FEATURED RETAILER ARCHIVE

Timberland

Established in 1978, Timberland's boots, shoes, clothes and outdoor gear are now sold worldwide through independent retailers, department stores and sports stores, as well as through Timberland's own retail locations. According to the company's web site, their mission is to make a difference in the world by "creating outstanding products and by trying to make a difference in the communities where we live and work while doing it." 

Green Products

• Timberland is aware that the environmental impacts of their products greatly exceed the impacts of their owned and operated facilities. For example, they have calculated that their product footwear factories account for approximately 9%, and the climate effects of the raw materials in their products represent approximately 71% of their full impact.
• Timberland evaluates its products using their Green Index, which is a scale from 0 to 10. The lower the score, the smaller the environmental impact.
• The company is the first to commercially use Green Rubber in footwear. Green Rubber's D-Link technology breaks down tire-rubber so that it can be recycled repeatedly back into new products, including Timberland outsoles.
• The Timberland's Earthkeepers 2.0 boot's features will allow Timberland to recycle or re-use 80% of the materials used: leather is refurbished at the company's factory in the Dominican Republic; the Green Rubber soles will return to a Green Rubber factory in Georgia for recycling, the metal hardware is reusable in new footwear or can be recycled, and the polyester lining can be recycled into new polyester products.

 Partnering in the Supply Chain

• Timberland has partnered with the Leather Working Group and Global Social Compliance Programme. These programs offer an assessment of environmental best practice for factories.
• As a member of the Outdoor Industry Association's (OIA) Eco Working Group, the company is creating a common environmental index.  

Customer Education and Advocacy

• Every Timberland shoe now carries a "nutritional label", which educates consumers about the product: where it was manufactured, how it was produced, and its effect on the environment.



• As a member of Climate Counts Industry Innovators Program, Timberland has voluntarily been assessed to show how their efforts to address global warming compare with other brands. Their new score in 2011 is 86, which is 4 points higher than they scored previously and the second highest score compared to all scored companies.
• Timberland is a Founding Member of the Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP), which is a coalition of consumer-facing brands that advocate for establishing a domestic climate policy that will create a low-carbon economy, new green jobs, and economic growth.

 On the Way to Carbon Neutral

• Timberland has started investing in renewable energy. A 400-kilowatt onsite solar array at their California Distribution Center produces approximately 60% of the facility's energy needs.
• By the end of 2010, Timberland achieved a 38% absolute emissions reduction for their owned and operated facilities and employee air travel, from a 2006 baseline.
• Key initiatives that led to these reductions include energy efficiency projects (many guided by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design [LEED] Standards) and renewable energy purchases.
• They've retrofitted the lighting in their distribution centers, headquarters, and retail stores to help cut energy demand for those facilities by at least 30%. The payback has been realized in under two years.
• As of 2010, 13% of the energy for their owned and operated facilities is acquired from clean power sources.
• Timberland purchased offsets that support the development of a wind farm in Shangyi County. They purchased these offsets from NativeEnergy and the CO2e reductions will be retired by Clean Air-Cool Planet.

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 J Sainsbury

 J Sainsbury plc was founded in 1869 and now operates 890 stores comprising 547 supermarkets and 343 convenience stores. Sainsbury's Climate Change Strategy divides their business into three elements: "Our Operations, Our Products and Our Customers."

Sainsbury's Operations

Energy

• The company is on track against their target to reduce their store carbon footprint by 25% per m² squared by 2012. In 2010, they reduced their direct carbon emissions by 12,723 tonnes compared 2009 year, despite increasing their space. At the end of 2009, they were given the Carbon Trust Standard.
• The addition to their Durham store created 50% more space, but cut overall energy use for the whole store by 10%. Add in the impact of biomass energy generation, ground-breaking refrigeration technology and wooden panel construction, and they believe their Durham extension will be "carbon-negative" after two years.
• For existing stores, they developed their Energy Reset programme. Over half of their main stores have now been through this programme, and nearly 5,000 energy savings initiatives have been identified. The average energy saving for stores that were 'reset' last year was 17%.
• Sainsbury's has five 'environmental stores' across the UK and most of these now have renewable energy systems. By burning wood pellets in biomass boilers instead of gas that estimate that stores can generate up to 30% of their energy requirements from renewable sources.

• They installed a biomass combined heat and power generator at their store in Westhoughton, which they believe is a European first. This will allow the store to generate not only its own heat but also its own electricity.

Waste

• Sainsbury's is working towards zero waste to landfill, and are on track to complete the first phase by connecting all their stores and depots to anaerobic digestion or combustion plants by the end of 2010.
• As signatories they are committed to helping WRAP achieve Target 2 of the Courtauld Commitment 2, a 5% reduction in food and drink waste within the supply chain.

Water

• Sainsbury's is working to cut its water consumption in half by 2012. Water assessments help identify leaks and possible watersaving projects. Rainwater harvesting is also now standard for new stores. Also, engaging with colleagues on water-saving actions makes a huge difference.

 Sainsbury's Products

Waste

• Sainsbury's is part of the Designing Out Waste Consortium, which was organised by the environmental think-tank, The Green Alliance. The Alliance released a report with a series of recommendations for reducing levels of waste.
• Sainsbury's has committed to reduce their own brand packaging weight, relative to sales, by 33% by 2015 against a 2009 baseline. They now sell their 'basics' tinned chopped tomatoes in Forest Stewardship Council tetrapak cartons rather than cans, reducing packaging by half a million kilos every year. This will reduce carbon emissions by 156 tonnes per year.

• In 2010, Sainsbury's made a 4.4% saving in packaging weight towards their target, which is the equivalent of an estimated 8,000 tonnes.

Sourcing

• Sainsbury's was a leading company in WWF's Palm Oil Scorecard, which is the first assessment of the ways in which companies are working to source sustainable palm oil in Southeast Asia, Africa and South America.
• Sainsbury's launched their Crop Sustainability Groups in 2009. These groups look at climate change, carbon reduction through better energy use, water and soil health, pesticide reduction, biodiversity waste management and the welfare of people in our supply chains.

 Sainsbury's Customers

• Sainsbury's has been given an 'A rating' in the Consumer Focus 'Green to the Core?' survey which ranked the major supermarkets according to how easy they made it for consumers to go green. In the survey they were commended for having 'excellent sustainable farming and fish policies' and for a 'high proportion of sustainable products available'.
• In December 2009, Sainsbury's Energy took its first steps towards creating a 'One Stop Shop' for customers' home energy requirements. They are working in partnerships with EDF Energy to pilot three Home Energy Centres where customers can buy a range of renewable products and services.
• They are the first UK retailer to sell solar PV systems, solar thermal and air-source heat pumps, as well as other services that help customers save money and energy.
• They also launched the Sainsbury's Energy Savings Challenge. Every customer that signs up to Sainsbury's Energy will automatically join, and will get regular information, tips and advice on how to save money on their energy bills.

 Sainsbury's Reporting

• Since 2008, Sainsbury's has been a participant of the Prince of Wales' Accounting for Sustainability project. This is a business-led initiative to integrate non-financial metrics (such as social and environmental goals) so that they are linked to financial targets.

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 Patagonia

Patagonia, Inc. is a Ventura, California-based clothing company, focusing mainly on outdoor clothing. It was founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1972. Patagonia is a leader in environmental responsibility in several areas.  

Waste Reduction: Recycling

• In 1993, Patagonia was the first outdoor clothing manufacturer to adopt fleece into their product line made from post consumer recycled plastic soda bottles.
• Over 13 years, they saved some 86 million soda bottles from landfill.
• Now they can use more sources for recycled polyester and offer it on more garments such as Capilene baselayers, shell jackets and board shorts, as well as fleece.
• Percentage of fall 2010 Patagonia products that can be recycled through the Common Threads Recycling Program: 62
• Percentage of fall 2010 Patagonia apparel that can be recycled through the Common Threads Recycling Program: 77
• Tons of kitchen waste from their Ventura cafeteria composted this year in an on-site bin: 4

• Percentage of waste stream by total volume recycled at the Reno distribution center: 95 

Supporting Environmental Organizations 

• Visitors to Patagonia stores cast their ballots in second-annual Voice Your Choice^TM campaign. They helped decide how to distribute $5,000 in grant money to local environmental organizations.
• Environmental Grants: Patagonia donates at the grassroots level to innovative groups.  They fund activists who take radical and strategic steps to protect habitat, wilderness and biodiversity.
• Patagonia co-founded The Conservation Alliance in 1989, with the goal of encouraging companies in the outdoor industry to support environmental organizations in their efforts to protect threatened wildlands. To date the groups funded have saved over 34 million acres of wildlands and 14 dams have been either prevented or removed.
• 1% For The Planet provides the motivation for any business to donate at least 1% of their annual net revenues to environmental organizations worldwide.
• Freedom to Roam is Patagonia's current environmental campaign. Its goal is to create, restore and protect wildways or corridors between habitats so animals can survive. Freedom to Roam is  a coalition of business, government, and conservation groups.
• Dollars in grants and in-kind donations given to date by Patagonia to environmental causes: 38 million
• Dollars in grants and in-kind donations given by Patagonia in fiscal year 2010: 3,444,263
• Number of environmental groups that received a grant in 2010 from Patagonia: 433
• Dollar amount (at cost) of clothing Patagonia donated to nonprofit groups in 2010: 400,000

 Customer Education

• Product Footprint data is available for more than 150 products on Patagonia.com. The Footprint Chronicles video series tells viewers about the challenges of global sourcing from social, environmental and product quality vantage points.
• Number of activists who've received training at Patagonia's Tools for Grassroots Activists Conference: 1,018

 Renewable Energy

• Patagonia first supported renewable energy in 1998 when they started to buy wind power from Enron, which went under in 1994.
• Wind power supplies 50% of their needs and they plan to buy more.
• Their own solar electric array is a 66 kW, 360-panel system is designed to provide 12% of their needs.

 Supply Chain

• Patagonia's signature cotton items are made from 100% organic cotton. The move to organic cotton has been a good business decision, with good response from customers.
• In 2002, a manager of social responsibility was hired to monitor social compliance throughout the supply chain and to improve working conditions.
• Patagonia uses third-party supplier audits for compliance with local laws.
• They have reduced the number of factories they deal with from 100 to 65. When considering new factories, they look at quality assurance, business requirements, social responsibility and environmental footprint.
• Number of textile mills now working with Patagonia and bluesign® technologies to minimize impacts of dyes and finishes: 11
• Number of Patagonia products measured for environmental impacts: 153
• Number of Patagonia products in spring 2010 line: 634

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AEON

The origin of Aeon can be traced to the year 1758 when a company called Shinohoraya (currently Jusco) was established in Yokkaichi. Today, Aeon is the second largest retailer in Japan and the Asia Pacific region. 

The company is often seen by Japanese consumers as the leading retailer in terms of sustainability and CSR policies. This image is accurate with respect to the number of policies and resources assigned to these practices. 

SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY

To reduce CO₂, the Aeon sustainability strategy focuses on four areas: 

1. a reduction of 500,000 tons of CO₂ emissions through improvement of store equipment and systems
2. a reduction of 570,000 tons of CO₂ through improvement of products, services and distribution
3. a reduction of 310,000 tons of CO₂ in collaboration with Aeon's costumers 
4. the remaining 470,000 tons of CO₂will be reduced by offsetting of CO₂ emissions through credits from other countries.  

BENCHMARKS AND INDICATORS

• Aeon uses standard tools (ISO14001) to establish and evaluate environmental targets.
• As well, in 2004, Aeon became the first Japanese retailer to sign the United Nations Global Compact, which is a voluntary initiative to encourage businesses worldwide to support and implement ten principles covering areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption. 

CUSTOMER EDUCATION AND MARKETING

• Tree planting activities in collaboration with customers revolve around two programs.
• 1. The Aeon Hometown Forest Program is based on the idea of planting trees in collaboration with customers and with local organizations in the areas stores are located.
• 2. The Aeon Environmental Foundation's objective is to implement initiatives for the conservation of the global environment. One of the main projects of the foundation has been to plant trees around the Great Wall of China.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS

• Aeon Eco Stores not only include technological improvements, but also aim to educate customers and employees. That is why the Aeon Eco Store concept has what they call the "soft and hard sides" or "intangible and tangible aspects".
• Often, both "hard and soft" elements are interlinked, as in the example of solar panels, which in Eco Stores are not located in the roof, but rather in the façade. According to the Aeon philosophy, although not placing the solar panels on the roof means a sacrifice in terms of energy efficiency, it is important to do this so that customers become aware of and learn about the importance of saving energy.
• Currently, Aeon Eco Stores incorporate about 35 different technological elements, which generate an estimated reduction of 20 per cent in CO₂ emissions. Aeon aims to increase the efficiency of the Eco Stores to save 30 per cent emissions, and all new stores will be Eco Stores from 2009.
• For existing stores, Aeon's CSR strategy calls for the adaptation of refrigerating, lighting and air conditioning systems, as well as developing "soft" programs with local communities.

 GREEN ENERGY

• Aeon aims to increase the use of renewable energy sources in 100 Aeon stores each year until 2012. All new shopping malls or large stores constructed will include renewable energy in the design, and it will also be introduced to existing stores. As of February 2008, about 34 stores had solar panels.
• Aeon initiated a project to use edible oil waste from cooking to turn it into bio-diesel (currently only at Maxvalu, one of Aeon's companies), which is used in fleet trucks.  
• Aeon's TOPVALU Green Eye products are assessed at the development stage for environmental impact using life-cycle analysis. Furthermore, TOPVALU Green Eye products offer clear information to customers, including the product history, which can be read using a cell phone.
• The TOPVALU brand currently has the fastest-growing sales for the group.
• Aeon is preparing to introduce a large amount of biomass packaging materials made from non-food products.

Aeon participated in a research study which examined the practices of 15 leading retailers.  To read Aeon's detailed case study, and others, click here. 

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WOOLWORTHS

The history of Woolworths in Australia began with a visit to the United States by its founder, who recognized the appeal of the retail concept and established a firm of the same name.  Since the opening of the first Sydney store in 1924, the company has become one of the largest companies in Australia and New Zealand. 

The commitment to sustainable development began perceptibly with the appointment of Michael Luscombe, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer in 2006.  He brought to Woolworths a conviction that financial success must not come at the expense of the society, of the economy nor of the environment.

CORPORATE CULTURE, STRUCTURE AND GOVERNANCE

• A Group Sustainability Manager operates under the Corporate and Public Affairs Department, whose director is part of the Senior Management Group. 
• Woolworths has created a Sustainability Advisory Group, which consists of leaders in the fields of environment, sustainability and corporate social responsibility. 
• To meet the challenges of spreading information throughout a large company, Woolworths has established its Eco Ambassador Program. About 600 employees with decision-making authority have been selected to increase environmental awareness, knowledge and expertise.

ENERGY CONSERVATION

• Recent drought and severe weather events have impacted prices and the availability of staple food items in Australia.  As a result, Woolworths believes that a strong business case can be made to address the challenge of global warming by minimizing the company's carbon footprint. 

• Woolworths has developed sustainable design guidelines to minimize the impact of new supermarkets.  These practices have been implemented in Woolworths' first Green Store at Rouse Hill, which was opened in 2007 and at a second at Victoria Harbour in Victoria, Melbourne.    

WATER

• The corporate support office incorporates technologies to save water and to harvest stormwater.  A one million-litre-capacity rainwater tank has been installed to supply water for landscaping, toilet flushing, and for car and outdoor washing. 
• Woolworths has entered into an agreement with Sydney Water to participate in the Every Drop Counts Program.  Based on a self-diagnostic process, Sydney Water provides tools, guidance and technical assistance that enables the company to evaluate water consumption practices and to identify opportunities for improvement. 

SOLID WASTE REDUCTION

• Woolworths has commissioned the Sustainable Packaging Alliance to conduct a study of private-label products that will provide a basis for a comprehensive packaging strategy.

• Efficiencies in the waste stream will be achieved by a replacement of 26 million single-use waxed boxes with 3.4 million reusable crates, the removal of all food waste from the general waste steam by 2015 and savings of no less than 200 million litres of water per year by 2010. 

SUPPLY CHAIN

• Palm oil has been removed from Select brand food products and will be eliminated from Homebrand products.  This decision reflects the belief that palm oil production contributes to habitat destruction and the loss of biodiversity. 

• Along with the Australian Food and Grocery Council, Woolworths has committed to fund a study that will research the feasibility of a carbon footprinting scheme for consumer products.  Major suppliers, government and environmental groups will be invited to participate in this joint investigation that will examine overseas trends on carbon footprinting and the implications for Australian companies.^[1]  

[1] Better Trading:  Bi Monthly Newsletter from Consumer Protection Western Australia. March 2008.www.docep.wa.gov.au/ConsumerProtection/PDF/Publications/DOCEP_Better_Trading5.pdf

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 TESCO

Our strategy at Tesco falls into three parts.  First, greening Tesco itself.  Second, helping turn our supply chain green.  And third, helping our customers by making green choices easier and more affordable.

     -Sir Terry Leahy, CE of Tesco, Guardian, 3 September 2008

The quotation above outlines the over-arching three-pronged approach of Tesco to the area of corporate responsibility. Tesco believes that while it can do much to change its behaviour and thus set a business example, more can be achieved if it works with others in the supply chain and empowers its millions of customers to make informed and, hopefully sustainable, decisions. 

CUSTOMER EDUCATION AND MARKETING

• Customer education and marketing is a key focus in Tesco's approach. The websites that it operates provide considerable information and practical advice on what individuals can do.
• Within stores, leaflets on many activities are always on display, and a considerable proportion of these cover environmental issues. One example is the Tesco leaflet on 'How can we shrink our carbon footprint?'
• Tesco's Clubcard, a 'loyalty' scheme, is one of the most advanced in the world. It has been used by Tesco to market green ideas. For example, Green Points are given for carrier bag re-use. At times, double points have been given for green product purchase.
• Carbon labelling began initially as a pilot with 30 products in the categories of potatoes, tomatoes, light bulbs, laundry detergents and orange juice.

 SUPPLY CHAIN

• Within the UK, Tesco's Nature's Choice programme (begun in 1992) focuses on safety, quality and environmental standards. The standards encompass pesticides and fertilisers, pollution prevention, energy and water, biodiversity and landscape requirements.
• Tesco is a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and states that nearly all of its own-brand products use of oil comes from RSPO members.
• Tesco tries to buy all its seafood from responsibly managed fisheries that use the UN FAO Code of Conduct as its sourcing reference. Also, Tesco purchases timber and timber products from FSC-approved sources or from members of the Tropical Forest Trust.

 GREEN PRODUCTS

• In 2007, Tesco permanently halved the price of energy efficient light bulbs and expanded their space allocation in stores, leading to a quadrupling of sales. A Tesco Greener Living Brand was launched in 2008 and there is a dedicated portion of the website on greener living and products.

 ENERGY CONSERVATION

• Store energy efficiency has been a key focus, and in 2007 £86m was invested in stores in the UK. This produced a reduction of 66,000 carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e). The measures include low-energy lighting, energy-efficient bakery ovens, and wind turbines.
• Tesco has chosen to trial new leading-edge technology at environmental test stores in seven countries. In the UK, a store at Shrewsbury achieved a carbon footprint of 60 per cent less than an equivalent standard store.
• Fresh & Easy in the US is a pilot member of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental (LEED) Volume Certification Program, which has focused on energy, water, environmentally friendly materials and indoor environmental quality.

 REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

• Tesco has been the long-standing UK pioneer of the use of reusable transit and point-of-display 'trays'. In the UK, these green trays made 222 million trips in 2007, saving over 130,000 tonnes of cardboard.

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 MUSGRAVE   

Since it was founded by the Musgrave brothers in Cork, Ireland in 1876, the Musgrave Group has become Ireland's largest and leading grocery distributor and is now a major Irish business with international activities.

The Musgrave Group supports and services over 3,400 independent retailers. The company states that, as a responsible organisation, they recognise the need to minimise the environmental 'footprint' of the business and are committed to sustainable development.

 ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES

• The Musgrave Group began its sustainability 'journey' in the late 1990s. For a wholesaler and distributor, this means taking internal steps to enhance their performance on sustainability and also encouraging their independent retailers to change their behaviours.
• In 1999, the company produced an Environmental Policy Charter, which sets out the policies for a more environmentally sustainable business. This charter was revised in 2006 and an Environmental and Social Accountability Policy was issued.

 COMPANY CULTURE

• By focusing on the community benefits of shopping locally, ethically and sustainability, the retailers are challenged to meet the expectations of their community and customers. The Musgrave Group itself demonstrates its commitments by its own actions, and also by putting in place common services which aid the local retailers to change behaviours and to share benefits.
• The group endeavours to influence the shopowners via direct contact, meetings, roadshows and through their formally-structured retail council.

 CUSTOMER EDUCATION AND MARKETING

• A sense of distinctiveness and localness is a key part of the store marketing and positioning. They also focus on local sourcing, traceability, being a good community neighbour and on the importance of local, independent shops for keeping business in the community.

 SUPPLY CHAIN/PURCHASING

• The Musgrave Group's Ethical Trading Policy was developed in part to ensure that the same principles which have underpinned the core business for so long are also extended to those supplying the company with products, services and other activities. In 2004, the company became the first Irish business to sign up to the Principles of the United Nations Global Compact.
• Consultants have developed a packaging continuum. Through this, the benefits of moving Musgrave packaging to a 'better' position (and the costs of doing so) can be seen.
• Musgrave employs a packaging broker who familiarizes the possible packaging suppliers with the new standard, can negotiate the deal and then allow the producer to select their best choices to meet the new specifications.

 LIGHTING

• Following energy surveys at four Musgrave warehouse sites, new light fittings were installed. In the first year, these saved over one million kilowatt hours, €125,000 and achieved a CO₂ reduction of 625,000 kilograms.
• The new headquarters building was designed to be sustainable as well as practical, incorporating passive energy conservation measures and energy efficiency technologies. The award-winning building, when opened, used 25 per cent of the 'standard' design energy. This has been reduced further still, leading to a financial payback time of less than five years.

SOLID WASTE

• At the time of the development of the Environmental Policy Charter (1999), the group recycled about 10 per cent of their waste stream across the businesses. Regional contracts in Ireland have been established, with incentives for retailers to exceed both general corporate and 'stretch' targets. These incentives provide a financial revenue stream to the independent retailer. This has created a significant growth in the proportion diverted from landfill (up to 69 per cent from 53 per cent, 2002-2007).

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MONSOON ACCESSORIZE

Monsoon Accessorize was founded in 1973 by Peter Simon, who started out "selling woollen coats on the Portobello Road and hand block printed clothes from Rajasthan, India to anyone who would buy them"*. In the early 1980s, Monsoon began to sell a small collection of accessories. Today there are over 400 Monsoon and Accessorize stores throughout the UK and Eire. A further 500 stores, many of which are Accessorize, are located around the world.

As Gillian Lipton, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Manager related, the company has been practising environmental sustainability for some time, but did not embark on a comprehensive program until 2006.

COMPANY CULTURE

• The company still embraces the values of the founder, Peter Simon. He was, and remains, a passionate believer in 'small is beautiful', choosing to buy from smaller producer groups, often based in Indian villages.
• The company has promoted a culture of social responsibility, taking steps to reduce its carbon footprint, to support fair-trade and to work with a number of charitable organizations to fund education, development and environmental causes.

 STAFF TRAINING

• The newly-minted "Green Action Plan" is communicated in a number of ways and its objective is to change people's actions and habits.
• Environmental and CSR issues are incorporated into all the induction training for new management and staff, and they are currently in the planning stages for training for all members of the organization.
• 'Action points' are sent out to the stores with lists of 'to do's', such as reminders to switch off lights and 'right set' thermostats.

 GREENING THE SUPPLY CHAIN

• All suppliers are required to commit to the Monsoon Accessorize Code of Conduct, which is based on the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) base code. Monsoon Accessorize was a founding member of this major initiative, which is widely used in the UK and beyond.
• They have integrated environmental objectives and targets into the trading criteria. The company works with suppliers to ensure compliance with a wide range of requirements, including environmental issues.
• Progress is monitored through regular visits, and audits are carried out by in-house auditors and specialists. This includes some unannounced visits.
• Monsoon is currently involved in the Homeworker Project, which seeks to ensure that proper practices are followed and that standards are upheld with homeworkers, who still perform a significant amount of work for factories in the clothing industry in countries such as India and China.

TRANSPORTATION

• All stock for the UK stores is imported and shipped to the warehouse located an hour north of London. Wherever possible, products are shipped by sea or road rather than air.
• A third-party trucking company is employed to deliver merchandise to the stores and is currently undergoing a carbon footprint assessment.

 GREEN GIVING

• The company has set up the Monsoon Accessorize Trust through which it has donated to a range of charities that fund environmental, educational and healthcare projects.
• It has donated over £140,000 to the Prakratik Society, an environmental charity in Rajasthan, India dedicated to saving the tiger by addressing the root causes of poaching.  Other projects include 'save the dolphin' funded through the sale of charity t-shirts.

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MONOPRIX

Monoprix is a privately-owned French company that operates 300 stores nationwide.  It sells a diverse range of goods that includes clothing, food, home products, and various leisure goods. 

The company started to consider sustainable development early in the 1990s because of an initiative from the group president.  Today, Monoprix managers have come to strongly support sustainable development and regard it as part of "the company identity."  The company believes in the need to progressively discover better ways of meeting the needs of their customers without jeopardising the future of the planet.

 WASTE

• Monoprix developed a comprehensive policy to deal with the gathering and sorting of waste, the storage of materials in warehouses and the identification of sites that accept various plastics, films and cartons. 
• They introduced a system of electronically scanning for bills at two locations.  With software known as Logidrive, they eliminated delivery preparation slips and, as a consequence, expect a savings of some six million paper sheets each year.

 GREEN PRODUCTS

• Organic and green merchandise are part of Monoprix's product mix.  Stores carry 1,300 sustainable development products. 
• Their product mix includes 147 house-brand Monoprix Bio products, over 120 organic and fair trade bioRe® cotton products, and 82 Monoprix and Country green products, which received environmental labelling from organizations such as Norme française, European Ecolabel, Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

 ENERGY

• The consumption of energy across the corporation has declined for every category of fuel.  The use of energy from community heating sources dropped the most-from .28 MWh/m2 in 2006 to.13 MWh/m2 in 2007, while fuel heating reductions were almost as large-from .14 MWh/ m2 to .10 MWh/ m2 between the two years.

WATER

• Water consumption patterns are assessed on an annual basis to establish where the greatest reductions are needed. 
• They installed devices that permit users to decide how much water to flush in toilets.
• The company achieved a decline in water consumption-from .7 cubic metres to .6 cubic metres per square metre of sales area between 2006 and 2007.

TRANSPORTATION

• Monoprix started using a train to supply the stores in Paris.  Its capacity of 120,000 tons is equivalent to the removal of 12,000 trucks from the road, an amount that represents 30 per cent of the total volume of goods that Monoprix brings into the city.
• In order to address social conditions and to limit the environmental impacts of the carriers, Monoprix has developed a reference system.  Known as The Ideal Freight Agent Requirements, this document outlines the company's expectations about their practices.  It encompasses the implementation of an environmental management system, international standards certification, level of greenhouse gas production, waste treatment and recycling practices aboard ships.

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CARREFOUR

The Carrefour Group has taken a proactive role to entrench responsible environmental practices throughout all of its business enterprises.  As a driving force in the industry, it has succeeded in raising the level of public awareness about the ecological implications of purchasing behaviours. 

The company is the leading franchiser in France and Europe.  All formats, from the hypermarket to the convenience store, are available for franchising and partnerships. 

WASTE

• Greater reliance on reusable containers has reduced the amount of cardboard boxes and wood crates that are needed. The result in France alone has been a reduction of 9,500 trucks in the past two years.
• Spain, software was introduced to ensure the traceability of electronic waste throughout the collection and recycling process.
• Promocash, a cash and carry retailer, has begun to collect used food oils from its customers.
• In 2003, Carrefour became the first company to perform a life cycle analysis to measure the emissions of greenhouse gases over the life cycle of plastic shopping bags.

TRANSPORTATION

• Carrefour promotes where possible-primarily in France, Spain, Italy, Romania and Poland-water over the rail and road alternative. Currently, river barges deliver one-third of all containers to non-food warehouses in the Paris region along the Seine between the ports of Le Havre and Genevilliers. This shift has resulted in an annual savings that is equivalent to 340 tons of CO2 emissions.

 LIGHTING

• Lighting accounts for 20 per cent of total energy costs, which are kept down by using integrated ballasts that use as much as ¼ less energy and last 40 per cent longer.
• Between 2005 and 2006, the use of neon lighting with electronic-sodium ballast and improved natural lighting reduced energy use by 40 per cent.
• In France, neon-free LED signs have been introduced for eight à Huit and Shopi stores.

 GREEN BUILDING

• A green roof has been installed in the St-Quentin-en-Yvelines hypermarket. It provides thermal insulation and minimizes the use of air conditioning. At Chambery, a geothermal system has been installed, which uses ground energy along with solar energy from 200 square metres of solar panels.
• Investment in new technologies for cold production in St. Maur resulted in a savings of 11 per cent in energy consumption between 2005 and 2006.
• Since air conditioning consumes 20 per cent of total energy, stores are cooled naturally through roof skylights wherever possible.
  

EMPLOYEE TRAINING

• Carrefour policy requires all new employees to sign the Group Code of Ethics, which obligates personnel to support all core values, including the principles regarding sustainability.
• The group has developed numerous communications tools and education programmes for store employees, including a sustainability film and video conferences about sustainability practices that are held four times each year

 SITING AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS

• Careful attention is paid to the integration of stores into the community through proper siting and through the design of the development. This is necessary to ensure an effective flow of both pedestrians and vehicles.
• In 2006, Carrefour hypermarkets created a Landscape Charter, which committed them to emphasize indigenous vegetation that requires minimal water and maintenance.
• Recognizing that the need to accommodate large numbers of cars is often the most unsightly aspect of large retail operations, the Carré-Senart shopping centre planted large shrubs in the parking lot to harmonize the site with the City of Melun.

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MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT CO-OP

When Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) was started in 1971 in Vancouver, the founding members conceived of their organization as a way for its members to get quality gear at affordable prices.  MEC now has 11 stores operating across Canada, 2.8 million members, and sales of close to $250 million in 2007.

MEC's core purpose is to help people enjoy the benefits of self-propelled wilderness-oriented recreation.  In keeping with its environment-centred mission, MEC is notable for its commitment to sustainability, which is evidenced in the products that they sell, in their eco-and energy-friendly and award-winning sustainably-designed stores, in their health- and environment-friendly employee practices, and in their environment-oriented advocacy and philanthropic activities.

GREENER PRODUCTS

• MEC has implemented a 62 per cent increase in organically-grown cotton.
• The co-op operates an innovative garment recycling program for polar fleece and polyester garments.
• They have developed a "Design Charter" to ensure that all facets of sustainability are considered in product design.
• MEC has identified harmful substances, material waste, carbon emissions and water use as issues of greatest concern

 GIVING TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHARITIES

• MEC contributed $2.5 million to environment-oriented activities of community groups in 2007, more than double the amount that it provided in 2005.
• MEC and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society co-founded "The Big Wild," an organization devoted to keeping at least half of Canada's public land and water wild forever.
• MEC has also joined "1%for the Planet," an alliance of businesses that commits to donating 1 per cent of gross sales to Canadian causes.

 STAFF TRAINING AND INCENTIVES

• The CEO salary includes incentive compensation linked to MEC's financial, social and environmental performance. As well, MEC senior managers have at least one sustainability-related performance goal linked to their compensation plan.
• Staff are encouraged to come up with new ways for the company to become more sustainable, and when they do, their ideas may be celebrated and brought to the attention of fellow employees and the general public.
• MEC has stated publicly: "Our staff set us apart. They live our passion for the outdoors, people, and the planet. ...They hold us to high standards in gear quality, sourcing, our environmental actions and naturally, our human resource practices and compensation."

 CUSTOMER EDUCATION AND MARKETING

• MEC research shows that members are increasingly interested in sustainability. MEC attempts to address that interest through a wide number of education and marketing initiatives.
• They use a sustainability symbol on their products and sustainability information is available on the MEC website and in their catalogue. MEC operates a blog where its key official in charge of product procurement discusses the sustainability challenges he faces.

 GREEN BUILDING

• By working with the Canada Green Building Council and Natural Resources Canada, MEC has developed a sustainable building program based on four foundational principles: reduce, re-use, recycle and rethink.
• The Winnipeg store and Montreal office have received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold rating. Their Victoria store and the distribution centre are currently undergoing LEED Gold verification.
• A 2007 technology audit of its buildings highlighted many opportunities for improvement. In the next three years, MEC will invest in more efficient technology and set targets for energy conservation.

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 Home Depot

Sustainability has long been an important part of Home Depot Inc.'s core values and principles, and the environment is clearly a fundamental part of the business. 

Founded in 1978, the company is now the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer. The Canadian operation, which this case study focuses on, consists of 173 stores across ten provinces and over 30,000 employees. Sales for the Canadian operation are over $6 billion. 

As related by Peg Hunter, Vice President Marketing and Communications in Canada, in the past, environmental programs were regarded as the 'nice thing to do'; now it is a company requirement. 

CORPORATE STRATEGY AND STRUCTURE

• Environmental strategies and action plans are incorporated into the overall business plan.
• In 2007 the company formed the Market Transformation Council, which was tasked with developing a strategy for their environmental programs. Reporting to senior management, the council is comprised of 12 directors. 
• A green team, led by a captain, has been set up in each store and consists of six individuals who are either chosen or volunteer for the position. This group identifies goals to be achieved within their store and undertakes the training for the Eco Options products and other programs.

 MARKET TRANSFORMATION

• Consumer engagement programs through merchandising and marketing form the cornerstone of Home Depot Canada's sustainability strategy. 
• The company searches out and develops sustainable products and provides them to their customers at good prices. Currently there are over 1,500 products that are offered through their expanding Eco Options program. The products undergo a rigorous third-party verification process. 
• Dedicated to Eco Options is a marketing manager whose responsibility is to market the green products. 
• They have had particular success with exchange programs, which reduce the use of old, inefficient, polluting products in the marketplace. 
• The Home Depot Canada's website provides product-specific information about the features, environmental advantages, energy and monetary savings of various Eco Options categories and items. 

BUILDING OPERATIONS AND ASSETS

• To date, many of the energy saving programs with the highest return on investment (ROI) have been completed, such as lighting retrofits and in-store monitoring systems. 
• Both Home Depot Canada and U.S. are engaged in building stores that have greater flexibility of design; are more sensitive to environmental concerns; use existing sites rather than developing new space; minimize impermeable surfaces; and include building more landscape islands, leaving as many existing trees as possible, and reducing the size of the paved surface whenever appropriate.
• Employee training modules will be developed to ensure associates have the knowledge and skills to manage waste properly.

 CREATING NEW MARKETS

• Research and development, or third-party business development, is the third focus for Home Depot Canada. 
• Searching for a way to recycle CFLs and make a profit is one initiative. Another is to create a "cradle to cradle" solution for paint. In Quebec, customers were able to return paint to any of the stores. It was then recycled through a vendor partner, and the re-conditioned product sold to Home Depot customers. 
• In another initiative, old wood pallets were collected from the stores, and the wood reused in other applications, creating a new market for what was otherwise sent to landfill.

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LUSH

LUSH is a privately owned international retail corporation that sells hair and beauty products and is owned by a small group of investors in the UK. LUSH has over 500 shops and are trading in over 43 countries around the world. 

As youth in the seventies, the founders shared 'hippie' roots and values. This included a major concern for the environment, a desire to reduce packaging and waste, and to build an environmentally sustainable business. 

CORPORATE CULTURE

• With fast-expanding production, product innovation and an increasing number of stores, LUSH is currently in the process of developing formal sustainability guidelines.
• Management attempts to spread the culture to all levels of the organization to ensure store staff fully understand and can communicate their sustainability values to the customer.

CUSTOMER EDUCATION AND MARKETING

• LUSH has a policy of neither advertising nor providing free offers because they don't want to influence consumers to purchase more than they need. They put values before profit.
• They provide ongoing information and customer education about environmental issues and products through store merchandising and window displays. For example, one display featured the differences between bar, pump soaps and antibacterial soaps. The latter inject antibacterials into the waterways, and pumps are not recyclable.

WASTE REDUCTION

• Solids that do not require wrappers have always been favoured in place of liquids that require plastic containers. They have saved 2.5 to 3 million plastic bottles by using shampoo bars.
• Much work has gone into making containers from recyclable material that is, in turn, recyclable.
• They regard using recycled and recyclable packaging as a positive marketing attribute. They currently purchase 500 tonnes of packaging, of which 470 is recycled. By switching to recycled plastic, they saved 90 tonnes of carbon. Ruth Andrade, Inspirational Environmental Officer LUSH UK, stated, the 'feel good factor is high-it is part of the brand'.
• Savings from not packaging are invested back into good raw materials that come from green sources, an expensive process.

 SUPPLY CHAIN

• All products are handmade in their own factories, which are located in the UK, Italy, Canada, South America and Japan. All the essences are natural and fresh, and great care is taken to reduce energy and water use in their own manufacturing facilities.

 ENERGY CONSERVATION

• Four representative stores (small, large, freestanding and mall-based) were audited by The Carbon Trust in the UK. As well, they reviewed their factory for opportunities to reduce energy and greenhouse gases.
• The original energy audit of the UK LUSH stores showed that they used about half the energy of many other retail chains, mainly because most of their high street stores (free-standing main street stores) do not have air conditioning.
• Another energy-saving strategy employed by LUSH is that of equipment maintenance. The overall savings are substantial.

 TRANSPORTATION

• LUSH has reduced employee flights and 'tax' themselves at a rate of £50 per ton of carbon emitted for flights they do take. The money goes to fund their energy department, which supports a variety of projects, one of which is providing free bicycles to staff.
• The company is part of a transport group that lobbies government to use gas taxes for green measures and improved public transportation.

Click here to access a detailed case study about LUSH, along with 14 other leading retailers.

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MARKS AND SPENCER

Marks and Spencer plc was founded in 1884 as a single market stall in Leeds, England and grew through the 20th century into an iconic British retailer. Currently, Marks and Spencer has over 600 stores in the United Kingdom and almost 250 internationally.

Among the five key areas for growth in the current corporate plan is the integration of Plan A-their 'eco plan'-into every aspect of how they do business.

PLAN A

• Under Plan A, by 2012, Marks and Spencer aims to become carbon neutral, send no waste to landfill, extend sustainable sourcing, set new standards in ethical trading, and help customers and employees lead healthier lifestyles. It is presented through 100 commitments organised under the headings of Climate Change; Waste; Sustainable Raw Materials; Fair Partner; and Health.

 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

• When Stuart Rose joined Marks and Spencer as Chief Executive in 2003, he challenged the business to spell out the points of difference that Marks and Spencer had developed.
• Marks and Spencer operates a How We Do Business Committee, which meets approximately monthly.
• There are now two environment-related directors: The Director of Plan A leads the Plan A delivery team; and the Director of Corporate Responsibility.

 STAFF TRAINING AND INCENTIVES

• At the store level, Plan A Champions promote awareness and attitude changes.
• 'Green Weeks' for employees focuses on the challenges and opportunities for staff at the stores and in their personal lives.

 CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILTY (CSR) REPORTING

• Marks and Spencer began its CSR reporting in 2003, followed by a CSR report covering 2003/04, which began to provide data and evidence on progress.
• This formal reporting is also enhanced by the publicity for Plan A. The Plan A website provides a wealth of information. A newsletter is also produced and available on the website, covering progress and new ideas.
• For five years, Ernst & Young LLP has provided an assurance service to the company in relation to the CSR reports and now the Plan A commitments.

 SUPPLY CHAIN

• Air freight is being reduced, and products air freighted are labelled as such. Packaging and transportation are being examined for savings, although the Carbon Trust has shown that raw materials and production emissions are the main opportunity for emission reduction.
• The focus on production has seen more suppliers working with the Carbon Trust. Suppliers are benchmarked against a balanced scorecard, which includes ethical trading performance. Buying guidelines are being developed further to ensure responsible practice.

 ENERGY CONSERVATION

• Store performance is increasingly automatically monitored and targeted. The development of green concept stores has produced specifications for all new and refurbished stores.
• Three of their suppliers have opened 'eco-factories'. One of the factories, owned and operated by MAS, is a new-build and designed to become carbon neutral.
• Another factory, owned and operated by Brandix, was converted to reduce carbon emissions by 75 per cent, energy use by 40 per cent and water use by nearly 60 per cent. It is the first factory in the world to receive LEED Platinum status.
• The third 'eco-factory' has opened in Wales. Six months after opening, the site emits 48 per cent less CO2 emissions, has an electrical energy saving of 56 per cent and a water consumption reduction of nearly 30 per cent.

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ALLIANCE BOOTS

The Boot family began trading in 1849, selling herbal remedies from a small store in Goose Gate, Nottingham. From that humble beginning, Alliance Boots has become the UK's leading health and beauty retailer, with the largest share of the over-the-counter market. 

From the outset, the culture of Boots has fostered treating employees, the environment and business in a responsible way. 

CORPORATE STRUCTURE

• A well-developed structure is in place to define and implement the overall Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy and action plan. A large component of the strategy and action plan addresses environmental issues.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR) REPORTING

• The company uses the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) as the framework for the CSR reporting and regards it as the accepted international gold standard for reporting.
• This standard helps the company avoid 'greenwashing' by requiring that the company list all their convictions and report not only what they have achieved, but also note that they do not report on certain parts of the GRI framework.

 CARBON FOOTPRINT

• Alliance Boots has committed to reducing their overall Carbon Footprint across the organization by 30% by 2020. Management has worked closely with the Carbon Trust to calculate the carbon footprint for various parts of the operation.
• They are identifying the carbon footprint of selected branded products and were able to reduce the carbon footprint of two types of shampoos by 20 -25 per cent by taking steps such as increasing the recycled content used in the bottles.

 RETURN ON INVESTMENT

• Central to their approach is the knowledge that CARBON = COSTS. If one can find a way to reduce carbon, then one can reduce costs. Below are just a few examples of how they have reduced carbon and costs.
• Lighting and heating throughout the store network in the U.K. are monitored centrally every half hour through a system that also allows them to be adjusted centrally. The software system was installed five years ago and paid for itself within six months. 
• Waste is collected from the stores and trucked back to the central Nottingham plant. This has resulted in savings of £2.3 million in costs for local collection after the cost of moving the waste and a gain of £700,000 from its sale.
• Through a combination of recycling, donating to charity, and repacking, stores have been able to reduce the amount of waste from nine skips to one or two skips, resulting in a savings of £2,100 per store.
• Within Health & Beauty they have reduced their reliance on landfill by 14% since 2002 -03 - an improvement achieved due to a wide range of initiatives, including recycling redundant shop fittings and the development of 100% recyclable free-standing display units.
• The combination of Boots' transportation initiatives, including dual-use fuel vehicles, double-decker trailer units, wagon and drag combinations, driver training, use of railways, and collections from suppliers resulted in a reduction of 5% in carbon emissions plus saved £1.4 million in fuel costs in 2006 alone. The savings in carbon and costs continue to rise.

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IKEA

IKEA has received recognition at the community, national and international levels for their far-reaching and innovative programs related to sustainability. IKEA was founded in the south of Sweden by a farmer's son, Ingvar Kamprad, in 1943. Today the company has 231 stores in 24 countries.

COMPANY CULTURE

• Sustainability has long been core to IKEA's culture. In more recent years, it has become formalized into strategies, policies and processes throughout the company.
• Every new employee at IKEA is given environmental training, and the aim is for all co-workers to receive regular follow-up courses.

CODES OF CONDUCT

• IKEA monitors the sustainability of its supply chain practices through their IWAY Code of Conduct for purchasing and distribution.
• Every two years, IWAY-approved suppliers are audited to make sure they maintain their IWAY status
• Third-party auditors always take part in Compliance and Monitoring Group (CMG) audits, and they also conduct their own audits at IKEA

ENERGY USE

• Webess is an IT application used by IKEA buildings for reporting energy consumption, including electricity, fuel oil, gas and water. Through this monitoring system, energy consumption can be compared between buildings.
• IKEA co-workers in Shanghai, China, have reduced energy use per sold cubic meter by 23 percent in their store. Lighting is turned off during non-business hours, and a new system controls the use of air-conditioning.
• By installing motion sensors that regulate store lighting in the IKEA distribution centre in Tejon, electricity costs have been reduced by 50 percent. The motion sensors allow the company to light only areas which are in use.

SOLID WASTE

• IKEA tries to minimize damage to products. However, when damage does occur, they attempt to repair the products, which can then be used as spare parts, or they are sold at a reduced price.
• The Canadian operation has a 64% damaged goods recovery rate, but has targeted 75%. Approximately 0.41% of their goods are internally damaged; thus, a significant amount of money can be saved through the recovery program.
• Waste could amount to $600,000 to $700,000 per year for the Canadian operation, thus, reducing waste is a priority. An individual was recently hired to oversee this area.
• Packaging is constantly being scrutinized for ways of reducing its size and weight. Recently, 1 cm was removed from sofa packaging, which resulted in four more units being added to a container and decreasing the transportation cost per unit.

TRANSPORTATION

• IKEA ships all its furniture in flat packs, resulting in greater density, fewer journeys, less fuel and fewer emissions
• Generally IKEA tries to locate the stores in areas where there is efficient public transport. The company has formulated a list of requirements for efficient public transport:
• IKEA stores in North York and Etobicoke in Canada have shuttle buses running between each store and downtown Toronto. Nearly 300,000 passengers took advantage of the service during 2006.
• The company has increased the number of meetings done online or through video conferencing. Management believes this not only reduces their carbon footprint and saves money, but also promotes a healthier lifestyle and a greater life/work balance.
• IKEA is SmartWay-compliant under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This is a model to continuously decrease greenhouse gases.

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 H-E-B GROCERY

H-E-B Grocery is a privately-owned retail corporation established over a century ago in Texas by Florence Butt. H-E-B is a leader in recognizing the monetary and environmental value of making energy-efficient changes for their stores.

Supermarkets are amongst the highest users of energy of any retail commodity and format, due in large part to the requirement for refrigeration units. Electricity is more than 80% of H-E-B's utility expense and costs approximately 9 to 10 cents per kWh in Texas. Here are some of the ways the company is cutting down on those expenses.

HEATING, VENTILATION AND COOLING

• All the roofs are white for maximum reflection and cooling to save on air conditioning.
• High efficiency HVAC (heating, ventilating and air conditioning) systems.

LIGHTING 

• Installation of new lighting in the historical head office alone yielded a savings of $70,000 in one year.
• In the corporate office, occupancy sensors were installed to automatically turn lights off 15 minutes after people leave a room. This has resulted in a savings of 4% to 5%.
• H-E-B has three people in the area of lighting retrofits. Paybacks are generally under two years.

REFRIGERATION

• The company is currently testing the use of night blinds over the open freezers and refrigeration cases. They are reflective and secured by a magnet at the bottom. Payback has been calculated at three years
• Refrigerated case fans in several stores are being modified with energy efficient fans (electrically commuted motors). This has resulted in significant energy savings amounting to over 50% per fan.
• Central electronic controls to monitor energy usage at all times for all stores and buildings have been installed and are adjusted centrally whenever indicated. The payback on the electronic monitoring system has been between two and three years.
• Continuous commissioning programs or ongoing maintenance of machinery, systems, refrigeration etc. also results in efficient operations and savings
• 137 of the 300 H-E-B stores have received the ENERGY STAR label. Stores that have earned the label demonstrate excellent energy management performance and generally use 35% less energy than other facilities in the same category.

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