Staples Promotional Products (PPAI 108945, D15) marked a year of growth in 2022. The Kansas-based distributor, a subsidiary of the office retail giant Staples, announced in December the creation of what is thought to be the market’s first sustainable procurement platform, in conjunction with EcoVadis, a leading business sustainability ratings provider. The company recycles 98.8% of waste material from its decoration and fulfillment facility, and 84% of its U.S. shipments are carbon neutral. Staples Promotional Products was also named to PPAI’s Greatest Companies To Work For 2023, boasting employee benefits like flex hours, wellness reimbursement and paid parental leave.

Illinois-based Overture Promotions (PPAI 288541, D11) sums up its two-fold dedication to imagination and meticulous supply chain control with the slogan “creative control freaks.” The company follows a quality control process with 14 checkpoints and employs multiple cybersecurity measures, including annual audits. Overture’s corporate social responsibility initiatives include employee resource groups supporting company culture, diversity and safety. An employee-led Green Team drives the company’s sustainability initiatives, from recycling of boxes and batteries to ensuring that overseas sources are certified for product safety, social accountability and environmental stewardship. The company also supports various charities and maintains an “Overture Family Fund” to provide grants to team members in need.

Distributor Kaeser & Blair (PPAI 103148, D12), headquartered in Batavia, Ohio, has been in operation for almost 130 years. The company was founded in 1894 as the Cincinnati Printing and Paper Products Co., in Cincinnati, and changed its name when Dutch Kaeser and Bill Blair acquired it in 1923. Members of the Kaeser family continue to lead the company today.

With more than a century in business, Kaeser & Blair and the independent salespeople it supports have built a strong reputation in the promotional products industry. And its attitude towards career educational helped the company earn high marks in PPAI 100 for its professional development.

Founded in Seattle in 2003, Kotis Design (PPAI 256795, D10) now has expanded production facilities to Ohio and Utah. Referring to themselves as “brand evangelists” the Kotis team also uses its online presence to promote its sustainability measures in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Focusing on the specifics of water reduction, energy savings and green printing, the distributor also makes sustainability part of its company culture, encouraging 72% of its employees to work remotely to reduce emissions, single use plastics and power usage.

The company’s DEI Committee is also constantly evolving in an attempt to foster an inclusive environment within the promo world. “While it may feel comfortable to work with people that look and share similar beliefs as you, there’s so much to learn and gain from those who are different,” says Jeff Becker, CEO of Kotis Design.

Positive Promotions’ (PPAI 159230, D3) growth and embracing of online tools since its founding in 1947 represents yet another example of how far the promotional products world has come over the years. The founder Irving Taxel’s son, Nelson, teamed with Madison Avenue designers in 1976 to focus on educational slide guides, relics of a different time that prompted the company to briefly change its name to “Promotional Slideguide.”

Nearly half a century later, Positive Promotions has evolved with the available technology, earning high marks for its online presence in the PPAI 100, and offering modern products. The distributor’s Facebook page has over 20,000 followers, and the distributor makes regular engaging posts on LinkedIn and Instagram. Moreover, the company has steadily grown over the past three years with its revenue growing by more than a third over that time.

The placement of Leaderpromos (PPAI 176187) on the PPAI 100 list is a testament to how a company’s focus on digital innovation and responsible decisions can fuel a distributor’s growth. In fact, “Responsibility”, “Technology” and “Growth” were all high marks for the Ohio-based company on the PPAI 100’s inaugural list.

Leaderpromos stresses its commitment to being a certified B-Corporation that focuses on sustainability throughout its supply chain. It also boasts being the “largest wholly woman-owned agency,” founded by current CEO Stephanie Leader.

Ohio-based Proforma (PPAI 196835, D13) offers an ecommerce training and certification program with education, training and tools to help its members meet evolving market demands. In addition, Proforma’s development of an automated workflow has boosted operational efficiency and enabled over 1 million orders processed through ProVision, its proprietary business management platform. These initiatives earned recognition for CEO Vera Muzzillo, who spearheaded the company’s technology expansion, as well as Michael LaPlante, Proforma’s VP of technology. “We are beyond thrilled to be recognized for our more than $25 million investment in the best business management platform in the industry and our ongoing commitment to empowering the success of our distributors through the best technological resources and tools available,” says Muzzillo.