Green Gimix makes it possible - sustainable giveaways!

The GreenGimix database helps. It guides companies, safety through the article jungle. At www.umweltberatung.at/greengimix - an online database commissioned by the Ministry of the Environment - sustainable products can be found at the click of a mouse.

“The trend is in ecological promotional products. The offer in this area is getting bigger and bigger, but for ecologically engaged companies it is difficult to find suitable advertising media, that are consistently produced sustainably. The GreenGimix online database is intended to simplify the search”, explains Andreas Tschulik, head of the "Environmental Protection and Technology "department at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (BMLFUW). For companies that see themselves as sustainable and want to transport this image to the outside, sustainable promotional gifts are needed to know. Promotional products that comply with ecological and social criteria not only support the company philosophy, they are also more economically viable than short-lived products.

"Promotional gifts that are quickly destroyed do not fulfill their main purpose, namely to keep the brand of the donating company in good memory for a long time. The long-lasting and high-quality products in the GreenGimix database, on the other hand, ideally accompany the recipients for years to come, "says Elisabeth Tangl from "The environmental advice". Sustainable advertising is usually 10 to 30% more expensive than traditional products. Longevity however, compensates for the higher price.

Online database

The GreenGimix database facilitates the search for durable and high-quality gift articles: simply one of ten product categories, such as office supplies, cosmetics or games and select a list of sustainable products. The database contains only products that have been evaluated and selected according to a clearly, defined criteria. Longevity and the usability of the giveaway play an essential role. Ecological and social standards such as resource conservation, securing decent working conditions and fair pay count when adding a product to the database. Additionally, the avoidance of long transport routes, the production of already used materials and preference of domestic production sites are taken into the account.

GreenGimix Check

"For articles that are not listed in the database, there is the quick check. Here, companies can use a short list of questions to check whether a promotional item meets the GreenGimix criteria”, explains Maria Kalleitner-Huber from the Austrian Ecology Institute. Manufacturers of advertising material who want to register their products in the database can thus assess the sustainability of their products.

Survey on giveaways

As part of the GreenGimix project, 300 consumers were interviewed online about their approach to promotional products in general and to sustainable promotional products in particular. For the vast majority of respondents, it depends on the type of giveaway whether they are happy about it or not. The greatest pleasure is provided by the respondents plants and food. Even office supplies are gladly accepted. Ecological advertising media recognize respondents mainly to quality labels and labels.

Cooperation partners

On behalf of the Ministry of the Environment, the Austrian Ecological Institute and "The environmental advice Vienna” have carried out the GreenGimix project. They got supported by the initiative waste avoidance and Impuls3. KW open promotion consulting & trading Gmbh brought in industry knowledge as a cooperation partner. The criteria for sustainable promotional products were created with the support of ÖkoKauf Wien.

information

The GreenGimix database and the GreenGimix Check can be found at www.umweltberatung.at/greengimix. The website also offers an overview of criteria and labels that distinguish sustainable advertising media.