OPI APP MARCH 2023 B

20 Big Interview

Beth Wright, one of our 50 most influential women in business supplies, charts her journey to the top. It’s been a long and winding road full of drive, determination and adventure

30 Special Feature

Women are still a relative rarity in top leadership positions in our industry. OPI set out to first find and then highlight the 50 most influential and inspirational females in our space

50 Review: Ambiente Industry reaction to the new Ambiente Working concept in Frankfurt

Big Interview: The Wright stuff

Beth Wright, Chief Commercial Officer at US vendor Fellowes Brands, could easily be described as one of the most present and influential women in the business supplies space today.

She certainly likes a challenge. Driven, ambitious and unfailingly dynamic, there are few individuals who have swapped continents in their career paths and been resoundingly successful in all their endeavours. Wright has forged a career predominantly in the manufacturing community, but has always – for a number of reasons – been a keen advocate of the independent dealer channel.

SPECIAL FEATURE: INFLUENTIAL WOMEN

[In these pages], you will find 50 individuals who are truly and comprehensively shaping the organisations they work for, if not their entire geographic region or the industry as a whole. They are absolute proof that there needn’t be a glass ceiling for female leaders in business supplies. [...]

We could have filled this entire magazine with the career journeys, achievements and aspirations of these 50 women. It would have been easier than condensing down the incredible amount of information we collated.

28 Opinion

Guy Osmond explores post-pandemic office noise – or lack thereof

44 Category Update

The business supplies sector is looking at a newly educated market in the health and well-being category

48 Research

The importance of workplace wellness on overall physical and mental health

REGULARS

5 Comment

6

52

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The OPI team

EDITORIAL

Editor

Heike Dieckmann

+44 1462 422 143 heike.dieckmann@opi.net

Deputy Editor

Michelle Sturman michelle.sturman@opi.net

News Editor

Andy Braithwaite +33 4 32 62 71 07 andy.braithwaite@opi.net

Freelance Contributor

David Holes david.holes@opi.net

SALES & MARKETING

Chief Commercial Officer

Chris Exner +44 7973 186801 chris.exner@opi.net

Head of Media Sales

Chris Turness +44 7872 684746 chris.turness@opi.net

Digital Marketing Manager

Aurora Enghis aurora.enghis@opi.net

EVENTS

Events Manager

Lisa Haywood events@opi.net

Event Programmer

Sophie Carus sophie.carus@opi.net

PRODUCTION & FINANCE

Studio

Joel Mitchell joel.mitchell@opi.net

Finance & Operations

Kelly Hilleard kelly.hilleard@opi.net

PUBLISHERS

CEO

Steve Hilleard

+44 7799 891000 steve.hilleard@opi.net

Director

Janet Bell

+44 7771 658130 janet.bell@opi.net

Executive Assistant

Debbie Garrand

+44 20 3290 1511 debbie.garrand@opi.net

Follow us online

Twitter: @opinews Linkedin: opi.net/linkedin

Facebook: facebook.com/opimagazine

Podcasts: opi.net/podcast App: opi.net/app

The need to embrace equity

Anyone with a copy of this issue of OPI in their hands – or looking at it digitally on their devices, of course – will instantly know what it is all about. Women! As we #EmbraceEquity on International Women ’s Day this month (8 March), we wanted to mark the occasion and find out just how ‘ equal ’ our sector really is.

Dedicating a substantial part of the magazine to shining a light on 50 of the most influential and inspirational women in our industry was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but the result of lengthy discussions and considerable research (page 30)

I hope we got it right, providing valuable information as well as true inspiration to fellow women – and the men who still so often employ them on their journey to the top. As Fellowes Brands’ Beth Wright said in our Big Interview, stereotypes and role definitions have undoubtedly evolved, but not fast enough for women (page 20). There is much room for improvement and true equity is a long way off.

2950

Another core focus in this issue is a deep dive into the health and well-being category in our sector (page 44) . COVID-19 has catapulted this topic not just to the top of the procurement agenda – in terms of product opportunities – but also, arguably for the first time, reached the upper echelons of management in terms of really considering employee happiness.

Saying your staff are your most precious resource are mere words and can be quite meaningless at times. Leaders have to act on popular platitudes. With products – think ergonomic equipment, a clean and safe environment, and healthy snack options – but also with broader support services and solutions.

Sarah Hunter, another ‘ influential woman ’, provides a great overview of what has been done at Australian reseller Officeworks in this regard (page 54) . Excellent food for thought for many a company leader and another potent reminder of the importance of considering employee wellness in all its forms.

I ’ve found this to be a hugely interesting magazine to put together. It has less of the cutthroat M&A we ’ve seen earlier this year, but I hope it offers a great perspective on what our industry should be striving for.

The carrier sheet is printed on Satimat Silk paper, which is produced on pulpmanufactured wood obtained from recognised responsible forests and at an FSC® certified mill. It is polywrapped in recyclable plastic that will biodegrade within six months.

part of this magazine may be reproduced, copied, stored in an electronic retrieval system or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with provision of the copyright designs and patents act of 1988. Stringent efforts have been made by Office Products International to ensure accuracy. However, due principally to the fact that data cannot always be verified, it is possible that some errors or omissions may occur. Office Products International cannot accept responsibility for such

I hope [this issue] offers a great perspective on what our industry should be striving for

HEIKE DIECKMANN, EDITOR

Analysis: Walmart means business

The retail giant has launched a new online offering, initially targeting SMBs and non-profits

On 20 January, retail behemoth Walmart announced the launch of Walmart Business, a dedicated e-commerce site – business. walmart.com – aimed at US small firms and non-profit organisations. The site actually went live last September and has been operating under the radar ever since.

Walmart Business offers more than 100,000 curated items organised into seven categories: office, technology, breakroom, cleaning, facility, teacher supplies and professional. The company said the selection was created following client consultation.

“Our focus is to remove complexity in purchasing, lower costs and give our customers more opportunities to serve their customers and communities,” said Ashley Hubka, General Manager of Walmart Business.

Signing up to Walmart Business includes the ability to add up to five users to a single account and the sharing of payment information, order history and purchasing power across teams. There is a membership tier called Walmart Business+ costing $98 a year. For this price, customers get free shipping on all orders, free delivery from stores for orders of $35 or more, a rewards programme and a subscription service.

TARGETING AMAZON

As the name of the initiative suggests, Walmart is clearly going after customers of Amazon’s B2B offering, Amazon Business. There are some important differences, however.

Walmart Business is not a marketplace with millions of products and thousands of sellers; the current assortment is entirely sold

and shipped by Walmart itself. In addition, Business+ membership is a one-size-fits-all subscription, unlike the multi-tiered Business Prime from Amazon. Nor does it offer some of the procurement features, such as guided buying, which can be found on Amazon.

That may have more to do with the customer type Walmart is evidently targeting – very small or microbusinesses and local non-profits which are not likely to need sophisticated reporting tools for their purchases. It is still a very large potential client base: according to official figures, there are about 23 million companies in the US that employ fewer than 20 people and over 1.5 million registered non-profits.

Another key differentiator is Walmart’s store network, with around 4,650 locations across the US as of February 2023. There has been a growing trend in retail to use shops as mini fulfilment centres. Their proximity to customers helps to reduce shipping costs – or virtually eliminate them if in-store pick-up is selected.

Will Walmart Business be a serious competitor to specialist office supplies retailers such as Office Depot and Staples? Eamon Kelly, Partner at Edgewater Research, doesn’t believe so. “I don’t think there is any overlap on the B2B side,” he told OPI, suggesting that many microbusinesses had already transitioned to Amazon.

“Walmart is focused on utilising its stores and their inventories to drive efficiencies. This kind of inventory is built for consumers, not B2B. Organisations purchase different products and quantity increments that are not necessarily fulfilled by existing selections in stores.”

Walmart is clearly going after customers of [...] Amazon Business

BIGGER GOALS?

Yet, Walmart may have bigger plans for its Business programme. A recent job listing advertised for the post of Director of New Business Development – Government Procurement, “to lead our efforts to serve government entities, starting with state, local, education and cooperative buyers”.

It continued: “While our initial focus was on businesses and non-profits, over the medium term, we see the government sector as a key segment for Walmart Business.”

That would certainly see Walmart looking to compete in this space, not only with Staples, ODP Business Solutions and Amazon, but also independents which do business with public sector agencies in their localities.

German groups strengthen ties

German dealer group Büroring and retail services organisation EK are planning to establish a formal alliance.

In a statement, Büroring pointed to the successful cooperation between the two entities since 2014, notably in the area of central billing. Now, against a backdrop of continuing consolidation in the office supplies market, they have decided to “further develop and intensify” this cooperation in order to “sustainably strengthen the competitiveness of members”.

EK took a 75% stake in another German business products group, InterES, at the end of 2021, so it will be interesting to see what plans it has for this “alliance”. More details are expected to be provided ahead of Büroring’s annual meeting on 11 May.

Meanwhile, Büroring has confirmed that Ute Borgard has been drafted onto its management board on an interim basis. This follows the departure of Axel Hennemann at the end of last year.

T3L to merge brands

European manufacturing group T3L is to merge its go-to-market brands under a single name.

Following a number of acquisitions over the years, T3L today comprises several local producers: 3L Office Products and Probeco (Denmark), Jalema (Netherlands), Tarifold (France), and T3L USA. The group is one of the leading specialists in plastic film converting, printing, injection moulding and cardboard converting, doing business in 45 countries.

The Tarifold, 3L Office and Jalema brands represent a portfolio of over 5,500 products in the workplace organisation and visual communications segments. During 2023, these three names will transition to a new, unified brand: Djois.

T3L said the name is a more modern, shorter and positive-sounding brand which will address customers “in a new and emotional way”. There will also be a focus on environmentally

ODP partners with Lenovo for California contract

The ODP Corporation (ODP) has issued a press release about a contract award for the state of California. ODP’s Business Solutions division (BSD) was awarded a place on a mandatory statewide contract for PC goods to supply Lenovo technology – including desktops, thin desktops, laptops, Chromebooks, monitors and accessories.

BSD will also work with Granite Data Solutions, a California Certified Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise, to carry out IT services on the contract.

The contract was actually awarded last July, initially running for three years, with the option of two further 12-month extensions. It is a multiple award that was given to around ten contractors and includes products from brands such as Dell, Apple, HP Inc, Microsoft, Samsung and Acer.

ODP CEO Gerry Smith, of course, has strong links with Lenovo – he spent more than ten years with the firm and

preferable products, with a promise to “intensify the development of innovative solutions and our commitment to this area”.

T3L confirmed no logistical or product data would be affected by the change and that the Tarifold, 3L and Jalema names would be retained for some lines.

was COO of its PC and Smart Devices division when he joined ODP in 2017.

In other news, BSD has recently teamed up with US dental supply marketplace Supply Clinic to offer its customers a range of office supplies in addition to the healthcare and dental products already available. Supply Clinic said this will increase productivity and efficiency for its customers.

Currently, 681 items are offered on the marketplace that are sold by Supply Clinic and fulfilled by BSD.

Tesco buys Paperchase assets

The future of around 100 Paperchase stationery and greeting card shops in the UK is in doubt after the brand was acquired by supermarket chain Tesco.

Paperchase went into administration on 31 January, just months after it was purchased by retail entrepreneur Steve Curtis. Tesco has bought the Paperchase brand name and intellectual property rights in a pre-pack agreement, but the deal does not include any of Paperchase’s shops – which employ more than 800 staff.

The likelihood, therefore, is that the stores will close, making it the latest UK high street retailer to fail. Tesco, meanwhile, will pick up a recognised brand name which it can develop for its own stationery offering.

Opal to withdraw from graphic paper business

Nippon Paper has announced that its Australian subsidiary Opal will permanently cease the manufacture of graphic papers, which include A4 copy paper.

Opal’s white paper production at its Maryvale mill in Victoria has been suspended since 23 December 2022 (see also Analysis, OPI January/February 2023, page 11). This came after supplier VicForests was forced to halt eucalyptus timber production in an area inhabited by an endangered species of possum.

On 19 January, Opal said it had been unable to source viable alternative wood supplies to replace the VicForests shortfall, adding it was “seriously considering the potential future closure of white side operations” at the Maryvale mill.

Since then, parent company Nippon Paper confirmed Opal will withdraw from graphic paper manufacturing altogether after concluding that other procurement was not feasible. Paper machine M5 will be discontinued and Maryvale will focus on its packaging business via its four other machines.

M5 was the only remaining domestic copy paper machine in Australia, producing up to 220,000 tonnes a year. In the 12 months to 31 March 2022, it achieved an operating profit of A$264 million (US$184 million).

Nippon Paper said it would take a ¥20 billion ($150 million) impairment loss in relation to the decision to stop white paper production at Maryvale. About 160 jobs there are now at risk.

Askul acquires dental reseller

Japanese reseller Askul has made an acquisition as part of its expansion into the medical vertical. The company has bought an 85% stake in AP67, a group that owns dental mail order supplier FEED. The purchase price was not disclosed.

Buoyed by the surge in online sales during COVID, in the 12 months to 31 March 2021, AP67 reported sales of more than ¥14 billion ($106 million). This fell to ¥12.5 billion in the 2022 financial year and is expected to stay at around this level in the current fiscal year.

The ¥8.4 trillion Japanese healthcare sector is one of two strategic verticals – the other being industrial/MRO – Askul identified as key growth areas in 2021 as it looks to diversify away from its core OP business.

ISG elects new board; reveals Industry Week ’23

US dealer organisation Independent Suppliers Group (ISG) has elected its new board of directors.

Taking over as Chair of the group is Yancey Jones Jr, COO of The Supply Room Companies. Joining him on this year’s board are:

• Jordan Kudler, Legacy Office Solutions: Immediate Past Chair

• Paul McKinney, Eakes Office Solutions: Vice Chair

• Brian Kerr, Kerr Workplace Solutions: Secretary

• Thomas Jordan, Herald Office Supply: Treasurer

“I am very excited to build on all the progress that was made last year,” said Jones. “I truly appreciate the confidence the board has placed in the elected officers to lead Independent Suppliers Group in 2023.”

In other ISG news, the group has provided details of Industry Week ’23. Set to take place between 8-11 October, this year’s event will be held at the Hilton Riverside and the Ernest N Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Jones stated: “We are looking forward to bringing the industry together again in 2023. No event all year brings our dealer and supplier community together in a better forum to collaborate, strategise and connect.”

More information regarding Industry Week ’23 will be available in the coming months.

Opal’s Maryvale mill

The long-awaited General Services Administration (GSA) e-commerce marketplace for US federal government purchasing has hit a potential roadblock.

In December 2022, the GSA finally issued its request for proposals (RFP) for providers of B2B online platforms in what is seen as a $1-$2 billion a year opportunity for the ad hoc purchasing of routine, commercial items – including business supplies.

The original deadline for submitting RFPs was 23 January 2023, although this was extended to 3 February following the inclusion of several amendments. However, the process

GSA e-commerce initiative delayed Staples Canada announces telecoms agreement

has now been put on hold after a solicitation protest filed with the US Court of Federal Claims by a group of plaintiffs led by the National Industries for the Blind (NIB).

The NIB is seeking a requirement for platform awardees to add a ‘block and substitute’ feature to their websites. It’s something used in government-managed channels to block the sale of an ‘essentially the same’ product and substitute an appropriate AbilityOne item. Buying from AbilityOne, which supports the blind and severely disabled, is mandatory for federal purchasers.

In response to the protest, the GSA has issued a request for information (RFI) in order to understand the feasibility and legality of the changes

being sought by the NIB. For example, it is asking whether block and substitute is an available capability on existing platforms and, if not, how difficult it would be to implement.

Responses to the RFI will help the government determine whether the current RFP should be left unchanged, amended, or even cancelled. The deadline for submitting responses to the RFI was 23 February, shortly after OPI went to press.

IP to sell Russian joint venture

International Paper (IP) has agreed to sell its stake in the Ilim joint venture (JV) in Russia. The US-based firm will sell the 50% interest to its JV partner Ilim Holding for an equity value of $484 million.

IP said the transaction indicates a total value for Ilim of around $3.5 billion. This is based on an EBITDA multiple of x3.1 on the Russian firm’s full-year 2022 EBITDA of $1.1 billion, plus net debt of $2.45 billion.

IP and Ilim completed their 50-50 JV in 2007, with IP paying approximately $650 million for its stake. Ilim’s facilities include three paper mills, with combined total pulp and paper capacity of over 3.6 million tonnes. In addition, it has exclusive harvesting rights on timberland and forest areas exceeding 19.8 million acres (8 million hectares).

Staples Canada has agreed a multi-year deal with the country’s largest communications provider, Bell, hiring hundreds of employees in the process.

Starting in late spring 2023, customers can shop for Bell, Virgin Plus and Lucky Mobile products and services in Staples locations. Mobility services will be available in 300 Staples Canada stores, with Bell and Virgin Plus Internet, TV and home phone offerings offered in the majority of the reseller’s outlets within Bell’s wireline footprint.

To staff in-store kiosks, Staples has said it is now looking to fill 800 full- and part-time roles across Canada. CEO David Boone said the partnership would create “game-changing value” for consumers and businesses.

Ilim was an extremely profitable business for IP. In its 2021 annual report, IP said the JV delivered “outstanding performance”, with EBITDA of $1.1 billion and an average margin of 40%. For 2021, IP booked equity earnings of $311 million and also banked dividends of $154 million from Ilim.

In fact, in the same report, the vendor noted that, if it chose to buy its JV partner out of the agreement, the purchase price would have been in the region of $2.3 billion, excluding debt. Therefore, it looks like the US group had to cut its losses to exit Russia and that Ilim Holding got a very good deal.

New role for Lyreco’s Purslow

Experienced Lyreco exec Ben Purslow has been handed a new group-level role.

Purslow has been named Group Sales Director, effective January 2023, 12 months after he made the move to the reseller’s head office as Global Head of Group Accounts.

He has been with Lyreco since 1992 and has held a variety of sales-related roles over the past 30 years. These have included Group Corporate Accounts Director, VP of Sales in Canada and Director of International Accounts in the UK.

CEO transition at Newell

Newell Brands has appointed a new CEO, with incumbent Ravi Saligram set to retire later this year.

Current company President Chris Peterson will succeed Saligram following Newell’s annual shareholder meeting on 16 May. Peterson joined the vendor in 2018 as CFO and became President earlier this year. He also spent a few weeks as interim CEO prior to Saligram’s appointment in July 2019.

All of Newell’s segment CEOs and commercial functional leaders – with the exception of Chief Legal & Administrative Officer Brad Turner and Chief HR Officer Steve Parsons – will now report to Peterson.

His promotion to the top job was announced shortly after Newell confirmed a major new restructuring programme at the vendor that includes reducing corporate jobs by 13%.

OBITUARIES

Global founder passes away OPI was saddened to learn that Saul Feldberg, founder and Chairman of leading workplace furniture group Global, has passed away. He died peacefully, at the age of 87, surrounded by his family.

Feldberg founded Global in 1966, with a singular vision: to manufacture an office chair the average person could afford. In 1983, he established Teknion to pursue the architecture and design community.

Under his leadership, and along with his sons Joel and David, President and CEO of Global and Teknion respectively, each company has grown to be one of the largest global furniture vendors.

CEO change at Vista

Robert Keane is to step down from his role of CEO at online printing business Vista (previously Vistaprint).

Four years after returning to the role to lead a turnaround of the business, company founder Keane announced that former Amazon and McKinsey exec Florian Baumgartner would become Vista CEO on 1 February. Baumgartner has been with the firm since 2019, heading up its operations outside North America.

Keane will retain his roles as both CEO and Chair of Vista’s parent company, Cimpress.

Böttcher expands senior management

Andreas Ruhland, former Managing Director of ALSO Germany, has been appointed to the board of online reseller Böttcher, effective 1 February. His responsibilities will include strategic purchasing and expanding the company’s product range.

Ruhland has more than 20 years of experience in areas such as purchasing, sales, e-commerce, marketing, logistics and product management – at Tech Data Belkin and Völkl Sports, for instance, prior to joining ALSO Germany.

KMP mourns loss of Heinz Sieg Heinz Sieg, the founder of aftermarket imaging supplies manufacturer KMP, died in January.

Born in 1942, Sieg underwent commercial training and completed a degree in business administration after leaving school. From 1971, he worked in various positions for the German Federation of Trade Unions before becoming head of the Graf Bismarck vocational centre in Gelsenkirchen at the age of 33. Subsequently, in 1982, Sieg took over the management of the Regentrop & Bernhard production company in Wuppertal.

Six years later, in 1988, he founded KMP, which today comprises eight companies throughout Europe and China. In 1999, Sieg’s son Jan-Michael joined the business and has been CEO ever since.

Chris Peterson

Ben Purslow

Florian Baumgartner

Andreas Ruhland

We believe hybrid is here to stay and will influence location, size and format of offices. This change will require flexibility and an employeecentric environment, turning the office from a space to a personalised place filled with a wide variety of formats servicing individual work, collaboration and community

$36.3 billion

Third-party seller fees generated by Amazon in Q4 2022 – a year-on-year increase of 24%

A diversified Canon

Print giant Canon continues to diversify away from its core business areas.

In 2022, almost a quarter of its total revenue of around $30 billion came from adjacent categories such as medical equipment and security cameras.

€15 million

Expected 2023 sales from Bureau Vallée’s store network in Spain

Newell reduces SKU count

Newell Brands ended 2022 with a portfolio of approximately 28,000 SKUs. This compares to 36,000 in 2021 and more than 100,000 in 2018. Further cuts are expected in 2023.

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Vendors celebrate 100 years

The Alliance Rubber Company turns 100 on 7 March 2023. Founded in 1923 by William H Spencer, the Ohio-based firm – which employs around 150 people – is now the only domestic rubber band manufacturer in the US. Meanwhile, French supplier CEP Office Solutions is also celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The CEP name was first used in 1923, with the initials standing for Cornes, Engrais et Plastiques (Horns, Fertiliser and Plastics), in reference to the company’s origins as a maker of knife handles. Today, its Office Solutions unit sells into almost 40 countries.

At its national sales meeting at the end of January, Kimberly-Clark Professional (KCP) concluded its 2023 City of Hope fundraising campaign by presenting a cheque for $30,100 to the cancer research organisation. This is the fifth year in a row that KCP has held a City of Hope fundraiser at its annual sales convention, raising more than $220,000 in that time.

Kristie Juster, CEO, Kimball International

Women CEOs at Fortune 500 companies at the start of 2023 – the highest number ever

Pictured, left to right: Andy Clement, KCP; Matt Dodd, City of Hope; Susan Gambardella, KCP

PICTURE OF THE MONTH

Heat pumps could halve paper drying energy requirements, says CEPI

Following recent collaboration with the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA), the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) has said paper manufacturing energy requirements could be halved. It could also be key in decarbonising the energy-intensive sector.

A working group comprising members of the paper and heat pump industries calculated potential energy savings in paper drying of more than 50%, and a joint CEPI-EHPA report detailing how heat pumps may be integrated into mills has been published. A recent development is that

Durable certified as carbon neutral

commercially available large heat pumps and steam compressors now heat up to 200°C, making them suitable for the pulp and paper industry.

According to CEPI, whether or not heat pumps can be deployed rapidly in mills across Europe depends on the regulatory incentives that national governments and EU institutions may provide for electrifying the sector. It said facilities would require large amounts of affordable clean energy to meet the challenges set in the recently announced EU Green Deal Industry Plan.

German vendor Durable has been certified as a carbon-neutral company as of 1 February. To achieve this milestone, Durable worked with environmental certification organisation Climate Partner to determine its corporate carbon footprint. This was calculated at 5,242 tonnes, all of which have been offset by supporting climate protection projects.

“As a company, we have a great responsibility towards our customers, partners, employees and the environment,” said Managing Director Rolf Schifferens. “This is why we have taken the first key step by calculating our carbon footprint.”

Clover receives sustainability recognition

Clover Imaging Group has announced that its remanufactured printer cartridges have received GreenCircle certification for Recycled Content and Closed Loop Product. For both, the cartridges were certified at 99% for ink and 86% for laser.

The US firm said it was the first printer cartridge manufacturer (OEM or aftermarket) to receive the validation in these areas. GreenCircle Certified is recognised as a valid third-party certification entity by the US federal government, the United States Green Building Council, the International Living Future Institute, and the Association of Plastic Recyclers.

The Recycled Content certification also qualifies Clover’s products for inclusion in Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly programme.

Photo credit: Atlas Copco

ODP awards more than $1.1 million in grants

The ODP Corporation’s not-for-profit initiative Elevate Together has awarded $1.14 million in cash grants to 189 Black- and Hispanic-owned small business enterprises in 2022.

The grants – ranging from $5-$10,000 – supported organisations in 11 US markets (up from five in 2021). The project is funded by investments from key partners and ODP’s own annual corporate gift. Chase For Business and the Taylor Corporation also made contributions last year.

In addition, 2022 saw the first Elevate Together Day, a free virtual summit event in October. It featured a keynote address by Latina CEO and entrepreneur Beatriz Acevedo, interactive speed networking with national business professionals, and the Elevate Together $25K Challenge, a $25,000 fundraising effort to support Black- and Hispanic-owned small firms.

Business products firms make G100 list

Sustainable economy media and research firm Corporate Knights has published its 2023 ranking of the world’s 100 most sustainable corporations.

The Global 100 (G100) list is compiled based on an assessment of more than 6,000 public companies with revenues over $1 billion.

25 KPIs are studied, including sustainable revenue and investment, taxes paid, carbon productivity, racial and gender diversity, and CEO versus average employee salaries.

Topping the list, and the only corporation with an A+ score, was US steel recycler Schnitzer. Business products vendors in the 2023 G100 include the following (with the 2022 ranking in brackets):

• 20: Cascades (18)

• 36: Xerox (26)

• 38: Unilever (78)

• 39: HP Inc (50)

Essity rejoins education sustainability initiative

• 50: Konica Minolta (53)

• 52: Essity (N/A)

• 73: Apple (48)

• 80: Ricoh (N/A)

Tork brand owner Essity is once again a member of the US Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).

The AASHE enables colleges and universities to meet their sustainability goals by providing specialised resources, professional development, and a network for sharing information about sustainability products and services. Essity was previously a member between 2010-2019. Now, the hygiene products vendor has rejoined the AASHE community in a move it says reinforces its commitment “to understanding and assisting higher education institutions in advancing sustainability initiatives within their hygiene management operations”.

RAJA makes key CSR appointment

RAJA Group has appointed its first-ever CSR Director. Taking on the role and heading the company’s new CSR and Sustainable Development department is Brigitte Thieck. Reporting directly to CEO Danièle Kapel-Marcovici, Thieck has also joined RAJA’s group management committee.

She will be responsible for developing and managing the organisation’s CSR strategy in its 26 subsidiaries and 19 operating countries. Areas of focus will include CO2 emissions reduction, purchasing policies and a sustainable product portfolio.

Thieck joins RAJA from logistics firm Kuehne+Nagel, where she was National Environment Manager. She has wide-ranging experience in environmental and CSR strategy, including 15 years of running her own consulting and training firm. The pan-European reseller said the appointment reflected the strategic importance of CSR in the development of the group.

Brigitte Thieck

The need to be PROGRESSIVE

Mother-and-daughter team Kim Leazer and Beth Freeman from US independent dealer FSIoffice share their thoughts on women leadership, generational change and the recent S.P. Richards transaction

Women in leadership positions in our industry...

Kim Leazer: I think we are rather unique in our sector because most of the top-level positions within FSIoffice are held by females. It’s not the norm, but the industry would do well to look for more women to serve in high-level roles.

Generational change in the sales force...

KL: We had some very long tenures within our sales team and were faced with a lot of reps retiring in a short space of time.

We knew it was coming but, initially, we weren’t doing the best job of handling the situation. Beth came up with a plan and what we did has been very successful.

BF: In the past, we had a habit of hiring young salespeople early in their careers. They were expected to go and develop their own book of business from nothing. Often, they would last one or two years – it was ‘churn and burn’.

When the older reps retired, we therefore didn’t have a good group of people to transition business to. We needed to make some big changes quickly. The result was a mentoring programme whereby retiring salespeople have the opportunity to earn commission for an extended period of time. It means they have some skin in the game as well.

Beth Freeman: We have seen a natural shift as a result of the pandemic and work-from-home. We have all adapted to the rise in flexible work schedules as well as locations, which is certainly more conducive to women in the workforce in general.

There’s better acceptance of this flexibility being the norm now, even for a top-level position, so it can only be a good thing for women in business.

As an industry, I would say we saw a peak [of women in leadership roles] about five years ago. We’ve lost several influential women, sadly including Jennifer Smith who recently passed away and others who have retired.

I would like to see increased networking and greater opportunities for women to come together. This has obviously been difficult in the past few years, but we’re at a point now where we can do more of it again. Hopefully, this will encourage female executives to participate and be able to progress.

So they actually help us hire and onboard mentees who are then in this partnership with these experienced individuals. They work together for a period of 6-12 months to transition accounts. The recruits learn about our company – not just the how to, but also the why. This approach has been successful in getting talent on board who really buy into what we’re about, with our emphasis on the ‘customer first’ being a vital part of the picture. We’ve actually been able to grow sales and are delighted with the results so far.

The sale of S.P. Richards...

KL: I think it’s a very positive thing for the independent dealer channel. Yancey [Jones Sr] and Mike [Maggio] did a good job of selecting who to sell to because I know there were others interested.

I was privileged to be on a call to hear about the plans for the transition in the first 90 days. I’m pleased with the direction and the focus they have which seems to include taking care of the independent dealer.

Beth Freeman

Kim Leazer

Most of the top-level positions within FSIoffice are held by females

The WRIGHT

STUFF

Driven, forthright, passionate and inspirational – that’s Beth Wright. And highly successful in whatever role she has fulfilled in her long career in the business supplies industry

Beth Wright, Chief Commercial Officer at Fellowes Brands, could easily be described as one of the most present and influential women in the business supplies space today. And she certainly likes a challenge. There are few individuals, for example, who have swapped continents in their career paths and been resoundingly successful in all their professional endeavours.

Long-time friend and OPI CEO Steve Hilleard caught up with Wright in January, to chat about her career path and what it takes to break through the glass ceiling against the backdrop of a male-dominated sector.

OPI: Beth, you and I have known each other for over 25 years. But your involvement in this industry goes back much further still. What’s led to your completely ingrained knowledge of all things OP?

Beth Wright: I’ve been exposed to it pretty much all my life. My parents bought an independent dealership when I was 13 years old. My dad basically left the corporate world and bought a dealer in South Boston, Virginia.

As a result, as a child around the dinner table, we talked about revenue growth and gross profit, about office supplies and furniture, rather than the weather and the sports I played at school. It set a firm foundation to build upon.

OPI: What are your overriding memories of your parents’ business?

BW: That they built this dealership with an amazing community around them and a lot of

hard work. They served this small town with great service and a good portfolio of products. I saw it all happen and have, to this day, continued to support the independent dealer channel (IDC) through my various roles in our industry. The business is still around and run by a General Manager, Mickey Thomas. Small business created the entrepreneur in me.

Very specifically, my earliest memory is probably in the back of our printing department where my brother and I, over the summer, had to manually staple thousands of fair catalogues my parents then delivered to a big customer. I recall us yelling at each other that the staples didn’t line up. Another recollection is delivering a HON chair to a school district with my dad.

OPI: How did you go from working in the family firm in the summer to a full-blown career in this industry?

BW: I never thought I would join this sector after college, but during a National Office Buyers show, I met Jim Powell from Daisytek and he said: “We have this awesome college recruit programme at Daisytek in Dallas. We’re looking for strong sales and marketing candidates – would you be interested?”

Within two weeks, I had an offer letter to move to Dallas – that’s where it started. Daisytek’s recruitment programme was known for attracting exceptional talent out of the university system, mostly from within Texas, so it was cool Jim was talking to somebody from North Carolina.

We were thrown into this fast-growing, tech-orientated business which, at the time, was doubling in sales every few months. It was an amazing opportunity.

OPI: This was when Jim was SVP of Sales & Marketing I guess?

BW: Exactly. I went through the programme, was promoted quickly and had some great mentors – Jim as well as a couple of strong females who really took me under their wing. At the end, you were given a lot of responsibility

very quickly and told to run with it. If you were successful and could handle the work, more promotions would follow.

I was actually the first outside salesperson and strategic account manager Daisytek ever had who would physically call on the likes of Boise, BT Office Products, Office Depot and Staples, as well as all the various buying groups in the IDC.

OPI: That’s when we first met I believe. I can vividly remember the building we were in and the exact meeting room where I interviewed you.

BW: I don’t recall the finer details Steve, but I do remember you’ve been taking credit for my whole career since then.

OPI: And I will continue to do so.

BW: (laughs) As you should.

OPI: How did it all play out for you at Daisytek which, of course, met with a sorry ending some years later?

BW: Yes, luckily I left before the collapse. My now husband and I were commuting between the East Coast and Dallas at the time.

As a child around the dinner table, we talked about revenue growth and gross profit

In 2000, we decided we wanted to build a family together. We picked South Florida and moved there. I left the industry for a few years and was Director of Sales for ERP consulting company Neoris down in Miami, which is owned by Cemex. I hated the long sales cycles of the business, but those years taught me a lot about the tech world and how to operate in that space.

I was lured back by OP manufacturer Cardinal Brands which, having been bought by private equity, was building out a new team. I ran the national accounts team there for over four years. At some stage, the CEO at Cardinal and I went over to Portugal to try and expand our business in visual communications, anticipating that paper-based products were going to continue to decline. We were looking for products, partnerships with other companies and acquisitions.

While in Portugal, we talked to the Vasconcelos family – the owners of Bi-silque. The numbers and the M&A didn’t work out with Cardinal, but my relationship with the organisation started back then. The family contacted me soon after, with the idea of me launching the vendor’s North America business. This was in 2007.

OPI: I recall that you grew the subsidiary fairly aggressively.

BW: Well, we started it from scratch because we didn’t have a footprint in North America at all. We had to create a supply chain and a brand which was different to the European one. It was the beginning of Bi-silque North America and the MasterVision brand.

We built the North American entity from the ground up – in terms of customer set-up, assortment, marketing, etc etc – and reached over $30 million in revenue in under five years.

At some stage, in 2012 or 2013, our Head of Europe left Bi-silque and when it came to filling the role I said: “Why not me?” I was up for the challenge and really wanted to expand my career into Europe. Long story short, I took on the Chief Commercial Officer role at Bi-silque and was responsible for sales, customer service and marketing, as well as our German and UK subsidiaries.

OPI: I guess the answer to “why not me” could have been, “well, you live in South Florida where you have a husband and children”. I would imagine it was quite a big leap of faith for both parties. BW: It certainly was. But I knew what was in front of us, the growth path the company could achieve, and I thought I was the best person to lead these developments.

The Europeans adopted me in a really special way and I’m still somewhat surprised that a loud American from North Carolina could come into the market and be accepted. I adapted my style and was flexible in changing what I needed to change to fit in. I also worked hard to understand how this market, fragmented as it was, did business, and how we could add value to our customers.

We were ‘only’ a very small Portuguese manufacturer. Yes, Bi-silque was on the rise, no doubt, but we were definitely punching above our weight in the marketplace.

OPI: You were the recipient of the Professional of the Year award at the European Office Products Awards (EOPA) in 2017. To this day, I believe you’re the only non-European ever to win this award.

BW: It was a huge honour. It’s not just an award which is special and coveted in the industry, it’s also one voted on by customers and peers. For me, to have had the chance to make an impact in a firm and a market that I had never operated in before and to then get rewarded for it like this was really gratifying.

To this day, I still feel a lot of connectivity to European customers and often miss my time there. Luckily, I have a terrific counterpart in Michel van Beek who runs Fellowes Brands’ European business and we talk a lot.

OPI: Speaking of Fellowes, this was your next change, of course.

BW: Yes, it was decision time again. By 2018, I had been commuting between Europe and the US every two weeks. I had also lived in Portugal with my children for nine months. It was time for a new challenge, and the phone call I made was to Jamie and John Fellowes.

I had watched Fellowes Brands continue to evolve the business over the years. And I saw the evolution and the changes John was implementing. I thought this family firm could really move the needle in our industry and alter the way some things were done. I was hoping I could be a valuable asset in this process.

As I said, I made the call but there wasn’t a role at the time, so John found a position for me as VP of Strategic Growth, working on new categories, expansion and M&A. Soon after, the Head of Sales parted ways with Fellowes, and John slid me into that role. It was right in the middle of my comfort zone.

We were going through a shift in the business at the time. 2018 and 2019 were an interesting couple of years. I was able to bring a fresh perspective to our customer strategies and was fortunate to have an executive team which helped me be successful really quickly.

In March 2022 – a year ago – John asked me to take over as Chief Commercial Officer,

BW: Growth is something everybody wants, but it’s hard to achieve, especially in many traditional, paper-based categories. My mentality, no matter what company I’ve been with, is that if you put the customer at the centre of the plan, you usually get it right.

What do customers value in the relationship? Instead of thinking about what your numbers are, or what you’re trying to achieve as a firm, how do you make them more successful? And how do you make their jobs easier?

It’s not brain surgery, but many organisations miss it because they have their own objectives and don’t put the customer in the centre. Once you have the right mentality, it’s often momentum that carries you. Make decisions and be confident in those decisions; learn as you go and build a team to execute the plan.

OPI: When you talk about putting the customer in the centre, are you referring to the ultimate consumer of your products or your trade reseller partners? Or both?

BW: We’d love to say we influence the end user at all times and I’m certain Fellowes has a strong reputation, but we are a reseller-focused company. As such, I’m talking about our reseller partners in the trade we have to make successful because they are the conduit to selling our products into the end user.

OPI: This interview is appearing in the same issue as our inaugural Influential Women feature (see page 30). We put together a list of 50 of these individuals. It wasn’t as hard as I thought it might be, but it was certainly more difficult than trying to find 50 men. Why do you think you are one of the relatively few C-level female leaders in this sector? What does the industry need to do to improve the current imbalance? BW: Good question which could actually take a few hours to answer. I’ll try to keep it brief. Let me start with example and representation – they matter.

charged with optimising our commercial strategy and growth plans. Fellowes’ valued customers and channel partners are at the centre of my role.

OPI: You mention growth. How have you brought that to the companies you’ve worked for in an industry some would say often lacks growth?

When you come in as a young salesperson, marketing associate, junior engineer or accountant, what do you see in front of you from a mid-level manager perspective? What do you see at the top? It’s important. If there are not enough women at the top, a female recruit sees nothing that would make her believe she could get there.

It’s a simplified view, but those organisations which have really learned to value diversity in all its forms – including in senior leadership – retain more diverse talent. We see this impacting the business with strong performance. The more diverse the view, the better we all are – and I don’t mean diversity

If there are not enough women at the top, a female recruit sees nothing that would make her believe she could get there

for just diversity’s sake. Having strong female leaders who continue to grow the business is critical to having more of them. It’s quite simple.

OPI: Are the two major companies you’ve worked for good examples of this theory?

BW: I think so. One of the reasons I joined Bi-silque was because of Aida Vasconcelos, the co-founder of the company – and a powerhouse of energy I might add – who relentlessly pushed the business forward. Aida and her husband Virgilio made a great, powerful team, with her having been the ‘front of house’ driving force.

Fellowes is different but the same, if that makes sense. Yes, it has a male leader –fourth-generation John Fellowes – but it has a senior leadership team which includes four women. Out of our six senior leaders, four are female and we’re really proud of that.

I don’t think it’s intentional as in, like I said before, diversity for diversity’s sake, but John employed people who he thought were highly capable of advancing the organisation. It’s an example for the next leaders to come – there are roles and it is possible.

You have to be quite careful here of one-size-fits-all generalisation. My own

perspective is to become the best example of a strong leader in this industry. Full stop, regardless of gender or anything else. But I also want to be someone females can look up to and say: “Wow, she did it. So can I.” Visibility is key. But you also need advocates who assist you along the way – it’s essential. I’ve been very fortunate in that regard. Whether it’s co-workers, customers, business partners or indeed a platform like OPI – they’ve all helped me enormously to get where I was headed.

OPI: How have you brought your own style and vision to the firms you’ve worked for?

BW: Be true to yourself is probably the simple answer, corny as it sounds. People who know me realise I’m the same every day – not always everybody’s cup of tea, which is obviously fine, but authentic. I am who I am, what you see is what you get, and I don’t try to change that. Of course, I regularly try to adapt my style to fit a customer, a team, a market and the situation I’m in, but all the while still being my authentic self.

I would also say I’m not afraid to get in the dirt. I’m willing to push down boundaries when needed – for myself and my team.

OPI: Whenever I see you, you’re typically running through an airport, to a conference or dinner, madly busy and with “so much to do”. Is there a calm side your team sees or is it always hurricane Beth?

BW: Calm is rare, to be frank. I believe one of the things which makes me a bit different is my energy and enthusiasm. When I walk into a room, I want to bring the energy up and exude optimism. In a sector that can be quite negative at times, I like to bring a bit of levity; I want people to be happier because I’m in the room. I view it as a positive, it’s definitely what I bring to the table with our customers. They see my passion for the company and the products we’re selling. But they also see I want them to do well and that my team and I will do everything we can to make it happen. Hurricane Beth? Maybe some days. I’m certainly a busy lady.

OPI: You’ve smashed your way through the glass ceiling. What are the barriers in front of females with leadership aspirations?

BW: When I’ve done some speaking engagements to female leaders, one of the questions that always come up is: can you have it all? The short answer is: yes, you can, but not all at the same time – it’s not possible. Especially for working mothers, it’s a constant – and I really mean this – balancing act and trade-off. I am incredibly fortunate to have a husband of 21 years who is a true partner. He allows me to do what I do, to be hurricane Beth, if you will. He very much has his own career too, but we both flex and build our family and life as real partners. It’s all about compromise and balance.

BW: During the pandemic, no – it was probably the toughest on women because everyone was home and you quite literally had to manage everything, all at the same time. Now kids are fully back in school and whatever normality is has resumed, I do believe it will help as long as we continue to stay in this type of hybrid scenario that provides more flexibility. But I have a feeling most of us will be back in the office in a few years, which is a positive for our industry.

OPI: What else can business leaders do to support and empower the women in their organisations to get them looking a bit more like, say, Fellowes?

BW: We have to attract new females to our industry, that’s for sure. It goes back to the representation I mentioned earlier. People join firms where they see potential and success. We also need to support organisations which provide networking and growth opportunities for women – Office Products Women in Leadership (OPWIL) in the business products channel and Hygieia in the jan/san space are good examples.

OPI: I wasn’t that familiar with Hygieia until the recent ISSA event – it’s huge. Yet OPWIL, which I believe you are a founding member of, along with OPI’s very own Janet Bell – doesn’t appear to have quite the same sort of traction. Why is that?

BW: In essence, OPWIL has always needed – and lacked – significant sponsorship and support at a high level from the nationals, whether it’s an Office Depot, S.P. Richards or Staples/Essendant. The group has largely been focused on the IDC without an endorsement from the big boys. Perhaps it’s why it hasn’t made the jump to become a more powerful, all-encompassing entity.

So, to come to your barriers: the old-fashioned stereotypes and role definitions of males and females have evolved, no doubt, but not fast enough for women. If you want to be a progressive leader in your space and have a strong family life, that stereotype barrier needs to be removed completely.

OPI: The pandemic and this new era of flexible and hybrid working have had huge ramifications for our industry and many products within it. Has it been an enabler for women in terms of career progression?

Maybe when I retire I’ll take that on. I do think we can grow OPWIL, but we need the larger companies to really get behind it. That’s what Hygieia has done – all of the large, key jan/san manufacturers and customers are a part of this network, and a lot of the senior women in this space have been big supporters, often later in their careers when they had the time and capacity to comprehensively get involved.

OPI: We haven’t spoken much about your company, but it would be remiss not to. I’m aware of some big things taking place in Q2 this year. What can you share about what’s going on at Fellowes Brands?

BW: It’s an exciting year to be at Fellowes. We are going through the next generational

Old-fashioned stereotypes and role definitions [...] have evolved, no doubt, but not fast enough for women

evolution of the company and are right in the middle of it now. It includes four major product launches – one in air purification, the others in the furniture and ergonomics space – and upgrades to many of our technology and manufacturing platforms to position us well for the future.

Overall, there are several facets of our business we are overhauling and investing in to catapult growth. It’s all culminating in a new customer experience centre that will open in June at 800 Fulton Market in Chicago.

As part of this project, we are also reorganising our sales force. This is to make it more efficient and effective and enable our resellers to take advantage of new products and growth opportunities.

OPI: I hear a rebrand is on the cards as well. Is that a tweak or a big overhaul?

BW: It’s definitely a big overhaul in our contract interiors space. The ESI and Trendway brands will go away and it will be ‘One Fellowes’ across all channels of business as we prepare to ‘Unleash WorkLife Potential’.

OPI: What are your thoughts on the state of the broader industry? The IDC is obviously close to your heart for a number of reasons. How do you view the health of that channel and also the closely related wholesale space?

BW: The IDC has done a really good job surviving anything that’s thrown at it. Getting past the pandemic was a feat in itself.

Thankfully, dealers had government financial support and many were very successful with us, notably in the air

Below left: Beth Wright (with Steve Hilleard) winning the Professional of the Year award at the 2017 EOPA and, right, at a speaking engagement in Chicago

purification segment. There have also been plenty of jan/san opportunities, of course.

Despite the naysayers, plenty of dealers are still doing pretty well. They provide a level of service the big boys just cannot match in the SMB market. Everybody wants to go after that middle market, but nobody does it as well as the independent dealer, so I think those out there with a strong balance sheet and a solid succession plan will continue to thrive. We know it’s going to be a rough road for the ones without those attributes.

The wholesalers are still evolving and resetting what and where their value is to the channel. Following the recent S.P. Richards sale, 2023 should be an interesting evolution for those operators.

OPI: Finally, what would be your top advice to any females reading this interview who are in the relatively early stages of their careers but are aiming high?

BW: First, say yes to opportunities that come to you, even if you’re not fully ready. Take the role, project or lean into that exposure to leadership. Even if you have self-doubt in a particular area, say yes. Get the experience, make mistakes and push yourself out of your comfort zone.

Second, find an advocate. This person doesn’t have to be female, but someone who is committed to helping you along in your journey. Call it a mentor or coach – someone in your business who can assist you in progressing in your capability set. That’s it, my pearls of wisdom for what they’re worth.

OPI: And a good way to finish, so that’s a wrap – many thanks Beth.

Office noise –A STRESS FACTOR?

Guy Osmond, Managing Director of Osmond Ergonomics, explores postpandemic office noise – the challenges, solutions and even the benefits

One of the issues we’ve seen rise to prominence since the pandemic is office noise. After so much time working from home, it’s something employees seem to really be struggling with.

While it’s likely offices aren’t actually any noisier than they were in 2019, the fact that they feel louder appears to be shaping office design. We’ve seen orders for quieter working spaces like pods, hubs and soundproof phone boxes rise markedly, as have requests for sound-absorbing panels, soft furnishing, screens and green walls which all help dampen acoustic reverberation.

MANAGING NOISE

The degree to which noise is a stressor is subjective, but the evidence indicates it is significant enough for mitigating steps to be considered. Researchers investigating the effects of open plan office noise on employees’ cognitive performance and physiological stress in the wake of COVID-19 found that, while typical office noise did not reduce immediate cognitive task performance when compared to a quieter environment, it did reduce psychological well-being.

Sensors were used to track changes in heart rate and sweat – both good indicators of physiological stress. This was analysed in combination with facial emotion recognition software which assessed emotional responses and asked participants to self-report their feelings on a mood scale. Even after a short exposure, negative mood increased by 25% and sweat response by 34%.

Ironically, the shift to hybrid working post-COVID also means that, often, there are fewer people in the office at any one

time, resulting in many workplaces actually being quieter than before. This too can be a problem. In a space with fewer people, but one that was designed for more, a low noise level can feel uncomfortable, with every sound – a door slam or a phone call – appearing far more jarring.

The upshot? You want to manage noise, but you don’t need to eliminate it. Many companies, including my own, have opted to install ceiling speakers to provide background music or even white noise. The most advanced systems come complete with microphones picking up sounds around the room so that noise-cancelling frequencies can be pumped from the speakers to quell them.

THE 4CS

At Osmond Ergonomics, our conversations are often framed by four core working behaviours: contemplation, concentration, communication and collaboration – the 4Cs.

It’s important to design office spaces where people can find a quieter area for intense, concentrated work, or somewhere calm for deep reflection. However, when it comes to collaboration and communication, there are clear benefits to a bustling, open, even slightly noisy shared working environment.

Consider how much employees can learn and how much they can teach just by being in an open space. Team members can tune into others’ work discussions, they can chip in with support and information, and resolve issues

Osmond Ergonomics has been in the business of workplace ergonomics for 30 years, providing products and solutions to support well-being and productivity. Managing Director Guy Osmond has been at the cutting edge of this sector, exploring connections between mental and physical health and engagement, and productivity since long before these were commonplace conversation topics.

instantly. Such friction-free interactions, which avoid the need for emails back and forth, can boost productivity and are especially useful for more junior team members.

Just by being around others, employees absorb an enormous amount. They can acquire the shared language of a team, for instance, identify where knowledge and experience lie, appreciate the tone and approach of colleagues, and learn from others how to handle difficult situations.

This learning by osmosis is a powerful, yet effortless, mechanism for assimilating the culture and values of an organisation –something which is much harder to achieve without a busy office setting.

STRIKING A BALANCE

Like anywhere else, there is no ultimate one-size-fits-all solution and much depends on the type of work and the nature of the individual doing it. Noise – or even the lack thereof – isn’t the enemy, certainly not one that can’t be kept at bay with plenty of consideration and clever design.

It is absolutely possible to strike a healthy balance to optimise both individual and collective well-being as well as productivity.

Learning by osmosis is a powerful, yet effortless, mechanism for assimilating the culture and values of an organisation

Guy Osmond

W MEN influential

speak. A big ‘thank you’ here to everyone who helped in this endeavour.

It was hugely interesting to delve into this vast pool and learn about so many personalities. It became obvious that, firstly, the female potential in our space is bigger than we thought and, secondly, that we had to zoom into the specific criteria to get our final list. One of these criteria was that they must be outwardand customer-facing which eliminated several senior executives in core internal roles.

SHAPING OUR INDUSTRY

This is the result. On the following pages, you will find 50 individuals who are truly and comprehensively shaping the organisations they work for, if not their entire geographic region or the industry as a whole. They are absolute proof that there needn’t be a glass ceiling for female leaders in business supplies.

Every time I look at our Top 100 list (that we’ve been producing for over 20 years), visit an industry event or indeed write and edit this magazine, I’m struck by how few women are in leadership positions in our space.

Granted, there has been progress over the years I’ve been working at OPI, but it would still be an enormous stretch to speak of anything resembling gender equality. So, several months ago, the OPI team set out to establish just who and where the most influential women in business supplies are. The idea was to publish our findings in the March issue of OPI to coincide with International Women’s Day on 8 March.

We canvassed opinions from organisations and industry peers from around the globe to create a pool of nominations, a shortlist so to

Personalities are listed in alphabetical order by surname, rather than by geography, channel or company.

We could have filled this entire magazine with the career journeys, achievements and aspirations of these 50 women. It would likely have been easier than condensing down the incredible amount of information we collated into just ten pages. I certainly have been living and breathing ‘influential women in the business products world’ for weeks and been humbled and impressed in equal measure.

I appreciate that the cover image – shades of pink – could be regarded as somewhat clichéd, controversial even, but the OPI team quite simply liked it. We hope you do too.

I would love to hear your feedback on this inaugural list, so please email me at heike.dieckmann@opi.net

In this special feature, OPI highlights the 50 most influential and inspirational female leaders in the business and workplace supplies sector – by Heike Dieckmann

in the business products world

Sara Armbruster, President/CEO, Steelcase

Sara Armbruster became President/CEO of Steelcase in October 2021, bringing with her more than two decades of experience in corporate strategy and business innovation. Since joining the company in 2007, she has held global executive leadership roles in multiple businesses, including Steelcase Education, Steelcase Health and PolyVision Corporation.

Armbruster has a proven track record of delivering growth and innovation through strategic, results-oriented leadership. Her diverse responsibilities have included leading global design research, new business initiatives and the company’s COVID crisis response team. As CEO, she has continued Steelcase’s legacy of excellence in environmental, social and governance issues.

Roxanne Bernstein, EVP/President North America, ACCO Brands

Roxanne Bernstein began her career as an officer in the US Army, rising to the level of Captain. She is currently EVP/President of ACCO Brands North America, the $1 billion geographical segment of this global vendor. In her role, she has responsibility for 2,000 employees in a broad range of functions, including global product innovation, manufacturing, sourcing and supply chain.

Bernstein describes herself as an energetic leader, culture creator, commercial strategist and P&L owner. Before joining ACCO Brands in 2021, she was President of Crystal Farms Dairy Company, a subsidiary of Fortune 500 firm Post Holdings. Prior to this, she served as SVP/CMO at Post Consumer Brands where she grew market share for four consecutive years against deeply entrenched competitors.

Anna Bordes, CEO, ADVEO France

Anna Bordes is a newcomer to the business products industry, having spent much of her career in the retail sector. An ex-Amazonian (she was there for two years –2017 to 2019 – as a Retail Senior Manager), Bordes joined ADVEO from leading French chain Optical Discount in July 2022.

Following a transition period with Group CEO Dominique Bernard, Bordes is now implementing her own vision for ADVEO France, backed by a refreshed executive management team and continued investments from private equity owner Sandton Capital. A key focus is putting the needs of the wholesaler’s approximately 600 Calipage and Plein Ciel members first and leveraging their strong local presence.

Jeanette Bresitz, Managing Director, Office Friendly

When Jeanette Bresitz joined UK dealer group Office Friendly in 2021, she already had 25 years of industry experience under her belt – in a variety of reseller and wholesaler environments that included first Viking and Office Depot and then Spicers and SPOT Group.

Bresitz has long been a very active participant in our sector, supporting market insight as well as mentoring, coaching and people development in all its forms. She is a firm advocate of the can-do school of thought, of people recognising their talents and having a positive mindset of “Yes, I can do that”.

At Office Friendly, Bresitz has been urging dealer members to throw off the shackles of a restricted core offering and diversify with a consultative approach.

Angie Bukta, President, Canadian Workplace Solutions

Changes are afoot in the Canadian business supplies industry and Angie Bukta is right at the centre of them. On 1 January 2023, she became President of newly formed buying group Canadian Workplace Solutions, following the coming together of Basics Office Products and CIS Office Plus.

Canadian Workplace Solutions is a national organisation that represents 42 shareholders, one of these being Guild Stationers, a 58-member group that was affiliated with Basics.

Previously with CIS, Bukta has been a fervent supporter of the independent dealer channel for over 25 years and will be focused on delivering long-lasting and profitable synergies for all stakeholders in the combined group.

Ashley Burke, Managing Director, EVO Group Ireland

Ashley Burke is what you may call an EVO expert, having spent all her professional life at the Irish component of the group, currently as Managing Director of EVO Group in Ireland. The past few years – think COVID-19 and Brexit – have certainly been tough for Burke and the team she is intensely proud of.

During the pandemic, EVO needed to remain open for business while at the same time maintaining staff welfare. Burke focused on adapting to new consumer patterns, facilitating online transactions and deliveries to peoples’ homes.

Brexit was a different challenge as the free flow of goods into Ireland was so impacted. Burke dealt with it through the launch of a new 3PL solution, a strategy which has since delivered considerable growth for wholesale component VOW.

Anne Cashman, General Manager & Managing Director, Avery Australia/NZ

Anne Cashman knows all about office products. She first joined Avery in the mid-1990s, a time of huge change in the Australian market. After stints of running Viking in Australia and the US, and a relocation to the US East Coast with Office Depot, Cashman returned to Australia and worked for Lyreco for a number of years. She has been in her current role of General Manager and Managing Director of Avery Australia and New Zealand since 2018.

Cashman is excited about what the future will bring for the company and digitisation is definitely a big part of the journey. The 2019 acquisition of kids label business Stuck on You certainly fast-tracked the vendor into new customers and markets and exposed it to become a more digital organisation.

Margaret De Francesco, General Manager, Dynamic Supplies

Another candidate from down under is Margaret De Francesco. With a career in the industry spanning 31 years, she has worked for many organisations across the IT distribution, wholesale, manufacturer, retail and buying group sectors.

De Francesco currently serves as General Manager of Australian print supplies, technology and OP distribution company, Dynamic Supplies. Appointed to the role in November 2019, she leads the sales, marketing and operations functions for the business. She was responsible for the recent diversification of this 28-year-old organisation into new categories and channels while maintaining the customer-centric foundations and supply chain excellence that makes Dynamic Supplies a valued distribution partner for independent resellers in Australia.

Kelly de Silva, Group Marketing Director, OT Group

Kelly de Silva was appointed Group Marketing Director of OT Group in 2019. She joined the new entity from SPOT Group following the acquisition of several of its components by Paragon. She has since led the successful rebranding of nine separate companies into the single OfficeTeam identity. In July 2022, she led the re-launch of the Spicers brand back into the wholesale channel.

De Silva is responsible for all communications for both end-user and wholesale channels, advancing innovative propositions through to commercial success. She’s passionate about transforming OT Group’s marketing strategy from a traditional model to a data-driven, technology-led programme and developing her teams to become revenue drivers rather than just support functions for sales.

Stephanie Dismore, SVP & Managing Director North America, HP Inc

A 23-year HP veteran, Stephanie Dismore is SVP and Managing Director of HP Inc in North America, directing market strategy and managing the multibillion dollar P&L for the company’s largest geographic region. She also oversees direct and indirect sales engagements across HP’s portfolio of products and services for commercial, consumer and public sector customer segments for the region. Committed to advancing women and supporting broad diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace, Dismore believes that encouraging people to operate within their strengths will allow them to shine. She helped found HP’s Global Diversity Advisory Board and serves as an Executive Sponsor for the company’s Racial Equality and Social Justice Task Force.

Isabel Ehringer, Chief Customer Officer, Lyreco

As Chief Customer Officer of Lyreco, Isabel Ehringer is on a mission. She is laser-focused on shaping every part of the customer’s journey to provide an experience with true value at each and every contact. Ehringer has several areas of responsibility. She drives the communications, marketing, compliance, supply chain, customer experience, sales operations and digital commerce functions –all facets that directly engage with the customer.

Prior to joining Lyreco, Ehringer was part of the executive leadership team at Staples Solutions, serving as CIO and Head of Customer & Sales Enablement. In her last position as COO, she was instrumental in the acquisition of Staples Solutions by the France-based reseller in 2021.

Janet Eshenour, VP of Marketing, Independent Suppliers Group

Janet Eshenour at Independent Suppliers Group (ISG) lives and breathes marketing and has done so for over 25 years. She’s also pretty passionate about business supplies, having been in the US dealer group space for the past 18 years. Most recently, she’s been working as VP of Marketing of ISG, having come from the Independent Stationers component of the historic group merger in 2019.

Eshenour has been instrumental in the successful launch and the second instalment of Industry Week powered by ISG. This annual event as a concept had been bandied about for some time and now – with Eshenour’s expert direction and execution – brings together the various channels of the US business supplies space which serve the IDC.

Kimberly Fulford, SVP Sales, S.P. Richards

After a hiatus of five and a half years, Kimberly Fulford rejoined US wholesaler S.P. Richards (SPR) just over two years ago as VP Strategic Accounts. She was promoted to SVP Sales in February 2022.

Fulford had previously spent nine years at SPR between 2006 and 2015 in a number of senior roles. During her time away, she had spells at Regency Franchise Group and promotional products organisations AIA and Proforma.

A familiar face in the US business products space, Fulford describes herself as a lifelong learner who always seeks new opportunities to expand her knowledge and skill set. She’s won several awards for positive and effective leadership and is a fierce proponent of women’s advancement in our industry.

Christa Furter, CEO, Viking Europe (RAJA Group)

When RAJA Group bought the European Viking business, Christa Furter was the candidate of choice to lead the reseller and “redefine the commercial organisation and processes necessary to the development and profitable growth of Viking”.

With a strong background in both B2C and B2B, Furter is a complete all-rounder, with wide-ranging expertise in the areas of start-up management, new business development, M&A and restructuring.

She initially cut her office supplies teeth at Swiss reseller iba, first in a marketing role and then, as of 2011, as CEO of the organisation. Her roles have broadened ever since and Furter is now a highly visible figure in the European business supplies space.

Susan Gambardella, President, Kimberly-Clark Professional North America

Susan Gambardella joined Kimberly-Clark Professional as President North America in February 2020. In that role, she is responsible for spearheading a transformational growth strategy that accelerates the vendor’s financial, strategic and operational results.

Gambardella is well versed in big business – and in being an icon of outstanding female leadership. Having started her career at Procter & Gamble, she worked for Coca-Cola for 27 years in a number of senior leadership positions. Last year, she was named one of ‘The Top 50 Women Leaders of Georgia’ for her significant achievements. She was also honoured at the Atlanta ‘Women of Influence’ awards for being a proven leader and business builder.

Irma Garbella, Managing Director, Mondoffice (RAJA Group)

When European reseller RAJA Group acquired Italy’s Mondoffice in 2019, Managing Director Irma Garbella had already been with the company for 25 years. During that time and in varying capacities, she had led the firm through many key organisational changes, all the while keeping a keen and focused eye on business development, market expansion and brand evolution.

Mondoffice currently has 320 employees. Unusually, 67% of this total are females. Atypical as well, 50% of the middle management team comprises women. Garbella’s leadership style is participatory and consultative, with teamwork and people at its very core. It’s also adaptive and flexible, traits needed more than ever before.

Nathalie Gaspard, President, Lyreco

Nathalie Gaspard, granddaughter of Lyreco founder Georges-Gaston Gaspard, has been a leading figure within the group for the past 20 years.

She first joined the company back in 2003 as a sales representative, having attended the renowned ESCP Business School and then spending two years at Editions Atlas learning about marketing. She went on to work as a manager in Lyreco’s marketing and finance departments, before moving to the position of Group Communications Director in 2017.

Gaspard has been serving as President of the board at Lyreco since 2020. She maintains a largely invisible role at the reseller, with the commonly acknowledged assumption that she will be her grandfather’s successor at some stage.

Stephanie Gentle, Managing Director, Beaverswood

Stephanie Gentle’s career began at Office Depot UK in what was, in the early 2000s, still very firmly the traditional OP space. After 12 years at the reseller in numerous sales and marketing roles, she joined Banner UK as Marketing Director before taking a short career break to, as she says, “just be mum” for a while.

In 2016, Gentle set up her own company which provided marketing strategy services to SMBs across a plethora of industries in both the B2B and B2C sector. She refers to it as a hugely valuable learning curve that expanded her skill set way beyond marketing and into business strategy. It stood her in good stead when she became Managing Director of Beaverswood, part of IWS Group, which she had joined in 2019.

Vicky Gerardi-Schmid, VP International, Printus

Vicky Gerardi-Schmid is one half of the power couple that runs Germany’s dominant online and mail order reseller Printus. To say that Gerardi-Schmid is the ‘international’ half who complements the operational excellence of her husband Hans Schmid would be no exaggeration.

Printus does not have a global presence, but with 29 years of marketing experience, Gerardi-Schmid is acutely aware of the importance of keeping an ear to the ground. She is as familiar with the competitive landscape around the world as she is with new initiatives, evolving priorities and the broadening definition of workplace solutions. This knowledge feeds back into shaping an operator which, in 2022, smashed through the €1 billion ($1.07 billion) barrier for the first time.

Heather Green, Global VP Post-It and Scotch brands, 3M Consumer Group

Heather Green is currently 3M’s Global VP responsible for the business and portfolio development of the Post-it and Scotch brands which serve the stationery and office channels. She boasts over 25 years of sales and marketing experience of increasing responsibility, driving growth and expanding categories in several of the vendor’s strategic brands.

Recent new product launches in the portfolios Green oversees include the award-winning Scotch Cushion Lock protective wrap and the Post-it app for Microsoft Teams.

As regards leadership style, Green believes clear strategy sets the stage for strong execution, but she maintains that culture still trumps strategy.

Simone Hindmarch, Co-founder/CEO, Commercial

Simone Hindmarch attributes her blend of steely determination and creativity as the key aspects which have taken her from being a teenage Commonwealth Games swimming champion to today’s international business stage.

As Co-founder and Managing Director of UK-based reseller Commercial, Hindmarch has forged an innovation path which is always closely aligned with social and environmental responsibility. Her passion for and commitment towards sustainability has delivered wide-ranging impacts that extend to Commercial’s customers, supply chain partners and all the communities the organisation serves.

Hindmarch’s leadership style expertly unites her extraordinary teams, enabling Commercial to be a challenger and disruptor across the business supplies sector.

Sarah Hunter, Managing Director, Officeworks

Sarah Hunter was appointed Managing Director of Officeworks in January 2019. Prior to this, she had worked across many areas of the Coles Group in positions including Financial Controller, General Manager Workplace Strategy and most recently Demerger Program Director, overseeing the group’s implementation of the demerger from Wesfarmers and the listing of Coles Group.

Since joining Officeworks, Hunter has expertly led the growth – and transformation – of the business. She has championed data and digital to improve the customer experience, supported the launch of new team values and a brand refresh, and steered the modernisation of the organisation’s systems, processes and supply chain to deliver improved efficiency and increased capacity.

Amy Hutchinson, CEO, BOSS Federation

Industry associations sometimes need a breath of fresh air and a metaphorical facelift to catapult them into renewed relevance. Amy Hutchinson offered exactly that when she was promoted to CEO of UK trade association BOSS in 2019. She was no stranger to the association when she joined, having been Marketing Director at the British Printing Industries Federation beforehand, which has close ties with BOSS.

There’s been no shortage of challenges during her tenure. First it was Brexit and COVID-19, now an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis that’s putting businesses –BOSS members – at risk. ‘Better together’ is Hutchinson’s mantra as she continues to engage, educate, support and bring together the UK business supplies sector.

Pooja Jain Gupta, Managing Director, Luxor Group

Pooja Jain Gupta worked in the family business – India’s Luxor Group – from a very young age, first after school and then during college. She immersed herself in every single department of the company, learning from the ground up.

That comprehensive knowledge, her strategic vision, determination and passion for the business stood her in good stead when, in 2014, Luxor founder and her father DK Jain, suddenly passed away. Jain Gupta, VP at the time, became Managing Director of the writing and stationery segment of the by now hugely diversified Luxor Group.

After further strengthening the foothold of Luxor Writing Instruments in India with over 15% market share, she expanded internationally to more than 90 countries.

Carey Jaros, President/CEO, GOJO Industries

Carey Jaros brings real passion to GOJO’s mission of ‘Saving Lives and Making Life Better Through Well-Being Solutions’. Her focus at all times is on continuously extending GOJO’s position as a market-leading, growth-oriented company that cares about the health and well-being of people.

Jaros joined the vendor in 2014 as a board member, then held executive roles as Chief Strategy Officer and COO before becoming President/CEO in 2020. She has been involved with 50 organisations as an operator, investor, board member or volunteer (or combination thereof), giving her a very broad outlook on business.

Prior to GOJO, Jaros was President of Walnut Ridge Strategic Management Company and VP at Dealer Tire.

Danièle Kapel-Marcovici, CEO, RAJA Group

Danièle Kapel-Marcovici needs little introduction to readers of OPI. Her company RAJA Group, which she has led since 1982, has taken the European business products market by storm in the past few years. It first acquired Bernard, JPG, Kalamazoo and Mondoffice from Staples Solutions and then, in 2021, snapped up Viking from Office Depot Europe.

In addition to her expansive business interests, Kapel-Marcovici has been a longtime activist for gender equality and, in 2006, established the RAJA-Danièle Marcovici Foundation. Since then, over €13 million ($15 million) in funding has been provided for some 600 projects in almost 60 countries – benefitting more than 110,000 women and girls.

Andrea Kenna, Senior Director Core Categories, Viking (RAJA Group)

As mentioned above, previously Office Depot Europe-owned Viking was bought by RAJA Group in 2021, making Andrea Kenna the fourth female senior executive in this list under the broad RAJA umbrella.

In an industry not known for boasting about its exciting products, it’s refreshing to encounter an executive who is wholeheartedly enthusiastic about them. Now Senior Director Core Categories at Viking, Kenna looks back on 21 years at Depot/ Viking in UK, Irish and pan-European roles. All of her positions have revolved around merchandising and procurement in increasingly senior capacities. Products aside, Kenna has always been passionate about people’s professional development and has mentored and assisted many individuals over the years.

Kim Leazer, CEO, FSIoffice

Kim Leazer is CEO of FSIoffice, one of the largest independent office supplies dealers in the US. Like so many children growing up in a family business, she was immersed in all things OP from an early age, learning from her father, company founder Jimmy Godwin. Playful childhood interest grew into a passion and a natural ability for sales, a skill perfected over the next 40 years.

Leazer leads FSIoffice by ensuring the dealership always stays focused on its motto: ‘You will appreciate our service’. Responsible for overseeing the long-term direction of the organisation, she drives this mission of dedicated customer engagement alongside several other family members – her sister, brother and daughter – who are involved in its management.

Amie Lyone, Co-CEO, COS

Amie Lyone is one half of the leadership duo at Australia’s COS, having taken over from her father – company founder Dominique Lyone, now Chairman – with her sister Belinda (see below) in 2021.

Having started her career in professional services, Lyone has been working in the family business for the past 20 years. Her interest in people, diversity and philanthropy has fundamentally shaped COS’ culture which, in turn, has been instrumental in the success of the company.

Lyone’s biggest personal passion is sustainability, something she’s increasingly incorporating at COS. She has spearheaded its solar farm programme, an electric vehicle trial and is working to phase out single-use plastic across the reseller.

Belinda Lyone, Co-CEO, COS

Joining the family dealership in 2006 after spending five years as a Brand Manager at Suntory, Belinda Lyone comes with an enthusiasm for procurement, sourcing and strategy. The latter has resulted in a raft of acquisitions over the past few years, most notably Lyreco Australia and Quick Corporate Australia. The combination of their interests made for the perfect complementary fit when she began sharing the CEO role with her sister.

High moral and ethical values are evidently hugely important at COS and Lyone brings these to her specific role. Her mission is to constantly deliver customer advantage by protecting the quality of the supply chain, pursuing social procurement and supporting minority-led businesses and social enterprises.

Kris Malkoski, Segment CEO, Learning & Development, Newell Brands

Kris Malkoski has been an international business leader for more than 30 years in a number of public and private companies, including Procter & Gamble, World Kitchen and Arc International. She is highly regarded as a strategic change protagonist and has successfully grown, transformed or integrated brands and organisations to drive meaningful revenue and profits.

Having joined Newell Brands in 2020, Malkoski is currently Segment CEO, Learning & Development at the vendor, managing global iconic brands such as Sharpie, Paper Mate, Expo, Elmer’s Glue, Graco and NUK. She has driven significant (+30%) sales and income growth, despite COVID headwinds including inflation, labour and supply challenges.

Perpetua Malta, Global Sales Diretor, Bi-silque

As Global Sales Director, Perpetua Malta is responsible for the sales, planning, pricing and customer service departments at Bi-silque.

Having been with the Portuguese visual communications manufacturer for the past 22 years, Malta has been described as the backbone of the company. Aside from impeccable and extensive product knowledge and an unrelenting customer focus, she is known for consistently creating synergies between all the different functions to achieve Bi-silque’s objectives.

A strong leader with a hands-on mentality, Malta has become a valuable resource for the vendor’s EMEA as well as US sales and customer service teams, and a highly regarded individual across the global business supplies community.

Kathleen Noe, COO, Fellowes Brands

A long-time team member of Fellowes Brands – she joined in 1996 – Kathleen Noe has held a variety of leadership roles across several disciplines at the manufacturer, including VP Sales Finance and VP of Corporate Development. With a degree in accounting from Michigan State University and pursuing CPA certification, she began her career at KPMG, where she worked for just over three years in the Audit section.

Noe was promoted to COO a year ago, a role that comprises responsibility for operations, finance, IT, legal and corporate transactions. One of several female members in Fellowes’ senior management, she is a growth-minded leader who strives for strong cross-functional collaboration to achieve record business results.

Andi

Owen, President/CEO, MillerKnoll

Andi Owen has a demonstrated history of leading complex customer-focused businesses, among them clothing retailer Gap where she worked for 25 years in various divisions. As President/CEO of MillerKnoll, she is passionate about using design thinking to solve complex problems, leveraging innovation to improve people’s lives and using business as a force for good.

Owen was instrumental in brokering the deal that brought Herman Miller –where she served as President/CEO for the prior three years – and Knoll together to create MillerKnoll in 2021. She is now responsible for leading the company’s worldwide operations, which encompasses nearly 11,000 team members, with revenues of $2.47 billion in fiscal 2021.

Michele Parzianello, Chief Sales Officer, Staples Inc

Michele Parzianello has been a thought leader in the evolving role of e-commerce and digital in B2C and B2B operations for more than 20 years. Her experience ranges from establishing entirely new digital capabilities to completely transforming existing businesses.

Parzianello joined Staples Inc in 2019. She has since served the reseller in a number of roles. Prior to her current position of Chief Sales Officer, where she is responsible for all of Staples’ B2B sales, she was Chief Transformation Officer. In this capacity, she had led a multi-year transformation effort that spanned Staples’ B2B digital, supply chain, information systems, customer service, and merchandising functions.

Allison Phillips, VP of Strategic Business Development, Avery

When Allison Phillips joined Avery 35 years ago, major technology transformations had begun to happen in the industry and the print space in particular. She saw an opportunity to disrupt the status quo and facilitated a new way of designing and printing labels. It has since grown into a multimillion dollar business.

Recognising that partnerships with leading software and printer companies were key, Phillips helped establish early relationships with Microsoft, Adobe, HP and Xerox which led to Avery products being tested and approved for use with their emerging desktop printers.

More recently, she has been spearheading the company’s acquisitions, bringing nine complementary entities into Avery’s North American business.

Keli Posch, VP Marketing & Sustainability, Clover Imaging

As VP of Marketing & Sustainability at Clover Imaging, Keli Posch drives the marketing and ESG strategies for its global portfolio of companies.

For the past 20 years, Posch has worked across multiple industries to help organisations align their vision and brand, and develop marketing approaches that drive revenue, profitability and market share. Notably, over the last two years, she has led the rebrand of Clover’s product line to leverage its sustainability value proposition. She acts as the company spokesperson and works with the C-level suite on thought leadership, business development and diversification.

Passionate about shining the light on the reman sector, Posch currently serves on the board of directors for the International Imaging Technology Council.

Elina Rahkonen, CEO, Wulff

With a solid background in finance and a strong history of mergers and acquisitions, Elina Rahkonen was what European business products reseller Wulff needed a few years back. Appointed as CEO in 2019 – following a previous stint as CFO between 2014 and 2017 – she has certainly made her mark on the company, internationally speaking perhaps mostly so with the purchase of Staples’ Finnish operations in 2021.

Rahkonen is expertly placed to execute Wulff’s ‘buy and build’ strategy which envisages exceptional revenue expansion. The ambition is to reach €200 million ($214 million) in sales by 2026 – more than doubling current revenues of €90 million and equating to an annual growth rate of 15-20%.

Carissa Ryan, VP of Merchandising, WB Mason

Carissa Ryan’s love for this industry and the company she works for is evident. She began her career at US mega dealer WB Mason in 2006 and has been there ever since, steadily ascending through the ranks in various marketing and merchandising positions. Expecting it at first to be a mature sector, she refers to the journey as “a fast-paced adventure of growth, adaptation and digitalisation”.

As VP of Merchandising, Ryan is regarded as highly knowledgeable by her business partners. Her leadership style is based on compassion and kindness. It follows on from what she experienced herself in her 17 years at Mason: outstanding top management guidance, colleagues and mentors to lean on, and a team of talented and motivated individuals who constantly challenge each other.

Louise Shipley, Head of European Marketing, Fellowes Brands

Louise Shipley has been with Fellowes Brands for 21 years. As Head of Marketing, she has built the Workplace Health Solutions division for the vendor in Europe. She began by focusing on ergonomic accessories, always with an eye on countering ‘ergo washing’ in our industry.

In line with Fellowes’ emphasis on education around health and well-being in the office environment, Shipley launched ‘Professor Ergo’ to help communicate the benefits of using the correct equipment in the workplace. Other achievements include the ‘4 Zone Approach’, demystifying European display screen legislation, plus ‘Emma the Work Colleague of the Future’, which so starkly demonstrates the detrimental health impacts of poor working habits.

Nina Skramstad, Managing Director, Lyreco Norway

Coming from a background predominantly rooted in grocery retail, Nina Skramstrad’s career in the business supplies space dates back nine years when she joined Staples Retail in Norway. That company was acquired by Lyreco in 2021, with Skramstad now in charge of the combined entity and driving the global reseller’s operations in this geography.

Her areas of expertise are wide-ranging and comprehensive, with a clear focus on innovation, change and turnaround. Skramstad is a results-driven leader with strong communication skills who loves to work in collaboration with her colleagues. An energetic, cooperative and positive company culture is hugely important to her, with her striving to constantly lead by example.

Viv Slater, Managing Director, Banner (EVO Group)

Viv Slater’s career in the business supplies industry started at Guilbert UK, followed by several years at office2office. She left the sector for a while, amassing significant experience in a range of consulting and project management roles.

Slater came back to the OP space in 2015 when she joined EVO Group-owned Banner as Corporate Sales Director. In this position, she delivered considerable growth and managed the successful acquisition/integration of Staples UK in 2020. In February 2023, she was promoted to Banner Managing Director.

In the next phase of her Banner journey, Slater will be focusing on driving excellent customer service and profitable sales growth, cementing its standing as a first-choice partner for public and private sector clients in the UK and Ireland.

Bärbel Sorgler, Head of Purchasing, Soennecken

Bärbel Sorgler is an experienced professional with a passion for brand and product development. As Head of Purchasing of German dealer group and wholesale operation Soennecken, she brings over two decades of knowledge to the table, most of it accrued at department store chain Galeria Kaufhof (now embattled Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof).

Sorgler is equally at home in the area of private label positioning and differentiation as she is with brand strategy and development. She joined Soennecken in 2021 and over the past couple of years has played a core part in maintaining the group’s stability in the face of unprecedented macroeconomic headwinds and ever-intensifying industry transformation.

Renee Starr, SVP of Sales, Essendant

As SVP of Sales, Renee Starr is responsible for all of Essendant’s sales channels which include jan/san, IDC office products and foodservice, e-tail, retail, MRO and healthcare. Before joining the US wholesaler in 2015, she spent 16 years at Newell Brands, honing her skills in the areas of finance, sales and marketing.

Most recently, Starr led a holistic effort to change how Essendant organised its customer base. From there, she developed a sales organisation model to more effectively serve that customer base and capture new revenue.

A keen advocate of advancing and retaining women in the cleaning industry, Starr serves on ISSA’s Hygieia Network Council and is the Chair of its Recruitment and Onboarding Committee.

Anne-Marie Sutton, CEO, NXP

Anne-Marie Sutton is an execution-focused individual with a proven track record of optimising and growing complex manufacturing businesses in New Zealand and Australia. Her sales and operations credentials were sharpened in the labels industry when she worked as part of the supply chain for Australasian manufacturers and exporters.

Sutton is currently the CEO of NXP, a significant and thriving privately-owned business supplies entity in New Zealand. Preferring to fly under the radar and concentrate on the job at hand, operational excellence, customer first and impeccable manners are her bylines. She strongly believes that how you act along the way is just as important as the end result.

Amy Steel Vanden-Eykel, CMO, Staples Inc

A longtime Staples team member, Amy Steel Vanden-Eykel is a marketing executive at the reseller in the US. She most recently progressed through the ranks to become CMO – which includes Staples.com and the B2B Staples Business Advantage – in 2021.

In this role, she is responsible for brand and creative strategy, customer acquisition and development, the loyalty programme, and marketing activation channels such as field marketing, email and direct mail.

Prior to this, she honed her business expertise as SVP of Merchandising & Marketing, while beforehand she spent almost a decade in positions of increasing seniority in merchandising for Staples.com, Staples Advantage and Staples Retail.

Denise Vivas, VP E-commerce, Essity Professional Hygiene

Denise Vivas is responsible for expanding Essity Professional Hygiene’s e-commerce business across North and Latin America and Europe. She is leading the company’s digitalisation agenda towards a fully-integrated omnichannel model; building the strategy, organisation and capabilities needed to advance the Tork brand positioning on the digital shelf and ultimately win customers in the quickly evolving B2B market.

Vivas is a visionary e-commerce executive who has been providing decisive and transformational leadership to top-performing organisations for nearly 20 years. Before joining Essity, Denise held positions with Wilton Brands, The Hershey Company, Woodstream Corp and Ryder Logistics.

Beth Wright, Chief Commercial Officer, Fellowes Brands

One of the most visible women in the business supplies industry thanks to a truly international career, Beth Wright has been immersed in all things OP almost her entire life, initially through her parents’ dealership in South Boston, Virginia.

Starting her professional life in a Daisytek recruitment programme, she has since been – with just a short gap – a prominent player in the vendor community. Always with a highly commercial outlook – and a keen eye on the independent dealer channel, a lasting by-product of her upbringing – she’s dynamically driven the sales performance of the organisations she’s worked for. First Cardinal Brands, then Bi-silque and currently Fellowes Brands. Read more about Wright’s career and attitude to life and leadership in our Big Interview (page 20)

Elena (Sirpolaidis) Wuchner, CEO, EON Office

Elena (Sirpolaidis) Wuchner ‘grew up’ in the office supplies business. Her parents, Vass and Lynne Sirpolaidis, were the owners of Mile High Office Supply, a dealership they sold to US Office Products (USOP) in 1996. She set up EON Office – now one of the largest independent dealerships in the US – in 2000, bringing on board several of the former Mile High employees.

Denver-based EON prides itself on providing the savings and capabilities of a large supplier, combined with the personal, flexible service of a small company. Wuchner is deeply involved in her local community, has tirelessly spearheaded the cause of women in our sector and won a series of awards for outstanding leadership and civic engagement.

Maria Zesch, CEO, TAKKT

Maria Zesch joined European and North American MRO and business supplies group Takkt in 2021 when she became CEO.

Zesch came to the job with 25 years’ experience, 15 of them in senior, customer-facing functions where she accrued extensive sales, service, marketing and digital knowledge. Previous employers include two large telecoms organisations – Magenta and Deutsche Telekom – which she worked for in Austria, Croatia and the Czech Republic. Zesch is regarded as a digital innovator and influential leader who drives agile transformation in the companies she serves.

At Takkt, she is targeting considerable growth, aiming to almost double sales by fiscal 2025, to €2 billion ($2.1 billion), both organically and through acquisitions.

W MEN influential

in the business products world

Sara Armbruster, President/CEO, Steelcase

Roxanne Bernstein, EVP/ President North America, ACCO Brands

Anna Bordes, CEO, ADVEO France

Jeanette Bresitz, Managing Director, Office Friendly

W MEN influential

Angie Bukta, President, Canadian Workplace Solutions

in the business products world

Ashley Burke, Managing Director, EVO Group Ireland

Anne Cashman, General Manager & Managing Director, Avery Australia/NZ

Margaret De Francesco, General Manager, Dynamic Supplies

Kelly de Silva, Group Marketing Director, OT Group

Stephanie Dismore, SVP & Managing Director North America, HP Inc

Isabel Ehringer, Chief Customer Officer, Lyreco

Janet Eshenour, VP of Marketing, Independent Suppliers Group

Kimberly Fulford, SVP Sales, S.P. Richards

Christa Furter, CEO, Viking Europe (RAJA Group)

Susan Gambardella, President, Kimberly-Clark Professional North America

Irma Garbella, Managing Director, Mondoffice (RAJA Group)

Nathalie Gaspard, President, Lyreco

Stephanie Gentle, Managing Director, Beaverswood

Vicky Gerardi-Schmid, VP International, Printus

Heather Green, Global VP Post-It and Scotch brands, 3M Consumer Group

Simone Hindmarch, Co-founder/CEO, Commercial

Sarah Hunter, Managing Director, Officeworks

Amy Hutchinson, CEO, BOSS Federation

Pooja Jain Gupta, Managing Director, Luxor Group

Carey Jaros, President/CEO, GOJO Industries

Danièle Kapel-Marcovici, CEO, RAJA Group

Andrea Kenna, Senior Director Merchandising Europe, Viking (RAJA Group)

Kim Leazer, CEO, FSIoffice

Amie Lyone, Co-CEO, COS

Belinda Lyone, Co-CEO, COS

Kris Malkoski, Segment CEO, Learning & Development, Newell Brands

Perpetua Malta, Global Sales Director, Bi-silque

Kathleen Noe, COO, Fellowes Brands

Andi Owen, President/CEO, MillerKnoll

Michele Parzianello, Chief Sales Officer, Staples Inc

Allison Phillips, VP of Strategic Business Development, Avery

Keli Posch, VP Marketing & Sustainability, Clover Imaging

Elina Rahkonen, CEO, Wulff

Carissa Ryan, VP of Merchandising, WB Mason

Louise Shipley, Head of European Marketing, Fellowes Brands

Nina Skramstad, Managing Director, Lyreco Norway

Viv Slater, Managing Director, Banner (EVO Group)

Bärbel Sorgler, Head of Purchasing, Soennecken

Renee Starr, SVP of Sales, Essendant

Anne-Marie Sutton, CEO, NXP

Amy Steel Vanden-Eykel, CMO, Staples Inc

Denise Vivas, VP E-commerce, Essity Professional Hygiene

Beth Wright, Chief Commercial Officer, Fellowes Brands

Elena (Sirpolaidis) Wuchner, CEO, EON Office

Maria Zesch, CEO, TAKKT

HEALTHY opportunities

Post-pandemic, the OP industry is looking at a newly educated market for health and well-being –

by Bruce Ackland

Over the past couple of years, few categories have taken on as much prominence in the workplace as health and well-being.

It’s an area that has been completely re-examined and emboldened by a variety of factors, the most significant among these being the COVID-19 pandemic, greater awareness of mental health and a renewed belief in the old adage that a company’s most valuable resource is its people.

One of the new phrases that has entered the category is the ‘homification of the office’. It’s a way of making people feel mentally and physically comfortable in the office environment after the work-from-home (WFH) times of COVID.

Indeed, there is a whole science behind building a better and more productive

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workplace. Patty Olinger, Executive Director at the Global Biorisk Advisory Council, a division of international cleaning association ISSA, explains: “It’s not just the layout, but also how we look at indoor air quality, cleanability of surfaces, touchless technologies, etc.

“These types of issues are extremely important as we build resilience against the ongoing COVID-19 challenges but, crucially, against any and all potentially infectious diseases we might face now and in the future.”

David Centrella, President of ODP Business Solutions, adds: “Office workers have been in control of their well-being for the past two years [during the WFH period]. As such, providing them with products and solutions which focus on well-being in the workplace supports their changing needs and helps them feel more secure back in the office.”

For organisations, the main motivation from a management perspective is lowering the risk of infection among employees, says Jonathan Weiss, Commercial Director B2B at Reckitt in Europe, Australia and New Zealand: “This leads to a more productive workforce and a better-performing business.

“Four out of five employees would go to work even if they are sick, which is why it’s imperative to invest in cleaning and hygiene products and protocols to break the chain of infection. Providing a clean work environment can also help to attract and retain top talent.”

THE RIGHT BALANCE

So how do you create the best working environment – in the office, at home or a hybrid bit of both? What are the key components?

First, you have to remember that not everyone performs their best in the same setting; it can be task-dependent too, meaning workplaces which offer different types of surroundings are more likely to get the maximum out of employees. It further helps each member of the team to feel valued as productivity is linked closely to staff morale.

ODP Business Solutions offers a wide range of products, services and recommendations to assist companies in providing a comfortable work setting with a focus on sustainability and efficiency. In addition, the B2B reseller conducts site surveys to give insights and suggestions on how to establish a clean and comfortable space.

Olinger adds: “It is not about how pretty a place looks or how great it smells, but making sure we clean, sanitise and disinfect correctly. When we use the correct tools and train our staff to use them appropriately, we not only have a more hygienic workplace, but we can also save time, resources and support environmental sustainability programmes.”

solution. Items like disinfecting wipes and hand sanitisers should be customised, based on the client’s desires, wants and habits.

“If dealers don’t include well-being items, they risk missing out on providing their customers with a comprehensive solution, in the process losing revenue. Margins are also best when staying on top of new trends.”

ISG is working with its members in a variety of ways to ensure they are making the most of the post-pandemic potential. The group has organised a multitude of training webinars in conjunction with its direct manufacturers, with the purpose of highlighting new products that are part of the solution to provide better workplace wellness.

The best margins for dealers which operate specifically in the cleaning and hygiene sector can vary depending on several factors, says Reckitt’s Weiss, including the type of products they are selling and the size of their customer base. “Some potential areas where dealers may be able to achieve higher margins include private label, niche items, high-quality services or online sales. It all depends on competition, cost and demand.”

He adds: “There is no one-size-fits-all approach, but there are several ways dealers can sell ‘workplace wellness’ and promote the products and services they offer. Strategies include highlighting the benefits of products and services, offering bundled solutions and building trust and credibility.”

BEST FOOT FORWARD

Opportunities in the dealer community are manifold, but independents have to be on the front foot to service the post-pandemic office. As Frank Hoard, Director of the Facility Supply Channel at Independent Suppliers Group (ISG), explains: “Dealers should include workplace well-being products as part of any

Vendors, of course, can also provide valuable assistance. In the UK, for instance, new distributor portal GOJO.co.uk hosts a wealth of resources resellers can access. In the US, GOJO.com provides market-specific resources, while the PURELL Well-Being Center offers hand and surface hygiene best practices, posters/fact sheets as well as product placement suggestions.

SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS

Sustainability has become a vital consideration in this category as workers demand that the products they use are part of the circular economy. With the heightened recognition of climate change millennials and Gen Z in particular bring to the workplace, businesses are feeling the pressure to demonstrate an awareness of sustainability through the fit-out and furnishing of their offices.

Many companies have also set environmental, social and governance goals and, in pursuit of these, are focusing more on sustainability. Paul Eatock, Managing Director of UK-based office design and commercial fit-out specialists Eatock Design & Build, says: “While design and functionality remain

Dealers should include workplace well-being products as part of any solution

Indoor air quality check with the Renz AIR2COLOR CO2 traffic light

priorities, there is huge swaying power in products made with sustainability in mind. This means sourcing items made from recycled materials which boast low-carbon production or can be recycled at their end of life. Dealers that do not offer those products are likely to lose their competitive edge.”

Martina Heiland, PR Manager at Durable, highlights the necessity to customise: “Workplace equipment needs to reflect flexibility and individuality. A sense of well-being is achieved when workplaces can be adjusted to the individual requirements of employees. Tables, chairs and monitors, for instance, should all display maximum flexibility to accommodate employees.”

In addition to these ergonomic products, Heiland also refers to lighting as an important consideration, again with personal preference in mind. “With our LUCTRA brand, we offer a luminaire portfolio which can be modified to each user thanks to variants in brightness and light colour. The light not only complies with the specified standards, but the latest technology also ensures energy-efficient and comfortable illumination of the entire work area.”

Renz’s Schubert has already alluded to the importance of indoor air quality. This indeed is a sub-category which continues to gain greater importance and is set to outlast any pandemic-related product peaks. Fellowes Brands has been a trendsetter in this area with its AeraMax air purifiers aimed at a wide variety of settings – the office space and education establishments included.

ISG’s Hoard concurs, adding: “Cleaning professionals and end users are seeking more sustainable disinfectants and cleaners to help keep their facilities healthy. Products that contain the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Safer Choice and Design for Environment certified ingredients are being used to sustain a ‘green’ solution to cleaning.”

KEY PRODUCTS

There are some key sub-categories under the health and well-being umbrella. Among the most prominent are undoubtedly ergonomics and air quality alongside items that promote positive mental health.

As Marion Schubert, Marketing Officer at German vendor Renz, summarises: “Dealers should concentrate on offering high-quality and ergonomic office equipment. In addition, they can promote devices that help check indoor air quality. An example of this is our AIR2COLOR CO2 traffic light which notifies staff when it is time to open windows.

“When it comes to well-being equipment with mental health in mind, meanwhile, products such as yoga mats, sound bowls and fragrance lamps will become ever more important in the future.”

The company started its journey into this space about 11 years ago with personal air purifiers, entering the commercial segment two years later. By the time COVID-19 happened, it had amassed a huge amount of expertise in a category it continues to feel passionate about and comprehensively develops.

As Hoard says: “Air purification plays an important role in the office environment, there’s no question. Workers want to be assured that the everyday air they breathe is being filtered properly.

Durable’s LUCTRA table lamps

Workplace equipment needs to reflect flexibility and individuality

Another organisation that has expanded beyond its traditional product portfolio is office furniture supplier Special T. Creative Director Scott Althauser explains: “Our offering for private desks, tables and desking systems, plus the accessories needed to fully support a healthy and clean workplace, is wide-ranging. We also now provide air purification units, clear plexiglass privacy screens to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria, and tables/desks that are affordable and socially distant.”

KEEN TO BE CLEAN

While some products have not lasted the test of post-pandemic times particularly well, many definitely have. Sanitisers, for instance, will remain essential in a workplace newly educated about keeping clean, with recent figures showing 80% of infections are spread through contaminated surfaces.

According to a report by the Centre for Economic and Business Research, poor office hygiene is costing the UK £13.7 billion ($16.7 billion) alone on wasted productivity.

For its part in advanced office sanitisation, GOJO Industries has finetuned its PURELL Surface Sanitising and Disinfecting Wipes to

not just quickly eliminate 99.9% of bacteria and viruses of concern, but to earn the EPA’s lowest allowable toxicity rating (Category IV). It means users don’t need gloves or handwashing and there’s no need to rinse surfaces after use.

Workplace cleanliness is a topic close to the heart of Jim Arbogast PhD, VP of Hygiene Sciences and Public Health Advancements at GOJO: “Organisations must maintain a clean workplace and provide easy access to quality hygiene products and supplies. Low-toxicity disinfectant wipes or spray should be near shared spaces so employees can always disinfect their own area before and/or after use,” he explains.

“Dispensers with effective alcohol-based hand sanitisers are critical in settings like conference rooms, breakrooms and cafeterias, and high-traffic areas such as lobbies, elevators and restrooms.”

Health and wellness in the office was a focus point before COVID-19. Now the category has become the bedrock of the modern workplace – wherever it happens to be. It presents ample opportunities for employers to look after the bodies and minds of their staff and unlimited potential for resellers selling into this space.

Happiness is?

Who would have thought that three years after a new virus started circulating the world, it’s still affecting our health and wellness – including how, where and when we work? But this is the reality.

The world’s population may no longer be under pandemic-induced lockdowns, but we are all still dealing with the aftermath of COVID-19. Throw into the mix a cost-of-living crisis and energy issues as well as a war in Europe, and it’s no wonder there’s been an impact on our health and well-being.

The World Happiness Report 2022 reveals several interesting, yet unsurprising, facts about the state of the global psyche. It says, for example, that on average there has been a “long-term moderate upward trend in stress, worry and sadness in most countries and a slight long-term decline in the enjoyment of life”.

In terms of happiness rankings by country, Finland came in as the happiest place, followed by Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Australia ranked 12th, the US 16th, with the UK coming in at number 17.

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Meanwhile, Canada fell to its lowest ranking (15), while France reached its highest to date (20). At the bottom of the pile was Afghanistan, with Lebanon, Zimbabwe and Rwanda close behind.

WORKPLACE HAPPINESS

The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) has released the findings of what it calls the first-ever global analysis of wellness, happiness and health. According to GWI, wellness is “the active pursuit of activities, choices and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health”. The wellness economy is defined as “industries that enable consumers to incorporate wellness activities and lifestyles into their daily lives”.

For anyone unfamiliar with GWI, the non-profit organisation is an excellent research and educational source on this broad topic and includes workplace wellness in its initiatives. GWI’s Health, Happiness and the Wellness Economy: An Empirical Analysis, January 2023 results indicate that four sectors show a strong, positive relationship with happiness: workplace wellness, wellness real estate, healthy eating and physical activity.

According to the report, in percentage terms, worry and stress rose by 8% in 2020 and 4% in 2021 compared with pre-pandemic levels. However, there was some good news too, with a “global upsurge in benevolence in 2021”. With the 2023 report slated for release on 20 March, it will be intriguing to see if this kindness carried forth into 2022.

The analysis further found that a 100% increase in workplace wellness spending per capita ($10) corresponds to a 4.7% increase in happiness levels. According to the report, “workplace wellness is the only sector that shows a strong and statistically significant correlation with happiness and all of the health outcome indicators across countries”.

The Fourth Annual State of Snacking survey by Mondeléz International also points to a trend towards healthier eating and reaffirms the link between treats and happiness. 68% of consumers, for instance, check out the

Recent research reveals the importance of workplace wellness on overall physical and mental health – by Michelle Sturman

Workplace wellness is the only sector that shows a strong and statistically significant correlation with happiness

nutritional labels on snacks before buying. 82% wished more snacks had biodegradable packaging, while 65% would pay more for ethically sourced ingredients and 70% believe plant-based versions are better for the future of our planet.

Perhaps predictably, 79% of respondents regularly eat snacks to ‘pamper’ or ‘reward’ themselves, with tough times calling for little luxuries such as chocolate. 84% believe chocolate is good for the soul, 78% think indulgent snacks boost their mood, while 64% state they make them feel healthy and strong.

Providing treats in the office breakroom may create a welcome, albeit temporary, mood enhancer for some, but it’s no substitute for organisations implementing a proper well-being programme for the workplace.

SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health in particular has risen up the agenda. In the US, the 24th Employer Health Benefits Survey, undertaken by Kaiser Family Foundation, found that in 2022, 48% of large employers saw an increase in employees seeking mental health services. However, just over half (52%) believed there were enough behavioural health providers in their networks to allow timely access to services. This compares to 89% of firms thinking there were enough primary care providers.

Indeed, according to a Calm for Business survey, US employees expect (and need) more mental health support at work. Key findings of the research revealed that 97% thought employers should be working to improve the mental health of their staff members. Meanwhile, 66% didn’t feel comfortable talking about their mental health with a manager, with 43% attributing their negative mental health to their job.

Dealing with mental health issues is a global problem and there are some stark realities. A McKinsey Health Institute survey – Present Company Included: Prioritizing Mental Health

LET’S TALK MENOPAUSE

Most women and other people who have a menstrual cycle will reach the menopause at some stage of their life – usually from their mid-40s, but it could be much earlier or indeed later. Despite the considerable percentage this represents, the topic has only started being talked about more openly, with action in the workplace still sorely lacking.

A recent Acas poll in the UK found that 33% of employers do not feel well equipped to support those going through the menopause (46% were well equipped) while 21% “didn’t know”. Acas CEO Susan Clews noted: “There is still stigma attached to the menopause and our findings show that some employers do not feel well equipped to support women who are going through it. Our poll also reveals there is a lack of confidence around whether some managers have the skills to support staff experiencing symptoms. Creating a safe place at work to talk about it can help.”

For some, the menopause can be very stressful, affecting them physically and psychologically to varying degrees and with a dizzying array of symptoms. Sleeplessness, brain fog, hot flushes, heavy periods, migraines and mood swings can make the workplace difficult for sufferers and, equally, for those supporting them.

As such, it’s important to include the menopause in any workplace well-being programme and ensure ‘gendered ageism’ is dealt with in the same manner as any other discriminatory behaviour.

Some basic workplace menopause management includes being supportive as an organisation, awareness training for managers and staff, and incorporating the menopause in policies and guidelines. Employers should further ensure the working environment can easily be adjusted to alleviate symptoms, offer flexible working arrangements and implement a well-being champion and support networks.

and Well-being for all – reports that around 60% of employees have experienced at least one mental health challenge at some point in their lives – a percentage that tallies with other global research.

The toll and cost of failing to address mental health and well-being is a “missed opportunity for employers”, according to McKinsey, especially as those facing challenges report more negative experiences at work. For example, such employees are 4x more likely to say they intend to leave, 3x more likely to report low job satisfaction, and 3x times more likely to experience toxic work behaviour.

Providing access to resources alone may lead to overestimating the impact employee programmes have and underestimating the role other workplace factors play, McKinsey asserts. Boosting inclusivity, creating sustainable work and eliminating toxic behaviour, for instance, can be critical in supporting mental health and well-being.

The role work plays in our lives and how it affects our well-being certainly shouldn’t be underestimated. Last year, the World Health Organization launched the WHO Guidelines on Mental Health at Work, offering advice on organisational and individual interventions as well as manager and worker training.

Mixed FEELINGS

complete for visitors to get a good return on their investment.”

This was echoed by Durable CEO Rolf Schifferens. “The absence of many companies from the sector was criticised by customers,” he noted. “An increase is therefore needed for the next Ambiente, as otherwise a visit to the fair is not worthwhile from the customer’s point of view.”

Messe Frankfurt was understandably jubilant that buyers and suppliers could once again gather in person last month for its largest consumer goods fair, Ambiente (now co-located with Christmasworld and Creativeworld).

The event previously took place in early February 2020, a year which was hit by the double whammy of the onset of COVID-19 and Storm Ciara. In 2022, it was cancelled at the last minute due to the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant across Europe.

The organiser’s press release referred to a “sensational comeback”, with sold-out exhibition halls and visitors from 170 countries. “Our new one-stop shop concept is working,” said Detlef Braun, Member of the Executive Board at Messe Frankfurt, citing the “overwhelming participation and tremendous nationality” at Ambiente 2023.

SEAL OF APPROVAL

Hopax European Sales and Marketing Director Stuart Seymour was certainly impressed, having participated at every Paperworld since 1998. “My main impression was that the whole event was much bigger than I expected,” he told OPI, admitting he was not sure what to expect after seeing many familiar names from our sector were not exhibiting.

The lack of these suppliers was also something noted by other attendees. “Some major players in our industry were missing which would have attracted more traffic to Hall 4.2,” stated Danny Berendsen, EMEA Sales Director at Bi-silque. “The pallet of manufacturers needs to be more diverse and

MARK THE DATE

The next Ambiente will take place from 26-30 January 2024, with Creativeworld running from 27-30 January

ONE CONCEPT, TWO HALLS

From a workplace perspective, there were two main locations at Ambiente Working: Hall 4.2, which was dubbed ‘Office Heroes’, and Hall 3.1, where a Future of Work area also included a lecture programme around the theme of ‘new work’.

It was a setup that was not particularly appreciated. OPI Commercial Director Chris Exner described the layout in Hall 4.2 as “unstructured and chaotic”. This was probably due to Messe Frankfurt’s need to fill the space, resulting in suppliers from the hobby and craft sectors occupying booths to make up for the shortfall in business products vendors. He also lamented the lack of workplace suppliers in Hall 3.1, which largely comprised exhibitors from the homewares and furnishings segments.

Messe Frankfurt’s argument is that “the workplace is increasingly merging into social places where interaction and social exchange take place”.

One satisfied vendor was German furniture firm Country Living, which develops products tailored to work-from-home and co-working spaces. Managing Director Diane Wendel described it as “an exciting time”, with verticals such as the hotel industry now looking to play a greater role as work destinations.

Frank Indenkämpen, Managing Director of Novus Dahle, described the fact that Ambiente Working was split between Halls 3.1 and 4.2 as a “weak point” of the event.

“In order to motivate more manufacturers to exhibit, the office must be celebrated in all its aspects,” he stated. “This means ‘traditional’ product portfolios alongside concepts of new

Messe Frankfurt’s Ambiente show – including its new Working section – took place at the beginning of February. OPI gauges reaction to the new concept and event overall

AMBIENTE 2023 REVIEW

work and suppliers of furniture and technology – in one place. They all bring something to the table when it comes to managing office work, now and in the future.”

Schifferens agreed: “As exhibitors, we would like to see an improved concept for the Working area, including the merging of the Future of Work and Office Heroes spaces.”

GLASS HALF FULL

This is not to say that Ambiente Working was all doom and gloom for former Paperworld enthusiasts. Far from it, in fact. Georg Bettin, Managing Director of Acme United Europe, said the show had been “extremely good” for the company, describing both the quantity and quality of visitors as “excellent”, despite former Paperworld customers only paying a fleeting visit or not attending at all.

The low number of competing exhibitors also provided Acme with something of a captive audience, which boosted attendance to its stand. “I’m very happy we decided to give Ambiente a chance,” Bettin enthused, contrasting it with last year’s Insights-X show, which he described as “a disaster”.

Bi-silque tested the waters in 2023 with an ‘express’ meeting point rather than a fully-fledged booth. Berendsen said meetings had been set up beforehand with visitors from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia and South America.

“For these customers, Frankfurt is still the place to meet up with European manufacturers like Bi-silque so, from that point of view, it was very successful,” he said.

Seymour similarly said he was pleased so many clients had visited the Hopax stand and provided some interesting numbers regarding attendance. “We had meetings with 36% of our European customers, responsible for 44% of our business in 2022,” he revealed.

“Compare this with 2020, when we met with 41% of our European customers, responsible for 45% of our revenue in 2019. Therefore, although the number of meetings with existing clients was down by 5%, we were more than satisfied these represented a similar proportion of our European business.”

Seymour also pointed to potential new customers, although the number of leads to follow up was about half of the 2020 figure. “As always, however, the most important adage is quality, not quantity,” he said.

KEEP AN OPEN MIND

Despite some criticism, Schifferens too said Durable was “satisfied”, noting the quality of the discussions was “good”, even if visitor numbers had been far below expectations.

Indenkämpen commented that Novus Dahle had done “everything possible” to ensure its partners from around the world came to have a look at the new concept. “The show itself was really good, with lots of visitors and packed halls. These are two things which, as an exhibitor, you really like to see.”

The Hopax exec further noted the different atmosphere of Ambiente compared to Paperworld, saying Messe Frankfurt’s changes might not be appreciated by all. However, he suggested people should be understanding and keep an open mind – he will certainly recommend the company attends again next year.

Indenkämpen, meanwhile, is concerned that those who visited specifically for Ambiente Working in 2023 had a “disappointing first experience”, something which might deter them from returning next year.

“It is imperative more business products folks take part in the show in 2024 and realise this is a big chance to reinvent our industry,” he stated. “If this doesn’t happen, the ‘office’ won’t have a real international podium anywhere in the future, which would be a shame.”

Berendsen agreed: “As an industry, we can have a great influence in making Ambiente a key event in the calendar. We all need to embrace it, as the requirement to meet and network once a year and see products is still very high.”

The ball is now in Messe Frankfurt’s court to determine how Ambiente Working is organised going forward. All is not lost by any means, but there is definitely work to be done on the concept.

It is imperative more business products folks take part in the show in 2024

Constance Martiny Sondag

Describe yourself in a few words. Curious, authentic, passionate and very very humble.

What scares you? War.

Best way to spend the weekend? With family and friends, and learning or discovering something new.

Where would you most like to travel?

Japan. For the mix of cultures – tradition versus modernity – and its stunning landscapes and sights.

Favourite time of the year? Summer.

Your guilty pleasure? Dark chocolate.

What song always puts you in a good mood?

Coffee Cold by Galt MacDermot.

If you could have the answer to any question, what would you ask?

What will the world look like in 2200?

Your childhood ambition?

I wanted to be a notary – so glad I changed my mind.

Favourite book?

Patrick Süskind’s Perfume

What skill would you like to master? Learning Italian is my personal ambition for the next couple of years. Now I’ve put it out there, I feel the pressure.

What subject should be taught in schools but isn’t?

Non-violent communication.

CAREER Q&A

Describe your current job.

I’ve been VP of Sales

Northern & Southern Europe of Unite (previously Mercateo) since October 2022. I am responsible for the development and growth of this B2B e-commerce marketplace in France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Spain.

Your worst ever job?

As a student, I had a job in which I had to ask bakery customers the same 15 questions for a survey – over and over again.

If you weren’t doing your present job, what would you like to be doing?

Either a short story writer or a painter (artist, not decorator).

Best moments in your career so far?

One was getting the signature on my first contract with an OP supplier following months of prospecting. Another great moment was hiring the second employee of (then) Mercateo France after being on my own for the initial 18 months.

Your best piece of advice to someone who has just joined the industry?

Always consider the different challenges and goals of all the various stakeholders.

Best way to stay motivated and complete targets? Define clear objectives, find the fun in the challenges and encourage team spirit.

Constance Martiny Sondag

Office Products Women in Leadership (OPWIL) would like to congratulate all the inspirational women featured in this issue of OPI. They make our sector more diverse and successful. We would also like to give a shout-out to the many other females who are on their way up or just starting their career in business supplies. They too can smash through the glass ceiling and OPWIL looks forward to supporting them on their journey to the top.

OPWIL is a networking organisation that connects women in emerging and leadership roles in the business supplies industry. We have regular events including online Mastermind groups, other educational sessions and networking socials, and meet up at industry shows. And we have an amazing annual retreat which this year takes place in beautiful Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, from 27-29 April.

LIVING YOUR best life

Here at Officeworks, we recognise we have an important role to play in the lives of our team members and in the local communities where we live and work. With 167 stores across Australia and more than 9,000 team members, we know our decisions can make a positive difference today and in the future.

At the heart of this decision-making is the health and safety of our team and customers – it goes without saying. As a multi-faceted business, the needs of employees are diverse – we have store and warehouse team members who regularly do more than 15,000 steps a day while others move considerably less, working behind a desk most of the day.

As part of our People & Planet Positive 2025 commitments, we are focused on creating a work environment where everyone can thrive, no matter what their location or role in the business.

Some examples of our safety, health and well-being initiatives include a safety behaviour programme, mental health training workshops for managers, resilience and injury prevention programmes and monthly well-being webinars for team members. The latter cover topics such as nutrition, fatigue, financial well-being, mindset, relationships and mental fitness.

FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH

Increasingly, we are acknowledging that health and safety is not just about physical well-being, but also about achieving positive mental health. This enables our employees to bring their best selves to work, every day.

Our Mental Health Oversight Committee brings a strategic focus to mental health in particular. This group developed our overall framework and oversaw the development of our draft Mental Health Crisis Protocols.

In July 2020, we launched an initiative entitled ‘Your Best Life’. This holistic programme, which has since won a handful of awards, is supported by three pillars –mind, body and soul. It aims to provide tools and resources to help our team members to, as the name suggests, live their best life. Our approach was directed at all areas of

well-being, but there is no denying that COVID-19 and its associated border closures, lockdowns, restrictions, remote learning and risk of illness brought the topic of mental health into sharp focus.

STAYING CONNECTED

Sarah Hunter, Managing Director, Officeworks

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One of the most successful components we implemented as part of Your Best Life was ‘Moving Mindz’ – an app-based workplace wellness programme which helped support the mental health of our team during the height of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

Our goal – aside from simply staying connected – was to show our employees we cared about their well-being, in all its iterations. In 2020, 3,180 team members –more than 35% of the total – voluntarily took part in the 12-week programme.

During that time, participants were asked to complete daily well-being activities, drawing on nudge theory-based scientific research. Tasks covered themes including mindfulness, nutrition, exercise, sleep and laughter.

COVID-19 […] brought the topic of mental health into sharp focus

During these 12 weeks, we had over 85,000 pieces of engagement on the Moving Mindz platform – posts, photos and videos of participants sharing their wellness journey. What’s more, employees’ mental health scores improved significantly. The programme also resulted in better overall health, more resilience, mindfulness and social connection, and greater sleep patterns.

SPEAKING UP

We have made inroads over the past two years. However, our work is ongoing. We want to foster an environment where safety is viewed beyond the risk of physical harm, and build a psychologically safe workplace where our team members feel comfortable to speak up if they are not feeling well from either a physical or mental health perspective. This includes reducing mental health stigma by encouraging everyday conversations of care.

Officeworks’ Sarah Hunter is also part of OPI’s focus on Influential Women, our first-ever listing of some of the most inspirational females in the business supplies space (page 30)