TLMI honors eight members for sustainability leadership

Since 2002, the TLMI Sustainability Leadership Awards have recognized the association’s converter and supplier members who have consistently demonstrated a commitment to progressive sustainability practices across a range of areas, including solid waste reduction, recycling, waste or energy recovery, the implementation of new clean technology and/or processes and the implementation of an educational program. 

In 2020, the Sustainability Leadership Awards Committee redesigned the award application process to recognize sustainability achievements and efforts at all levels, regardless of where a company might be on its evolving sustainability journey. 

The winner of the 2021 Trailhead Award (for companies in the early stages of their sustainability journey) was Nosco. The company’s Sustainability Summit for its customers, formidable numbers surrounding recycling, and energy efficiency programs were a submission standout. The judges were also impressed with Nosco’s continuous improvement programs in quality, engineering, marketing, and facilities management.

The supplier winner of the 2021 Trailhead Award was FLEXcon. The company’s well-defined environmental policy and environmental management system commitment, signed by the chairman, CEO, and managing director, stood out on how a supplier member can take sustainability practices to a new level. A co-generation system installed on-site and a complex recycling program that includes both in-house materials and a take-back program for customer packaging also impressed the judges.

Lavon Winkler from FLEXcon accepts the Trailhead award from Calvin Frost

The converter winner of the 2021 Journey Award (for companies that are further along in their sustainability journey) was AWT, a previous winner in the Trailhead Category and a company that continues to expand its sustainability programs and processes each year. These include customer education tools that illustrate the benefits of sustainable materials for both employees and customers, an established Sustainability Committee that meets regularly to review and report the company’s progress on sustainability goals, reduced energy consumption by over 50 percent due to the installation of company-wide LED lighting. It reduced its VOC emissions by 25 percent due to the integration of a new solvent recovery system.

Michelle Zeller from AWT accepts the Journey award from Calvin Frost

The supplier winner of the 2021 Journey Award was S-One Holdings Corporation. The company won for its ReEarth line of compostable and bio-based prelaminated flexible packaging films. All components of the films are made up of bio-based materials and have passed rigorous testing for industrial composting.

Tom Hauenstein from S-One Packaging accepts the Journey award from Calvin Frost

This year the Awards Committee created an additional Journey recognition Award given to MacArthur Corporation for its dedication and work surrounding its programs for overall employee wellness, well-being, and safety.

Thomas Barrett from MacArthur Corporation accepts Special Recognition award from Jim Sheibley

One of the converter winners of the 2021 Elevation Award (for companies with sophisticated in-house sustainability programs and that are making a significant industry impact) was Hub Label. As a previous TLMI Sustainability Award winner, the judges were highly impressed by how Hub continues to raise the bar on best practices. The company is currently landfill-free, has a robust recycling program, and a unique company-wide program Hub refers to as ‘Random Acts of Green’. 

Thomas Dahbura from Hub Lbels accepts the Elevation award from Calvin Frost

Another Elevation Award was given to Multi-Color Corporation. Even though the company is one of our industry’s largest multinational converters, the judges wanted to honor Multi-Color’s commitment to its sustainable products and systems in addition to the impact they are making on its own customers’ sustainability goals.

Phil Martinez from Multi-Color Corporation accepts the Elevation award from Calvin Frost

The supplier winner of the 2021 Elevation Award was Systech International. The company impressed judges with its impact on social structures and creating jobs for rural communities where they operate. Systech additionally has a closed system for water use and has implemented solar energy in its manufacturing processes.

Tessa Eastman from Systech Corporation accepts the Elevation award from Calvin Frost

This year, TLMI challenged the judges to closely examine all the winning submissions, whether they were a converter or supplier and regardless of its award category and choose the Best of the Best entry. This company will become TLMI’s next Label Leader and have the association’s professional video team visit its plant to produce a video highlighting its sustainability programs. The Best of the Best submission was awarded to S-One Holdings Corporation.

Tom Hauenstein from S-One Packaging between Calvin Frost and Jim Sheibley

TLMI’s vice president of sustainability, Rosalyn Bandy, commented: ‘I would like to once again personally congratulate all of this year’s winners of the Calvin Frost Sustainability Leadership Awards. This was quite a year for the awards and for the judges since we received more submissions than ever before. I want to thank Aimee Peacock and the entire Awards Committee for their hard work and for taking the awards selection process so seriously. Winning a TLMI Sustainability Leadership Award has become a coveted honor among our members, and I’m thrilled that we are able to assist these companies in receiving the accolades and attention they so deserve.’