Daniel Rufenacht, CEO of bluesign (PPAI 825888, Standard-Base), is stepping down from his role with the business services provider, citing personal reasons. Rufenacht had spent the past four years at the helm of bluesign and 17 years at its parent company, SGS.
- bluesign partners directly with suppliers to help them meet compliance and sustainability goals, focusing primarily on the textile industry.
With the environmental progress that bluesign was already making in the textile industry, it was Rufenacht who helped drive the business services provider’s involvement in promo only a few years ago, which proved to be a welcome pairing for an industry looking to expand its sustainability resources.
“Daniel’s contributions to the promotional products industry will resonate through our cleaner supply chains, traceable products and the power of positive impact,” says Elizabeth Wimbush, CAS, PPAI’s director of sustainability and responsibility.
Elizabeth Wimbush, CAS
Director of Sustainability & Responsibility, PPAI
Daniel Gartmann, a sitting member of the bluesign board of directors, has taken over the CEO position on an interim basis while a search for a long-term chief executive takes place. According to bluesign, no changes to the service will take place due to the leadership change.
A Growing Standard In The Promo Community
Under Rufenacht’s leadership, promo and bluesign have made great strides together, a partnership that is likely to keep growing in the future.
- bluesign was named to PPAI’s 2025 Coolest Stuff in Promo list, earning the moniker “Coolest Bouncer in the Chemical Club.”
Here’s what PPAI Magazine wrote about bluesign in the Coolest Stuff in Promo issue:
“bluesign helps manufacturers keep the bad stuff out. The system partners directly with suppliers to improve resource use, reduce environmental impact and make sure what your brand puts out into the world is safe and sustainable. You’ll see the bluesign label on brands like SanMar and Storm Creek, which means bluesign is already making waves in promo. Behind the scenes, the company has over 100 environmental experts (many of them Ph.D. chemical scientists) working with suppliers to meet bluesign’s strict safety and sustainability standards.“
In less than two years, a number of prominent promo suppliers have bluesign system partners, including:
