BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Office Depot, Inc. (NYSE: ODP), a leading global provider of office supplies and services, today announced the results of its latest Earth Day-focused Small Business Index indicating that small businesses (SMBs) are motivated to go green by concern for the environment (76 percent), saving money (49 percent) and employee encouragement and participation (20 percent).
The survey of more than 1,000 small business owners found that more than one-third of those surveyed (36 percent) would pay a higher initial cost for greener office products if they would generate long-term savings. Eighty-four percent say they would purchase the “green” office product over the comparable regular office product if the two were equally priced.
“As we celebrate Earth Day, many organizations believe that going green is cost prohibitive when, in fact, the opposite is often true,” said Yalmaz Siddiqui, Senior Director, Environmental Strategy, at Office Depot. “There are green products that offer immediate cost savings, such as remanufactured toner, and there are others that have relative price parity, like GREENGUARD certified furniture and ENERGY STAR laptops. In addition, products such as compact fluorescent light bulbs, power saving strips and rechargeable batteries all have a higher initial cost, but save companies money through lower operating costs.”
In looking at the state of green business, approximately 20 percent of SMBs are greener than last year, while more than a third (34 percent) are looking to go greener this year. Green businesses are showcasing their sustainability through:
- Recycling (72 percent)
- Reducing waste (59 percent)
- Buying energy efficient products (58 percent)
- Buying recycled products (57 percent)
To learn more about how small businesses can go green while saving green, click here.
For additional information on Office Depot’s green product assortment, please visit www.officedepot.com/greeneroffice.
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About Office Depot
Office Depot provides office supplies and services through 1,629 worldwide retail stores, a dedicated sales force, top-rated catalogs, and global e-commerce operations. Office Depot has annual sales of approximately $10.7 billion, employs about 38,000 associates, and serves customers in 59 countries around the world.
Office Depot’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ODP. Additional press information can be found at: http://news.officedepot.com.
