In a survey of retail CEOs at RILA’s January 2008 Leadership Conference, an overwhelming 96 percent reported that they had begun to think about environmental sustainability as a strategy that could drive revenues and grow profits in their companies. Forty-six percent had already developed some strategy, large or small, to put their ideas into action. No longer the sole realm of activists and special interests, the environment has become an important issue for the media, governments and consumers worldwide.
Realizing that the retail industry is a major part of the global economy, controlling a huge amount of resources and with unparalleled access to the public, RILA has made a commitment to become a major player in advocating for environmental sustainability. The industry has incredible potential to make an impact on the environment.
RILA's board of directors has identified environmental sustainability as a core association value. We hope that this newsletter will be an industry resource, highlighting top environmental retail news stories, sharing case studies and best practices from retailers and trusted solution providers, and providing a platform for discussion.
Sustainability is not just the right thing to do – it makes good business sense. In a world with increasingly constrained resources, environmentally sound operations are the only way to guarantee the future of your company and your brand.