Sustainability has emerged as a key focus for companies striving to balance operational efficiency with environmental responsibility. In this episode of "Unvarnished," Elly Chichester, chief marketing officer of Allied Printing, shares how and why her company is partnering with sustainability solutions provider Print Releaf.

"We are just starting out on our journey in sustainability," Elly says. "We've taken a look at what's important, and how we engineer more environmentally friendly options into our production and our operation." Sustainability is becoming a fundamental business strategy at Allied, based in Ferndale, MI, USA.

"Sustainability has been an evolving conversation," says Ryan McVey, Print Releaf's senior business development manager. "We've really seen the conversation of sustainability evolve to where it was a 'nice to have' to now it's something that's being required, especially by some of these top organizations." He and Print Releaf CEO Jordan Darrah join the conversation to share details about how Print Releaf's reforestation program works.

"It's a really wonderful program that gives a true direct impact on the environment," Elly says. She highlights the strategic importance of sustainability in maintaining and expanding client relationships.

Looking ahead, Allied is committed to continuous improvement in their sustainability practices. The company recently established an internal "Green Team" to outline and execute steps to enhance its environmental efforts.