APS has been awarded an EcoVadis Gold Medal for sustainability performance, achieving an overall score of 84 out of 100 in its latest assessment. This places us in the top 2% of companies globally, recognising the strength and maturity of its environmental, social and ethical practices.

EcoVadis is a globally recognised sustainability assessment platform used by organisations to evaluate ESG performance across operations and supply chains. For us, this independent verification plays a key role in our commitment to Trust & Transparency, one of our three sustainability pillars, providing external assurance that our sustainability policies, governance controls and reporting frameworks are robust, credible and effective.

We achieved our strongest scores in the Ethics and Environment pillars, reflecting a long-standing focus on strong governance, responsible business practices and environmental stewardship. These results recognise the practical measures embedded across the organisation, including waste management, carbon reporting, ethical risk management and responsible supplier engagement.

Importantly, this year’s EcoVadis Gold medal rating reflects continued improvement and work already embedded within APS, rather than a fundamental change in approach. We have been assessed by EcoVadis for several years and we have recently focused on strengthening governance structures, improving data quality and ensuring consistency in how sustainability performance is measured and reported across the business. The Gold Medal confirms that these efforts are both mature and well-embedded.

Commenting on the achievement, Andrew Young, Head of Sustainability at APS, said:

“EcoVadis Gold is an important validation of the way we operate as a business. It reflects the strength of our management systems and the collective commitment of people across APS to putting sustainability principles into practice. I’d like to particularly recognise the contribution of our HR, Compliance and Supply Chain teams, who have played a key role in cascading the holistic ESG requirements of EcoVadis into their areas of the business.

“We value external assessments like EcoVadis because they give our clients confidence in how we manage sustainability, governance and risk. This independently assured baseline creates more opportunities to work collaboratively with clients on their specific goals and targets. This is where we see our primary role as a trusted and effective partner in sustainable innovation.

“With our score sitting just one point outside the Platinum threshold, our focus for 2026 is to reach that rating while continuing to support client-led sustainability initiatives.”

Read more about using alternative materials in POS and packaging here

July marked Plastic Free Month – a timely reminder to rethink our historic and often unimaginative reliance on plastic products. At APS, we’re continuing to work closely with clients to help them make smarter material choices, particularly when it comes to Point-of-Sale (POS) and packaging.

In recent years, fibre-based alternatives have gained significant traction. Once considered niche, as often more difficult to work with, less durable, or less premium in appearance (and usually more expensive), these materials have now become the go-to choice for a growing number of brands. And it’s not just for environmental reasons: they’re becoming more accessible, more attractive, and, crucially, more affordable.

Fibre Finds Its Fashionable Side

One of the most exciting developments has been the evolution of fibre-based materials. We’re no longer talking about basic kraft board. While the exposed core of popular materials like Swedboard may still be kraft, the range of options is now extensive and innovative.

Today’s fibre-based alternatives are sleek, print beautifully, and offer a premium feel. From high-end finishes for in-store displays to beautifully engineered packaging, fibre can deliver on sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and design appeal. As a result, more teams are open to rethinking long-standing material choices, especially when they realise they don’t need to compromise on brand impact.

More Choice, Less Cost

The growing availability and demand for sustainable materials has naturally helped bring costs down. What once felt like a ‘nice to have’ is now a commercially viable alternative to traditional plastics and PVC.

In many cases, fibre-based substrates now compete directly on price, especially when you factor in potential savings from reduced weight, ease of recycling, and simplified end-of-life processes.

From a reputational perspective, and with internal stakeholder pressure growing, many of our clients see alignment with sustainability goals, whether their own, their customers’ or their investors’, as a fundamental part of doing business. Choosing fibre-based POS or packaging is a clear and visible way to support those goals.

Real Wins with Small Changes

We’ve helped a wide range of clients achieve big impact through relatively small material changes. One of our major successes has been supporting the shift away from PVC and mixed-material signage or displays. In some cases, this has been as simple as removing a plastic component or switching to a board with a recyclable barrier coating instead of lamination.

Whether it’s a minor spec change to a large requirement or a bigger update to just a few products, the result is often a significant reduction in waste, improved recyclability, and alignment with net zero ambitions. In fact, several clients are now proudly promoting entire packaging or POS ranges as PVC-free, plastic-free, or 100% recyclable – real, measurable impact to celebrate.

Why This Matters

There’s good reason why fibre-based plastic alternatives are leading the way in sustainable design. Not only are they easier to recycle, particularly in retail settings, but they also tend to have a lower overall carbon footprint.

Plastic materials, especially complex or multilayer types, are rarely recycled in real-world environments. More often than not, they end up in landfill or are incinerated, both of which carry heavy environmental costs. Fibre-based materials, by contrast, are accepted into existing recycling waste streams and enjoy high recycling rates.

Ready-Made Swaps

To make things easier for our clients, we’ve developed a practical range of alternative materials that map directly to commonly used plastic-based options. This includes substrates for hanging boards, FSDUs, and signage.

Some examples include:

• Instead of foam PVC, consider fluted fibre board or recyclable display board.
• Instead of laminated signage, opt for water-based coated boards that offer durability without compromising recyclability.
• Instead of polyprop-based dump bins, try structurally engineered fibreboard.

To support sustainable innovation, we provide clients with samples and print trials, an essential step in enabling change and removing barriers to implementation.

Permanent Thinking for a Circular Future

We’re also seeing increased adoption of permanent and semi-permanent displays, especially in retail and branded environments. This approach, a key part of our Retail & Brand Experience service, allows for longer-life display structures made from durable materials like timber or metal, paired with fibre-based graphics that can be easily updated over time.

This shift brings two major benefits: it reduces waste by avoiding full display replacements with every campaign change, and it supports more efficient logistics, thanks to lightweight, easy-to-ship graphics. Combined with smart design, this modular approach is helping drive both environmental and operational gains.

Looking Ahead

Plastics will continue to play a key role in creating impactful retail environments and POS but there is better choice and better reason to look elsewhere than ever before. Alternative materials can be more creative, more cost-effective, and more compelling material choices in their own right.

The key now is for brands to give themselves the time and space to explore alternatives. Reviewing material specifications, planning ahead for changes that allow specification changes to be integrated with the least impact i.e. at the end of the life of existing, and inviting suppliers, substrate manufactures and the value chain to collaborate to understand what brands and retailers want and what’s possible, to bring forward ideas are all simple steps that can lead to big wins.

At APS, we’re proud to be supporting this change. Whether it’s helping clients explore alternatives, trial new materials, or rethink display strategies, our goal is always the same, make better possible.

POPAI Impact25: Collaboration & Creativity

POPAI’s Impact25 Sustainability Summit saw industry suppliers, brands and experts come together for a thought-provoking event that reminded us how vital it is to keep pushing forward with sustainable progress in retail and point of sale. With an agenda covering innovation, design, materials and legislation, the standout message was simple: just do something.

Winning hearts and minds

Something that everyone could agree on was that there still needs to be a shift in mindset and a change of culture in how sustainability is perceived. Even though it is definitely becoming a bigger consideration, it’s very rare that sustainability is the main focus. It was said that it always seems to be within the top ten list of priorities, but never the top three.

There is still a glaring cultural challenge of getting organisations to take the long view when short term thinking provides more instantaneous results. It’s clear that sustainability needs internal champions to push for change and start to build shared values so more eco-friendly practices can be accelerated. A way to encourage this is to put more of a focus on sustainability upskilling and training to increase understanding and build a stronger connection around the topic.

Sustainable from the start

Sustainability needs to be thought about at the beginning of a design process instead of being an afterthought. Brands need to decide on what strategic environmental goals they’re looking to meet and then ensure that these are conveyed as part of the initial brief, it’s much easier to develop a design when it’s known what is needed at the outset instead of trying to shoehorn features further down the line.

One encouraging shift is the growing recognition of simplicity as both a design virtue and a sustainability asset. Designing things that are intuitive, elegant, and long-lasting isn’t just good aesthetics – it’s responsible. Better design can lead to a longer-lasting outcome, it means fewer materials, less waste, and greater potential for reuse or repurposing. In a world of short attention spans and short commercial cycles, we can’t fix everything – but we can create with intention.

Reuse! Reuse! Reuse!

Reuse came up time and time again – not just as an operational goal, but as a creative driver. There was real energy around the idea of designing better and repurposing materials and items that are already available, rather than simply designing from new.

There was a big call to make units modular, so they’re easily moved/transported, as opposed to using glue bonding and making them a fixed structure. Designing for longevity was a key talking point, as was the need to think beyond single-use mindsets and embrace ownership models that allow for circularity. From display units to entire retail environments, there’s growing demand for spaces and assets that can flex, evolve, and earn their keep over time – a shift that requires closer collaboration between designers, marketers, and procurement teams alike.

Barriers to sustainability adoption

Many speakers talked candidly about the challenges of delivering sustainability at scale, usually associated with increased costs. While ambition is growing, implementation often lags behind showing there’s still a disconnect between intention and delivery. Pop-ups, for instance, offer brands flexibility and a testing ground – but follow-through can be lacking.

Other recurring issues discussed were around siloed workstreams, financial pressures and the rise of “greenhushing” – a reluctance to shout about good work for fear of greenwashing accusations.

That said, there was also real innovation on show. New materials and developments in recycled ranges are helping close the gap between vision and execution. Life Cycle Assessments for products and materials are becoming more and more standard to support better decision-making from the outset.

Summary

In short, Impact25 suggested meaningful change doesn’t require perfection but it does require action. Start where you are. Collaborate more. Think longer. Design better. And most importantly, don’t wait to be asked.

If you’d like to explore these insights further or learn how we can support your business with sustainable retail solutions, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out at [email protected].

We kicked off our 2025 calendar of social value activity by getting green fingered on two tree planting days with the Woodland Trust.

In January a team of five APS colleagues headed to the Woodland Trust’s largest estate in England, Smithills in Greater Manchester, to support the development of a new plantation. We planted over 600 saplings, including Oak and Willow, whilst also checking previously planted trees and removing guards from those that were established, replacing any that hadn’t survived and filling spaces between them.

Team APS were then back at it in February, this time joined by some of our clients from Versus Arthritis at Hayhills Farm Wood in West Yorkshire. The primary purpose of this day put their DIY skills to good use as they were tasked to build and erect wooden pens to protect the saplings from grazing wildlife, and the group still managed to plant another 120+ trees – cue some very achy bodies the next day!

Made possible through the Carbon Capture Scheme, these tree planting days are one of our favourite and most rewarding volunteering events of the year. We can’t wait to see where we’ll head to next!