As 2009 draws to a close many issues affecting our industry remain unresolved. The economy remains fragile as consumers seek stronger signs of recovery and business leaders await the final outcomes of public policy matters that will affect their ability to create and retain jobs. Here at RILA we’re closing the books on a very successful year and gearing up for the challenges and opportunities we’re sure to face in the new year.
Last January, experts assumed the Employee Free Choice Act would by now be law. Fortunately, thanks to a coordinated effort between RILA, its partners and the broader business community, it is not. However, the threat remains very real, as Congress is likely to attempt to pass the misguided bill early in the new year. Health care reform, the subject of months of debate, has progressed through the House of Representatives and the Senate. Although we remain hopeful that a meaningful health care reform package can be crafted, we believe the Senate legislation is terribly flawed and falls short of our shared goals of reducing the unsustainable costs employers and employees face. Among our chief concerns are provisions within the Senate bill that would reduce benefit design flexibility and innovation, force employers to enroll new employees within 60 days of hire and the bill’s inadequate definition for full-time employee.
In addition, thanks to the hard work and support we have gotten from the operations professionals within our member companies, many of which sit on our many committees, we have made considerable progress in our effort to reform interchange fees and pass federal organized retail crime legislation. 2010 is shaping up to be a monumental year for these issues.
RILA’s retail operation team has continued to make important progress on issues critical to our industry, specifically, product safety and environmental sustainability. In 2010, RILA and the British Retail Consortium (BRC) will formally launch the first Global Standard for Consumer Products. This standard considers product safety holistically and provides manufacturers with a framework to ensure the production of safe products. We are excited about the potential it holds to strengthen theprotocols that our members rely upon to ensure the products on their shelves are safe. Similarly, RILA members’ commitment to the pursuit of environmentally sustainable operations has been supported by RILA’s ongoing efforts in this space. Our second annual Environmental Sustainability and Compliance Conference was a resounding success. Increased attendance was driven by terrific content and dialogue between retailers committed to these practices. On the supply chain side, RILA has formed a partnership with the Coalition for Responsible Transportation to expand efforts to reduce diesel emissions around our nation’s ports. This partnership will allow us to expand and promote the laudable accomplishments made in this regard.
Much more deserves mention, but there simply is not enough space to do so. Instead I will simply say that 2009 has been a good year for RILA because we have continued to have the trust and support of our members. With your support we have been able to strategically confront the issues facing our industry. I cannot say enough that our success is dependent upon the input we receive from you. So, as we look ahead to the challenges and opportunities we anticipate in 2010, your input is essential. If you are not already participating in our numerous and varied committee activities, our educational and networking conferences or our other activities for members, please reach out to Suzie Squier, our senior vice president of membership, at suzie.squier@rila.org or (703) 600-2020 to learn about getting more involved.
Sincerely,
Sandy