Hallmark’s goals for environmental sustainability are strengthened by partnering with Walmart to recycle waste materials and donate products, which would otherwise be discarded, to those in need.

Hallmark’s Lori Howard, operations manager for Team Walmart, says field employees from her team are now adding recyclable paper and plastic to Walmart’s “Super Sandwich Bale” of recycled material at all Walmart stores. These bales include such items as Hallmark plastic gussets, reorder tickets, pocket identification cards and envelopes. In 2010, Team Walmart field employees recycled nearly 79 million wholesale packages saving them from disposal.

Also in 2010, Hallmark employees donated over 45,000 pounds of products at Walmart to Good360, formerly Gifts In Kind International, a leading charity in product donations. Hallmark products include gift wrap, party products, stationery and stickers—items Good360 distributes for use by the elderly, children and families in community centers, homeless shelters and day-care settings.

“It’s a great partnership we have with Walmart,” she says. “It shows how we can work together to strengthen our common goals, and at the same time contribute to some very needy folks out there. We feel really good about the end results.”

NEXT: Store Signs >