After more than a half century of serving its members and communities, a financial institution underwent a major rebranding. With nearly 20 branches spread across multiple states in the Northeast, the rebrand was more than just a new name and logo. The change marked a new era in the organization’s focus on delivering enhanced member experiences and making a meaningful impact on the communities it serves.
As part of the rebranding, the institution faced a unique challenge: what to do with the outdated branded merchandise and swag. Finding a sustainable rebranding option that ensured these items didn’t re-enter the market and cause confusion during the rollout of the new brand was critical.
Managing the Complexities of Outdated Branded Merchandise
A full organization rebranding was no small feat. The change rippled through every aspect of the operation, including all the swag and branded merchandise – tote bags, pens, mugs, hats, bank bags, and more.
To find the most sustainable rebranding solution for the outdated branded merchandise, the marketing team turned to the organization”’s green team, a grassroots, employee-led initiative dedicated to sustainability. The team enthusiastically embraced the project, seeing it as an opportunity to demonstrate their value by researching sustainable options and proposing a solution.
The green team, made up of employees from departments across the organization, was tasked with finding an eco-friendly way to dispose of the items. With a move to a new headquarters looming, the team faced an added challenge: completing the project on a tight timeline while coordinating efforts across the branch offices.
Finding the Right Partner for Brand Protection and Sustainability
After evaluating several recycling partners, the green team chose CheckSammy to handle the project. The team appreciated the guidance and support the CheckSammy team provided throughout the process, which streamlined the experience from start to finish. The ability to handle the recycling project on a large scale through a single coordinated effort was another key factor in the decision.
Brand protection was also a top priority.
Ensuring that none of the old branded items stayed in circulation was critical to avoid market confusion and safeguard the integrity of the new branding. CheckSammy’s secure debranding capabilities and product destruction services provided the peace of mind the team needed to proceed with confidence.
Achieving Environmental Savings Through Recycling
With geographically distributed branches, the logistics of coordinating the recycling project were complex. The green team’s goal was to avoid imposing extra work on the individual branch teams. They joined forces with the organization’s facilities team to collect and prepare the materials for pickup.
The decision to recycle the branded merchandise rather than sending it to the landfill significantly reduced the institution’s environmental footprint. In landfills, these materials would have produced greenhouse gases, including methane and CO2. In fact, landfill disposal would have generated 11 times more CO2 emissions than transporting the materials to a recycling center. That amount of carbon savings is equivalent to the emissions offset by planting approximately 65 trees.
Strengthening Community Impact Through Sustainability
The landfill diversion and reduction in CO2 emissions achieved through this project show how sustainable rebranding initiatives can have a lasting effect on both the organization and its communities. This initiative highlights the broader potential for organizations to integrate sustainability into their operations, ensuring both environmental and community benefits.
Learn more about sustainable rebranding and recycling.