifications, and committing to sourcing products made of recycled, recyclable or other preferred materials. Concepts like supply chain transparency and the circular economy are top of mind, rather than an afterthought.

Last year, around this same time, I shared some of the highlights in our coverage in Promo for the Planet’s first year. In that spirit, here are a few noteworthy accomplishments from the site’s second revolution around the sun:

• Promo for the Planet won a national Azbee Award for Excellence from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) in 2023, and this year, the site received a regional Azbee Award for sustainability reporting from ASBPE.
• At last year’s ASI Power Summit, I moderated an hour-long panel devoted to sustainability, covering green-movement myths, the circular economy and how to measure the triple bottom line – combining people, planet and profit.
• We launched a new “Sustainability Advocate of the Year” recognition as part of this year’s Counselor Awards. (In addition, the annual Promotional Campaign Awards recognizes the Best Sustainability-Driven Campaign from a supplier or distributor.)
• Last year, we launched the Do-Gooders Directory, an extensive – and continually updated – list of the giveback programs, corporate social responsibility initiatives and sustainability certifications that suppliers and distributors offer through their promo sales.

I’ve been heartened by the positive feedback I’ve received for Promo for the Planet so far, but we’re still in the toddler stage, and there’s plenty of work to be done. Kathy Cheng, president of Redwood Classics Apparel (asi/81627) and a member of the Promo for the Planet advisory board, notes that “it’s crucial we don’t become complacent” despite the strides that promo has made in ESG and sustainability principles in recent years. “As leaders, we must continually challenge ourselves and our industry to innovate and set new benchmarks,” she says, adding that transparent supply chains that consider sustainable materials and country of origin, as well as manufacturing circularity, are vital.

“It’s about being proactive, rather than reactive, ensuring our industry leads by example and inspires change at the forefront of the ESG movement,” Cheng concludes.

I couldn’t agree more. As Promo for the Planet enters its third year, we’ll continue to cover sustainability and social responsibility-related topics that affect the industry. As always, I welcome your suggestions, comments and inquiries. If you have news to share or an ESG question you’d like answered, please reach out to me at thegel@asicentral.com. Let’s continue to push for positive change together!

Promo for the Planet is your destination for the latest news, biggest trends and best ideas to help build a more sustainable and socially-responsible industry.