Comments on: Retailers Have a Voice in Sustainability http://www.mywestworld.com/living/retailers-have-a-voice-in-sustainability/ Share Your World with the World Tue, 25 May 2010 04:48:03 +0000 hourly 1 By: Dai Manuel http://www.mywestworld.com/living/retailers-have-a-voice-in-sustainability/#comment-110 Dai Manuel Sat, 16 May 2009 15:25:37 +0000 http://www.mywestworld.com/?p=1023#comment-110 Great blog post, Bernice! I was fortunate to be able to attend this event as well as the original Retail Sustainability Summit hosted by DIG360 and RetailBC several months ago. As a retailer I find myself very curious about how an organization such as ourselves can get involved in the sustainability movement. Many of the speakers were instrumental in evoking the conversation between myself and key management personnel at Fitness Town. We are excited about the possibilities and the positive impact we can in turn have in the communities we conduct our business. The future is certainly looking "greener" ;-) Again, thank you for the great post. Look forward to meeting you at future Retail BC events. Great blog post, Bernice!

I was fortunate to be able to attend this event as well as the original Retail Sustainability Summit hosted by DIG360 and RetailBC several months ago. As a retailer I find myself very curious about how an organization such as ourselves can get involved in the sustainability movement. Many of the speakers were instrumental in evoking the conversation between myself and key management personnel at Fitness Town. We are excited about the possibilities and the positive impact we can in turn have in the communities we conduct our business.

The future is certainly looking “greener” ;-)

Again, thank you for the great post. Look forward to meeting you at future Retail BC events.

]]> By: Sonja Kennedy http://www.mywestworld.com/living/retailers-have-a-voice-in-sustainability/#comment-109 Sonja Kennedy Thu, 14 May 2009 17:57:37 +0000 http://www.mywestworld.com/?p=1023#comment-109 Hi Bernice, Thanks for your post - and I'm glad you enjoyed the conference. Julien, your comments are very timely and exactly the kinds of things discussed at the conference. The information being presented is that there is a need for change - wholesale or not, and there are things retailers of any size can do. There are now retailers who not only view their business as a means of encouraging consumption, but as a platform to equip consumers with long lasting, quality products that would help guard against increased consumption. Yes, there were also more questions raised than answered, which is often the case in tackling issues such as these. But the main point is that they were raised at all, new can of worms or not, the can needs to be opened. What is heartening is in the feedback survey from the conference, 70% of respondents stated that what they learned has inspired them to make changes in their business. Now that's worth it, and shows the heart of leaders in the retail industry! Hi Bernice,

Thanks for your post – and I’m glad you enjoyed the conference. Julien, your comments are very timely and exactly the kinds of things discussed at the conference. The information being presented is that there is a need for change – wholesale or not, and there are things retailers of any size can do. There are now retailers who not only view their business as a means of encouraging consumption, but as a platform to equip consumers with long lasting, quality products that would help guard against increased consumption. Yes, there were also more questions raised than answered, which is often the case in tackling issues such as these. But the main point is that they were raised at all, new can of worms or not, the can needs to be opened. What is heartening is in the feedback survey from the conference, 70% of respondents stated that what they learned has inspired them to make changes in their business. Now that’s worth it, and shows the heart of leaders in the retail industry!

]]> By: Bernice Paul http://www.mywestworld.com/living/retailers-have-a-voice-in-sustainability/#comment-108 Bernice Paul Tue, 12 May 2009 22:49:13 +0000 http://www.mywestworld.com/?p=1023#comment-108 Hi Julien, Your point about our current economic model is well-taken. Greening the supply chain is definitely only one piece of the puzzle (and a spiraling piece, the more you dig...) As Peter Robinson pointed out, it's also the retail products themselves that must be addressed. In other words, what the heck are we buying in the first place? And when we buy, are we paying the real price? Probably not. It will take a long time to undo the way we have learned to think about 'deals' and 'sales'. Hi Julien,
Your point about our current economic model is well-taken. Greening the supply chain is definitely only one piece of the puzzle (and a spiraling piece, the more you dig…) As Peter Robinson pointed out, it’s also the retail products themselves that must be addressed. In other words, what the heck are we buying in the first place? And when we buy, are we paying the real price? Probably not. It will take a long time to undo the way we have learned to think about ‘deals’ and ’sales’.

]]> By: Julien http://www.mywestworld.com/living/retailers-have-a-voice-in-sustainability/#comment-102 Julien Fri, 08 May 2009 18:50:47 +0000 http://www.mywestworld.com/?p=1023#comment-102 But then what exactly can retailers do? Pressure their suppliers into designing their products in a more sustainable way? There is so much pressure they can apply, as this approach is realistic only when the resulting product is either cheaper or of equal cost (but with potential green advertising value). If greening the supply chain means more costly products, demand may (or may not, but which retailer would take that chance?) mechanically decrease. Of course, this is a simplistic analysis which should be done on a case-by-case basis but it still highlights a basic fact: our current economic model is not aligned with the biosphere's processes. And that's not encouraging... but the very idea of dumping this crazy societal model of ours is very inspiring. But then what exactly can retailers do? Pressure their suppliers into designing their products in a more sustainable way? There is so much pressure they can apply, as this approach is realistic only when the resulting product is either cheaper or of equal cost (but with potential green advertising value). If greening the supply chain means more costly products, demand may (or may not, but which retailer would take that chance?) mechanically decrease. Of course, this is a simplistic analysis which should be done on a case-by-case basis but it still highlights a basic fact: our current economic model is not aligned with the biosphere’s processes.
And that’s not encouraging… but the very idea of dumping this crazy societal model of ours is very inspiring.

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