For those looking to reap the benefits of reduced postage costs on their direct mail campaigns whilst simultaneously boosting their sustainability credentials, you should look no further than implementing sustainable practices across your direct mail output. Here’s everything you need to know about sustainable direct mail:
What Is Sustainable Advertising Mail?
Firstly, we need to talk about Royal Mail’s historical product “Sustainable Advertising Mail”. This presented advertisers and mailing house companies alike an optional product at a lower price point provided that audited targets before and after postings were met. However, this product no longer exists. Royal Mail discontinued their Sustainable Advertising Mail product back in 2022 and lowered the cost of “Advertising Mail prices to match the current lowest equivalent Responsible ‘Intermediate’ price” according the organisation. They also said “we plan to do more to promote best practice in mail production and the use of sustainable materials, so we can all do the right thing together. We have worked with a number of industry experts and organisations to develop our new environmental guidance to take into account the latest advice regarding mail pack materials and recyclability”.
In effect this means that whichever product you’re considering for your Direct Mail the same rules will apply. Although the Sustainable Advertising Mail product by Royal Mail is no longer running, it is still important to prioritise sustainable practices when creating your direct mail output. Indeed the audit steps from Sustainable Direct Mail and the subsequent updated guidance from July 2022 provide a clear and significant framework to boost the sustainability of your direct mail production and distribution for years to come.
Why Prioritise Sustainability?
Besides the obvious financial benefits of sustainable mailouts, prioritising sustainable practices can have a huge impact on the reputation of your company which can in-turn boost your ability to make a profit. There is a wealth of data showing that consumers are becoming more aware of the way their spending habits are impacting the planet, leading to an uptick in ethical consumerism. Drapers noted that 65% of those surveyed stated the importance of knowing packaging is recyclable. A further 42% said that they value the use of recycled content. By utilising sustainable materials and following eco-friendly practices in your direct mail, you will be boosting the appeal of your brand and solidifying your reputation as an environmentally conscious business that is worth purchasing from.
How Can I Make My Direct Mail More Sustainable?
To create a more sustainable direct mail campaign, businesses should follow a set of procedures. These aim to eliminate waste, boost recyclability and reduce the carbon footprint of their advertising mail. This reduces waste in the mail stream by eliminating the risk of businesses sending to disinterested or non-existing recipients:
- If you are not sending your mail to contacts from a consent based file, you must utilise the Mail Preference Service 30 days prior to mailout to ensure that you remain data compliant
- Maintain an internal suppression file for customers that opt out of your advertising mailouts and, as before, check this 30 days prior to your next mailout
- Ensure that your mailouts are addressed properly in line with Royal Mail’s PAF
- Documented procedures for mail that has been returned in the cause of a deceased recipient, ‘gone away’ notice or opt out, followed by a removal of these recipients from mailing lists within 3 months
- Inclusion of information with mailings regarding how to unsubscribe
How Recyclable Is Your Direct Mail?
In addition, recyclability is a key feature of sustainable marketing mail. It ensures that the lifecycle of the items you use to create and distribute your direct mail can continue after your recipients dispose of their post. You should focus on utilising materials that are easily recyclable, and wood fibre that can be either recycled or sourced from a set of sustainability certification schemes.
If using fibre paper products or, if using virgin fibre, ensure that it is sourced by a CPET certified scheme. Additionally, any paper should be processed with non-chlorinated bleaching methods. Furthermore, they should be sourced from paper mills that utilise a environmental management system. All paper elements of your mailout must be recyclable. You should also clearly display a ‘Recycle Now’ symbol, because this encourages recipients to recycle their waste.
There are also a number of things you should avoid altogether:
- No brown paper or brown envelopes must be used whatsoever
- No laminated elements
- No ink coverage on any component of your mailout should exceed 90%
- No plastic elements and polywrap, even biodegradable polywrap, as this cannot be easily recycled in household waste
- No rubber based adhesives
- No ultraviolet varnishes or finishes
When it comes to choosing a mailing house such as ADM, you must be sure to ask for:
- our documented commitment to environmental management
- our environmental objectives
- the codes of conduct we have in place to ensure our adherence to these standards
Boost Your Green Credentials With ADM
ADM are your partner in direct mail. We are well-versed in remaining compliant with the regulations set out by Royal Mail in their Sustainable Advertising Mail processes. Despite Royal Mail’s initiative being discontinued, we still hold ourselves to the same high standards. We create sustainable mailouts and provide our clients with a range of environmentally conscious options to boost their green credentials. For more information on how ADM can assist your business, contact our team below:
