Letters, feedback, get it off your chest: 26 May 2010

Bernard Cassell’s guest editorial gets the industry thinking, while Andy McCourt’s foray into blogging proves popular with the readers.

Re: A journey just begun – address the real challenges says Bernard Cassell
In regard to the APIA – paper, part of everyday life campaign, there is no doubting the fact put forward by Mr Cassell that every industry, and for that matter, every business and organisation has the responsibility to put forward the positive reasons as to why their particular product or service should be considered to have advantages over others available.

It is very logical and necessary that the paper and printing industry promotes itself based on the positive credentials it has, including those relating to environmental sustainability, so as to promote itself against the other forms of communication that are available to the consumer. In this sense the APIA campaign is important in ensuring that the facts and information are clearly promoted so that consumers have the necessary data available when making choices. No one has ever suggested that paper and print, by promoting its environmental credentials, is going to replace electronic or digital communication, with all forms of communication forming part of the "jig-saw". It is merely an industry positively defending its position, as it should.
 
All parties involved in the wider printing and paper industry have a responsibility to their organisations and themselves to be involved in promoting the industry overall, with the important premise being that if an industry's image overall is held in a more positive light, then all its parts will benefit. The opposite also holds true, that if you don't stand up and positively defend your position, then don't be surprised if you lose ground and are subjected to unreasonable and unfounded criticism.
 
In the introduction Mr Cassell is said to be the "founder and driving force" behind the campaign, and whilst it is obvious that Mr Cassell's passion on this subject has been widely displayed, the simple fact is that it takes more than one person to achieve a positive outcome. To build momentum it does take leadership, and to embrace the wide and varied interests of the broader industry and harness their passion and involvement in the subject, this leadership must include the ability to effectively communicate, allow others to have and put forward opinions, and to have a real feeling of both being involved and in making a meaningful contribution. The same holds true for other members of APIA who need to have the opportunity and take responsibility for making positive comments and effectively cooperate with other industry players.
 
In business and organisations overall, effective communication is widely seen as one of the most important leadership tools, and is necessary in really helping to make progress. It isn't that other industry associations have been doing nothing in regard to the environmental issue involving printing and paper. Quite a number of positive steps have been taken by PIAA, GASAA, GAMAA and others. It simply seems to me that much more emphasis needs to be placed on building genuine consensus between the individuals and various organisations so as to achieve the common theme of promoting the positive credentials. This will need to be built from putting the effort into build a relationship between equals when wanting others to be actively involved in the APIA campaign. On the surface perhaps this seems to be occurring, although I have doubts that this is little more than "skin deep" at present, for various reasons. As the first President of both the Independent Paper Group (IPG) and APIA, the one clear necessity recognised was the need for regular effective and involved two-way communication between all those concerned with the process, and if APIA's campaign is to genuinely succeed, all parties need to have the opportunity to be involved and contribute as equals.
       
Tony Wood
Forestwood Business Services