Mills (formerly Mills Office Productivity) is a British Columbia-based provider of Business Supplies, Educational resources, and professional Printing services. Established in 1949 as a family-owned company, Mills has since expanded to encompass 6 locations throughout B.C. These include offices and distribution centers in key cities such as Vancouver, Prince George, Kelowna, Trail, Terrace, and Smithers.

Mills takes pride in delivering a personalized experience through their dedicated customer care team and account managers. Unlike impersonal call centers with automated voice systems, Mills offers a localized customer care approach to ensure that your needs are met efficiently. Additionally, Mills boasts an in-house printing department, capable of producing a wide range of printed materials tailored to your business requirements.

Mills is committed to using their business as a force for good by practicing sustainability, local procurement and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). By working closely with its family of customers, employees and suppliers, the company brings to life a vision of environmental responsibility and care that encourages and supports sustainable practices in office productivity. Furthermore, Mills has played a crucial role in supporting social hiring initiatives by providing opportunities for individuals facing traditional employment barriers. Notably, they have overseen the development of ‘H.A.V.E Cafe,’ a social enterprise aimed at offering food service training and employment prospects within Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside community.

As a testament to their commitment to these values, Mills proudly holds the title of a certified B Corporation since 2012, exemplifying their dedication to balancing profit with purpose.

Question: How are you supporting other local businesses?

Answer: At Mills, we are committed to procuring locally sourced and eco-friendly products. Since the majority of office supplies are not manufactured in Canada, we make every effort to partner with Canadian and British Columbian distributors whenever feasible. To remain competitive and meet customer demands, there are select products we source globally while ensuring they align with our high standards.

Our commitment to supporting local extends to our service providers. Nearly all our services, including accounting, legal, waste management, transportation, and others, are entrusted to British Columbia-based businesses. The majority of our remaining suppliers are also Canadian companies. Moreover, we actively champion social enterprises through our procurement practices.

Question: What social and environmental practices are you proud of?

Answer: Mills is a founding partner and sponsor of H.A.V.E Café (Hope, Action, Values, Ethics), a not-for-profit social enterprise operating as a culinary training society and restaurant in Downtown Eastside. Led by Certified Chef de Cuisine Amber Anderson, H.A.V.E provides vocational and life skills training for community residents facing barriers to meaningful employment due to poverty, homelessness, addiction, or physical and mental disabilities. The eight-week program includes meals, Food Safe certification, and employment counselling to aid students in transitioning into the local workforce.

Over 1,000 students have enrolled in the program, with nearly 80% successfully securing employment. Mills has generously contributed funds, time, services, marketing, and fundraising assistance to ensure H.A.V.E Café’s continued support for those in need.

Mills’ commitment to the environment extends beyond our suppliers’ environmental practices and examines areas where we can improve our business practices while helping our customers meet their sustainability goals. Our Blue Box Delivery System is a program in the Lower Mainland whereby goods are delivered in large plastic reusable boxes once a week. This system creates a closed-loop delivery cycle with minimal packaging waste and a reduction in carbon emissions. Boxes are provided at the sole expense of Mills. Inherent in this program is the move towards fewer deliveries each week, with the ultimate goal of serving each department once a week. Mills calculated that a reduction in deliveries from each day to once a week reduces carbon emissions by 0.778 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

Through this program, we actively support our local suppliers, FrogBox and Recycling Alternative, by purchasing their products and services. We source the blue boxes from FrogBox and rely on Recycling Alternative for environmentally responsible disposal or upcycling of products.