Office Depot (NYSE:ODP), a leading global provider of office
products and services, for the first time is customizing The Green
Book(TM) catalog of environmentally preferable products in six
country-specific versions. The award winning catalog is now available
to Office Depot's contract customers in the United States, United
Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
"Office Depot first launched The Green Book in the United States
in 2003 to see if simplifying the green purchasing experience would be
of value to our customers," said Yalmaz Siddiqui, Environmental
Strategy Advisor for Office Depot. "The response was extremely
favorable, and as a result we are now releasing this series of
catalogs in markets around the world."
In addition to English language-versions in the U.S. and U.K.,
Office Depot is distributing The Green Book in French, German, Dutch,
Walloon, and Flemish.
The Green Book catalog is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled
paper with process chlorine-free bleaching. In total, this year's
catalogs contain over 6,000 different products including:
-- Remanufactured ink and toner cartridges;
-- Recycled paper products;
-- Energy Star qualified office equipment, such as computers,
monitors and printers;
-- Non-toxic cleaners and writing instruments.
Siddiqui noted that Office Depot has included products that
deliver quality and price as well as specific environmental benefits
-- rather than focusing only on those items considered to be the most
environmentally benign. Additionally, a large number of the products
in The Green Book have received independent, third party certification
through organizations such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC),
Green Seal, Blue Angel or Nordic Swan.
According to Siddiqui, many green products are also less expensive
to buy and use compared to standard offerings. For example, Office
Depot remanufactured ink and toner cartridges cost on average 15% less
than new cartridges, and Energy Star qualified office equipment uses
up to 75% less electricity than non-qualified equipment.
"Our customers view us as more than a provider of office supplies
and services -- we are their business partner," added Graham Cundick,
Senior Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing for Office Depot
Europe. "And as their partner, we help them to achieve their business
goals by educating them about making green purchase decisions."
To help customers make informed choices regarding their green
options, Cundick noted that all six catalogs pair products with
supporting environmental information, guidance on product choices, and
clear definitions of environmental terms.
The Green Book also contains descriptions of specific
environmental solutions offered in different Office Depot countries,
such as ink and toner cartridge recycling, environmental reporting,
and green office assessments.
"The catalogs further establish Office Depot's global
environmental leadership, and provide tangible evidence of our
environmental strategy to buy green, be green, and sell green,"
Siddiqui said.
Editor's Note:
In the United States, The Green Book(TM) is available to Office
Depot's Business Solutions Division contract customers
(http://bsd.officedepot.com or 888-2OFFICE). U.S.-based companies
interested in becoming Office Depot customers may order The Green Book
by visiting www.officedepot.com/environment.
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In Europe, The Green Book can be ordered by calling the following
numbers:
UK: 08701 429 800
Germany: 01805 48 45 23
France: 0 825 825 200
Netherlands: 077 326 5050
Belgium: 0800 99 442 (Walloon) or 0800 99 084 (Flemish)
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About Office Depot
Office Depot provides more office products and services to more
customers in more countries than any other company.
Incorporated in 1986 and headquartered in Delray Beach, Fla.,
Office Depot has annual sales of nearly $15 billion, and employs
approximately 50,000 associates around the world. Currently, the
Company sells to customers directly or through affiliates in 42
countries.
Office Depot is a leader in every distribution channel -- from
retail stores and contract delivery to catalogs and e-commerce. As of
September 30, 2006, Office Depot had 1,121 retail stores in North
America and another 323 stores, either company-owned, licensed or
franchised, in other parts of the world. Office Depot serves a wide
range of customers through a dedicated sales force, telephone account
managers, direct mail offerings, and multiple web sites. With $4.2
billion in online sales during the last twelve months, the Company is
also one of the world's largest e-commerce retailers.
Office Depot's common stock is listed on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol ODP and is included in the S&P 500 Index.
Additional press information can be found at:
http://mediarelations.officedepot.com.
