Quad Releases 2023 ESG Update

Quad/Graphics, Inc. released its 2023 Environmental, Social and Governance Update. The global marketing experience company announced its ongoing progress to advance sustainable resource consumption, social responsibility, and transparent and ethical business practices.

“Our goal is to integrate sustainability and responsibility across every aspect of our business to create long-term value for all stakeholders,” said Maura Packham, SVP of corporate responsibility for Quad. Packham, the company’s first corporate responsibility executive, assumed her role in 2023 after launching several of the company’s formal ESG programs while serving as VP of corporate communications. “We’ve made solid advances toward our ESG commitments in 2022 and are committed to work collaboratively to ensure continued, measurable progress on our ESG priorities.”

The 2023 Quad ESG Update includes the following themes:
Continued prioritization of sustainable resource consumption
• Quad’s U.S. facilities recycled more than 98% of their industrial wastepaper and other solid waste through innovations for conserving raw materials, minimizing waste and repurposing materials such as paper, plastic and cardboard paper cores and limiting what they send to landfills.
• Quad’s In-Store team eliminated 330,000 plastic polybags and other materials from entering the waste stream every year by redesigning the packaging for Quad’s LAMà Displays.
• In 2022, Quad Packaging improved by 45% its carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions per one million pieces printed and used 41% less water over a baseline average established from 2018 to 2020.

Unwavering commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Quad increased its year-over-year spending with diverse suppliers by 30%.
• Spearheaded by a newly hired dedicated leader, Quad’s Business Resource Group Advancement Program spurred sustainable BRG growth. A new bonus program encouraged BRG leaders to continue driving their inclusion strategy, resulting in more than 10% of Quad employees participating in at least one of seven BRGs.
• Through a three-year, $1-million commitment, Quad is partnering with The BrandLab to help change the face and voice of the marketing industry by creating more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplaces.

Continued investment in employee safety, health and wellness
• In 2022, Quad launched a nationwide behavioral health program with virtual access to licensed therapists for approximately 11,000 U.S. employees.
• Additionally, Quad increased by 37% employee access to industrial athletic trainers, contributing to an 8% decrease in overexertion and repetitive motion incidents for which employees sought medical treatment.
• By the end of 2022, 94.5% of eligible Quad U.S. employees were participating in the company’s tax-deferred 401(k) retirement savings plan with an average annual deferral rate of 8.5%. This was a 5% year-over-year improvement in the average employee annual deferral rate, an ESG objective of the company through 2030.