Sustainability Overview

Sustainability is, will be, and always has been a top priority for The Ruskin Group

THE RUSKIN GROUP

The Ruskin Group proudly maintains its industry leadership in sustainable solutions for a brighter tomorrow

A core historic value of The Ruskin Group, the word “sustainability” carries a lot of weight in our industry. It’s also far more than just an important buzzword that today’s consumers look for and expect as they peruse various sourcing options. Too often, too many organizations haven’t even explored the extent of what it actually means. So you say you’re sustainable? Are you really? Compared to what or whom?

Saying you’re ‘sustainable’ doesn’t make it so. Sustainability is more than a word; it’s a series of intentional actions and measurable outcomes. At The Ruskin Group, we feel it is our duty to lead in promoting sustainable packaging and environmental conservation. We’ve known from the beginning that to be sustainable, we have to live it, through our operations, our products, our suppliers, and our people. Sustainability is a core value that covers our entire supply chain, from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal and everything in between.

We work with our customers to identify and implement sustainable products and services in everything they do, from designing the most efficient packaging to utilizing the most renewable resources and production technologies to optimizing distribution models that have the least environmental impact possible. We’ve been helping our customers “go green” before that was a common term. So often our customers are able to decrease their carbon footprints while also decreasing their total costs – a win-win for everyone: consumers, producers, and our shared environment.

Three spheres of sustainability

PEOPLE

Developing trusted relationships with our employees, communities, customers, consumers, and suppliers – all with a focus on resource conservation as a shared value.

GLOBAL MARKETPLACE

Creating alternative solutions for a more sustainable world in the development of materials, products, processes, and recycling programs.

NATURE

Leaving the world better than we found it by respecting natural forestry and initiating ethical disposal, efficient distribution, and optimal recycling management.

Sustainability Impact Program

We’re proud to have been among the first to implement effective sustainability initiatives, acknowledging the importance of embodying ethically and environmentally responsible practices in all facets of our operations.

The Ruskin Group has an established Sustainability Impact Program for this purpose. We continually evaluate our practices to ensure we comply with sustainability standards. Our highly experienced team is skilled in identifying and implementing sustainable materials, processes, and supply chains. Our supply chain is regularly re-engineered at every point to be more sustainable, from raw material extraction to manufacturing and production to transportation, to utilization to reuse/recycling/disposal. We also opened a world-class Sustainability Center in 2010 to focus on improving and executing sustainable packaging products and processes internally and for our customers.

Recycling Cheat Sheet

Plastics

Plastic Resin Identification Codes are put on plastic products to signify whether they are economical to recycle. For details, please visit: https://plastics.americanchemistry.com/Plastic-Resin-Codes-PDF/

1 & 2 RESIN CODES: These resin codes are commonly used in beverage bottles and food jars, personal care and cleaning products. They’re usually accepted in most curbside recycling programs.

3-7 RESIN CODES: These resin codes are found in a variety of plastic bags, wraps for food packaging, food service items, squeezable bottles, coated beverage cups, medicine bottles, and styrofoam containers for takeout food. Items with these codes are often not recyclable in standard programs – please check with your local municipality to determine proper disposal.

Glass

Glass from food and drink containers is a well-known recycling material. Clear and colored glass bottles are sorted and separated at most – if not all – recycling centers, keeping the recycling process undeniably simple.

Oil

Motor oil is never to be dumped nor sent down the drain. Take any unwanted and unused motor oil to an auto supply store or shop that sells it and can dispose of it properly.

Batteries

Most stores that sell car batteries will accept your old one for recycling.
Dry cell batteries (9-volt, D, C, AA, AAA, button, circular and rectangular) can be recycled at larger retail stores with designated battery recycling crates.