It was 2020 – the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic – and a lot could have distracted Counselor Top 40 supplier Koozie Group (asi/40480) from launching its planned Keep It. Give It. program.

Still, the Clearwater, FL-headquartered firm kept its focus, debuting the sustainability/corporate social responsibility initiative. Years later, it’s going strong, with Koozie Group having just released its fifth annual social impact and sustainability report detailing progress it has made on Keep It. Give It.’s three pillars: empowering people, safety and social responsibility, and environmental stewardship.

“Our Keep It. Give It. pillars are embedded in our culture and business strategy,” said Pierre Montaubin, CEO of Koozie Group and a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list of promo’s most influential people. “From day one, our team set out to create meaningful, measurable impact. We’re proud to be leading the way for our industry and remain deeply committed to building a better future – for our people, our partners and the planet.”

Koozie Group had previously been certified as carbon-neutral on Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol, a leading global framework for carbon neutrality. Koozie Group maintained that status in 2024 – and achieved other milestones.

According to Koozie Group, progress in 2024 included:

• Certifying eight top-selling pens as carbon-neutral through third-party standards
• Earning a “Committed Badge” from EcoVadis, a global platform that provides businesses sustainability assessments and ratings
• Reducing workers’ comp claims by 50%
• Donating more than $286,000 in cash and product to nonprofits
• Donating over $25,000 from a writing instrument giveback program and supplying 2,000 backpacks filled with 26,000 school supplies to regional United Way chapters in Minnesota and Florida
• Enhancing the company’s supplier agreement with Code of Conduct benchmarks; 89% of suppliers are already on board
• Celebrating the first service dog graduate from the company’s sponsored litter with 4 Paws for Ability

“Our Keep It. Give It. pillars are embedded in our culture and business strategy. From day one, our team set out to create meaningful, measurable impact.” Pierre Montaubin, Koozie Group (asi/40480)

As part of Keep It. Give It. efforts in 2025, Koozie Group plans to continue supporting 4 Paws for Ability and United Way. The supplier also aims to launch an annual employee engagement survey and complete a four-pillar SMETA audit across all U.S. locations to measure ethics, labor standards, environmental responsibility, health and safety. By 2027, Koozie Group plans to achieve a Silver medal from EcoVadis and calculate and publish the carbon footprint of every product it offers.

“We’re excited,” Koozie Group said in its report, “for the road ahead as we continue on our journey of leaving a positive, lasting impact with the solutions and experiences we deliver.”

In April, Mill Point Capital LLC, a New York City-based private equity firm, acquired Koozie Group with plans to combine the company with Garyline (asi/55990) – another Florida-based Counselor Top 40 supplier that Mill Point already owns.

Based on reported 2023 North American promo product revenue of $317 million, Koozie Group ranked seventh on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest suppliers in the industry. The new rankings are due out this summer.

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