Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a core value for modern organizations. Whether you operate a small local business or a large enterprise with multiple locations, adopting eco-friendly printing practices can significantly reduce waste, cut costs, and strengthen your brand’s environmental commitment.
But what does “eco-friendly printing” actually mean? And how can businesses make meaningful improvements without disrupting productivity?
In this guide, we’ll walk through practical strategies for reducing your environmental impact, improving office efficiency, and transitioning to greener printing practices. We’ll also explore how working with the right copier leasing partner—like Advanced Business Concepts—can help your business reach its sustainability goals faster.
Let’s dive in.
Why Eco-Friendly Printing Matters for Businesses
For many companies, printing is still an essential part of daily operations. From contracts and invoices to training materials and client documents, printed output remains central to communication and recordkeeping.
Unfortunately, printing also contributes to:
- Excessive paper waste
- High energy consumption
- Toner cartridge waste in landfills
- Unnecessary reprints due to outdated or malfunctioning equipment
For businesses committed to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), these inefficiencies stand in the way of sustainability goals. Eco-friendly printing helps minimize environmental impact while improving operational efficiency and lowering long-term costs.
Reduce Paper Waste with Smart Printing Practices
A significant portion of environmental waste comes from paper usage. Fortunately, this is one of the easiest areas to improve.
Here are practical strategies your business can adopt today:
Print Double-Sided (Duplex Printing)
Most modern copiers—especially energy-efficient models like Toshiba’s e-STUDIO series—support automatic duplex printing. Enabling this as your default setting can reduce paper use by up to 50%.
Use Print Preview and “Print Selection”
Many unnecessary prints, especially in large organizations, come from printing full documents when only a single page is needed. Train employees to use the “Print Selection” function and always preview before printing.
Encourage Digital Workflows
Where possible, transition from paper-based to digital processes:
- Electronic signatures instead of printed forms
- Cloud-based sharing via Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive
- Digital manuals and employee handbooks
These small changes can have a major impact on waste reduction.
Set Up Print Quotas or Rules
For larger teams, print management rules help reduce unnecessary printing. For example:
- Restrict color printing to specific departments
- Require manager approval for large print jobs
- Redirect large jobs to high-efficiency copiers
Smart rules help enforce sustainable behavior without disrupting workflow.
If you’re interested in automating print rules, our Managed Print Services can implement sustainable print policies for your entire organization.
Choose Energy-Efficient Copier and Printer Equipment
The equipment you use plays a major role in sustainability. Modern copiers use significantly less electricity and toner than older models, thanks to breakthroughs in smart engineering.
What to Look For in Eco-Friendly Devices
- ENERGY STAR® certification
- Low-power sleep mode
- Efficient toner fusing (uses less heat)
- Eco-mode settings for reduced output density
- Automatic shutdown scheduling
Brands like Toshiba are known for their commitment to green technology, offering devices with long-lasting parts, recyclable toner cartridges, and energy-efficient systems.
Why Leasing Helps Sustainability
When you lease instead of purchase equipment, you ensure your office always has access to the latest—and most energy-efficient—technology. Aging machines often use more power, require more maintenance, and produce lower-quality prints that lead to waste.
Implement Toner Recycling and Eco-Toner Programs
Toner cartridges are a major contributor to landfill waste—and they take hundreds of years to decompose.
How to Reduce Toner Waste
- Use toner-saving mode for internal documents.
- Choose high-yield cartridges that last longer.
- Partner with suppliers that offer toner recycling programs.
- Refill or remanufacture cartridges where possible.
Some brands, like Toshiba, offer closed-loop recycling programs that ensure cartridges are collected and responsibly recycled.
Eco-Toner Innovations
Newer toners fuse at lower temperatures, reducing electrical consumption. They also disperse more evenly, requiring fewer print runs to achieve desired quality.
Switching to eco-toner solutions is one of the fastest ways businesses can lower their carbon footprint.
Digitize Workflows to Reduce Physical Printing
One of the most powerful ways to lower printing waste is to print less. But that doesn’t mean reducing productivity—digital workflows often streamline operations.
Examples of Digital Transformation Strategies
- Scan-to-cloud workflows for storing documents
- OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to create searchable files
- Digital approval systems for internal processes
- Mobile printing apps that eliminate accidental prints
- Automated document routing to eliminate redundant copies
By integrating your copiers with cloud technology, your team can access, store, and share documents more efficiently than ever before.
Many of the copiers we lease include advanced digital workflow tools — discover more in our Document Management.
Optimize Printing Through Managed Print Services
Even with the right equipment and rules, managing print environments internally can be difficult. That’s where Managed Print Services (MPS) makes a big difference.
MPS consolidates all your printing devices and workflows under a single, optimized strategy. It includes:
- Usage tracking and sustainability reporting
- Automated toner replenishment
- Preventative maintenance
- Print policy creation
- Equipment upgrades
- Waste reduction analysis
Managed Print Services ensure your business prints responsibly without sacrificing efficiency. It’s one of the most effective ways to maintain long-term sustainability.
Engage Employees in Sustainability Initiatives
Technology alone won’t make your printing environment eco-friendly—employee behavior is equally important.
Tips for Encouraging Green Printing Habits
- Post signage reminding teams to print responsibly
- Reward departments that reduce printing volume
- Offer training on digital workflows
- Share sustainability metrics across the company
The more aware your team is of their environmental impact, the more likely they are to adopt sustainable habits.
Wrapping It Up
Eco-friendly printing isn’t just a trend—it’s a critical step toward responsible business operations. By reducing waste, implementing smarter workflows, and choosing energy-efficient equipment, your organization can significantly lower its environmental footprint while also improving productivity and reducing long-term costs.
Whether you’re looking to upgrade to greener equipment, implement sustainable print rules, or fully outsource your print management, Advanced Business Concepts offers solutions that can support your environmental goals every step of the way.
Ready to reduce waste and go green?
Visit our Managed Print Services or Copier Leasing pages to start building a more sustainable office today.
