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Posted on Tue, 01/31/2012 - 07:30 PM by
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Retailers face major challenges when it comes to sustainability. They source products made all over the world. They use lots of energy to keep stores well lit and comfortable. They sells products that could one day end up in landfills.
But a new report from the Retail Industry Leaders Association says many retailers are taking bold steps to reduce their environmental footprints. It looks at some of the green trends and points to some success stories. While the report drew its findings from interviews with 20 major retailers – from IKEA to PetSmart – these practices are likely to affect smaller retailers as well. Here’s a look at four trends: 1. Looking closer at supply chains. More retailers are evaluating the sustainability of their suppliers, including energy use, hazardous material, greenhouse gas emissions and water use. Some even require manufacturers to produce an annual report, so they can better gauge their total environmental footprint and be more transparent with their customers. Many big retailers are relying on third-party organizations, including The Sustainability Consortium and the Fair Factories Clearinghouse, to help them conduct supplier reviews. 2. Focusing on end of life. Some retailers are getting more active in help consumers responsibly dispose of their products — and that’s because if they don’t, it’s very likely the items will end up in landfills. Target Corp. offers recycling centers in its stores for plastic bags and aluminum, among other materials. The Gap in 2010 collected 360,000 units of denim to be repurposed into home insulation. 3. Educating consumers. Retailers have to be careful not to inundate consumers with sustainability information – especially in stores. But they’re finding ways to make it more engaging and transparent. WalMart’s Love, Earth Jewelry collection, for instance, allows people to trace their jewelry’s journey “from mine to market.” Whole Foods and IKEA created their own green labels. 4. Engaging employees. Retailers are actively asking their employees to help them lower their environmental footprint – and that’s tough: Retailers tend to have high turnover rates, which means employees don’t feel quite as engaged in the business. But some have been quite successful. Some, like Walgreen, are forming green teams of employees passionate about sustainability or hosting volunteer drives to help with local environmental nonprofit efforts. What other sustainability measures are you seeing among retailers? Footprint Photo via Shutterstock MORE NEWS FROM SMALL BUSINESS TRENDSCan a Gas Tax Fuel Clean Energy Innovation?With gas prices already reaching nearing $4 per gallon in many places, most business owners don’t relish the idea of them rising even further. Yet, some people are still calling for the government to deliberately increase them – by raising the gas tax. What Job Are You Helping Your Customers Do?Marketing is often described in terms of a product life cycle. The development, the launch, continued support, and finally, discontinuation all have specific marketing efforts associated with them. From social contests to reduced prices and giveaways, the emphasis is nearly always on the product or service provided. However, this does not take into account the way that customers actually search for and find products. Small Business Loans and Small Loans to BusinessA few weeks ago, I wrote about the decline in “small loans to business” during the Great Recession and economic recovery that followed. Now I am back to tell you that data on “small business loans” paints an even worse picture of the small business credit markets. As U.S. Small Biz Week Arrives, Are You Stressed or Optimistic?With the arrival of National Small Business Week here in the U.S., a variety of events, beginning yesterday, have been scheduled in Washington D.C. and across the country to recognize the importance of small business to the U.S. economy and to address topics important to small business owners. Just in time, a semi-annual study of American small businesses shows those business owners to be stressed but optimistic. Check out the schedule of national events and hear what leaders and small business owners are saying about issues most important to small business today. Why You Should Read Engagement MarketingEngagement Marketing: How Small Business Wins in a Socially Connected World is the new book about how to get and keep customers by engaging with them. RELATED SMALL BUSINESS NEWSDon’t push when you can pullNo selling required There is a better way of winning new customers than pushing you and your B2B offer at them. Customers love it because they’re buying rather than being sold to. You’ll like it because it feels better than selling and you’ll get more long term business from it. U... You’re the Boss Blog: White House Opposes Small-Business Contracting Provision in Defense BillIn a statement, the administration called higher goals for small-business contracting "laudable but overly ambitious." ... How the 'Little Guy' Can Partner With Big CompaniesIf you're a little guy, there are plenty of ways to partner with a much larger company. Here are seven. ... "Scott Thompson Was A Terrible CEO" And Other Snippets From Fred WilsonAs always, Fred Wilson had a lot of insights share this morning at TechCrunch's Disrupt conference in New York. Here are some of the highlights from his talk with the always barbed Mike Arrington:... SRDC Is Offering Loans Through RLFSouthwest Regional Development Commission (SRDC) is offering loans through revolving loan fund (RLF). Its purpose is to have a direct financing tool making loan funds available so as to assist in retail, manufacturing, and distribution businesses. |
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