Visa and CPI Card Group® Unveil an Industry-Leading Card Globally

Companies will globally promote and market CPI®’s Earthwise™ High Content Card made with up to 98 percent upcycled plastic through exclusive agreement

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Visa (NYSE: V) and CPI Card Group Inc. (OTCQX: PMTS, TSX: PMTS) (“CPI” or the “Company”), a leading provider of credit, debit and prepaid solutions introduced the Earthwise™ High Content Card, which is made with up to 98 percent upcycled plastic, dependent on design, for a more sustainably produced card. This global launch is an exclusive offering for Visa clients and cardholders.

CPI created the Earthwise™ High Content Card, the first of its kind endorsed by Visa, to help reduce first-use plastic in payment cards and reduce plastic waste from entering the environment. Through an exclusive agreement, the companies will provide all Visa-issuing financial institutions worldwide access to the Earthwise™ High Content Card, which is EMV® compliant and dual interface capable, enabling both contact and contactless payment.

“Visa is committed to advancing sustainability in everything we do, from the 100 percent renewable electricity that processes transactions in our data centers, to the sustainable card materials coming to cardholders’ wallets,” said Douglas Sabo, vice president and head of corporate responsibility and sustainability at Visa Inc. “Our collaboration with CPI signifies a further milestone in our efforts to drive our goal of inclusive growth with a commitment to protecting the environment. We’re proud that this offering will ultimately benefit the entire payments industry and environment.”

The Earthwise™ High Content Card, endorsed by Visa, will initially be Visa-branded. This is the first time Visa has proactively worked with a partner to develop a financial card made with more sustainable materials to meet increasing interest from both issuers and consumers. A recent CPI Consumer Insights survey of debit and credit card users conducted by an independent research firm, found 73 percent of respondents indicated it is “important” that their financial institution is environmentally-conscious, and over 57 percent would be interested in a card made with recycled materials.

The Earthwise™ High Content Card is produced using rPETG – a type of upcycled plastic. “Upcycled” is defined as the act of taking something no longer in use and giving it a second life and new function. CPI used its manufacturing strength and innovation to achieve a payment card that combines post-industrial rPETG with the essential, non-plastic components, including the EMV chip, antenna and adhesives, to create a card containing up to 98 percent upcycled plastic, depending on the final card design for each particular issuer. The new card joins Earth Elements™, CPI’s portfolio of more eco-friendly payment cards, which includes Second Wave™, the first to market, EMV® compliant, dual interface capable, high quality payment card featuring a core made with recovered ocean-bound plastic.

“We applaud Visa’s commitment to sustainability and its first-to-market approach,” said Guy DiMaggio, senior vice president and general manager, Secure Card Solutions, CPI Card Group. “Taking steps to protecting the Earth is an everyday priority for CPI. We hope our efforts continue to empower issuers and cardholders everywhere to help reduce the impact of plastic waste on our planet.”

The sustainable card offer builds upon Visa’s award-winning sustainability track record, which includes recognition in the Dow Jones Sustainability North American Index every year since 2017 and as a FTSE4Good Index Member. In addition, Just Capital recognized Visa as one of the Most Just Companies in 2020. To learn more about Visa’s commitment to corporate responsibility and sustainability, click here.

To learn more about the Earthwise™ High Content Card, click here.

About Visa Inc.

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of digital commerce on any device for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit About Visa, visa.com/blog and @VisaNews.

About CPI Card Group®

CPI Card Group® is a payment technology company and leading provider of credit, debit and prepaid solutions delivered physically, digitally and on-demand. CPI helps our customers foster connections and build their brands through innovative and reliable solutions, including financial payment cards, personalization, and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) instant issuance. CPI has more than 20 years of experience in the payments market and is a trusted partner to financial institutions and payments services providers. Serving customers from locations throughout the United States, CPI has a large network of high security facilities, each of which is registered as PCI compliant by one or more of the payment brands: Visa, Mastercard®, American Express® and Discover®. Learn more at www.cpicardgroup.com.

EMV® is a registered trademark in the U.S. and other countries and an unregistered trademark elsewhere. The EMV trademark is owned by EMVCo, LLC.