Online and mail-order catalog company The Lakeside Collection balances an impeccable customer service policy with a companywide dedication to environmental sustainability. Headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois, The Lakeside Collection emphasizes green practices in three distinct areas: marketing, shipping, and packaging, as well as both office and warehouse environments.

In business for more than a decade, The Lakeside Collection offers an extensive line of quality products. Meeting a range of needs, from DVDs and sporting equipment to housewares and home improvement tools, The Lakeside Collection is proud to offer superior support. For example, when calling for customer service, a customer can have a conversation with another individual instead of an automated system.

While The Lakeside Collection’s primary sales channel includes its website (www.lakeside.com), the firm continues to manufacture and distribute physical catalogs for customers who request them. The company prints these catalogs on paper harvested in compliance with state and federal environmental regulations and produced by mills that meet the highest sustainable forest management practices.

The Lakeside Collection’s exemplary environmental standards also extend to the materials the company uses in its product packaging and shipping operations. Lakeside maintains a long tradition of recycling 100 percent of its unneeded corrugated cartons while also procuring a majority of its outbound shipping boxes from cardboard manufacturers that use 100 percent recycled fiber. Additionally, The Lakeside Collection uses 100 percent recycled loose-fill packaging materials for shipping.

The Lakeside Collection’s offices and warehouses have commendable sustainability records as well. The company organizes employee recycling programs for mixed paper, toners and inks, office equipment, aluminum, and other items. The company also invests heavily in workflow software, which in turn allows staff members to cut back on paper use and resource waste.