Thomas Goos, president and CEO of Image Source, PPAI 100’s No. 23 distributor, says AI and other technology tools are making it easier for small and midsized companies to develop thoughtful policies and best practices without necessarily having to invest tens of thousands of dollars in outside consultants and legal resources. “That increased accessibility is a positive development for our industry,” Goos says. Must Read | The State Of Responsibility 2026 “What I love about these results is the percentage of charitable contributions that everyone on the list is actually making,” says Gaurav Bhagat, managing director of Consortium Gifts, PPAI 100’s No. 87 distributor. TABLE 9: Does your company participate in structured community or charitable initiatives aligned with its business values? Yes, ongoing and measured Yes, informal or ad hoc No Distributors $100M+ 93% 7% 0% Distributors $25M-$100M 85% 15% 0% Distributors $10M-$25M 64% 32% 5% Distributors $3M-$10M 80% 20% 0% Distributors Under $3M 29% 39% 32% Goos is impressed by more than a quarter of respondents having achieved an EcoVadis Bronze rating or higher. “Reaching that level requires a meaningful commitment of time, resources, documentation and ongoing effort, so that’s an encouraging number,” Goos says. “On the other hand, 58% of companies reported having no sustainability certifications, which shows there is still significant room for progress.” “Given how prominently sustainability is featured in industry marketing,” Shah adds, “that suggests many companies are still early in the process of validating their programs through independent thirdparty frameworks.” TABLE 10: Which certifications or ratings does your company currently hold? B Corporation EcoVadis (Bronze or higher) Green Business Benchmark OEKO-TEX Other third-party certification None of the above Distributors $100M+ 0% 63% 0% 13% 38% 31% Distributors $25M-$100M 6% 42% 3% 6% 31% 44% Distributors $10M-$25M 4% 29% 0% 0% 33% 58% Distributors $3M-$10M 4% 12% 8% 0% 27% 65% Distributors Under $3M 6% 3% 0% 0% 13% 81% “Reaching EcoVadis Bronze rating or higher requires a meaningful commitment of time, resources, documentation and ongoing effort, so that’s an encouraging number.” — THOMAS GOOS, IMAGE SOURCE 38 • OCTOBER 2026 •
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