Sustainability / Environment

Overview

Sustainability at RILA includes efforts to address the retail industry’s environmental compliance obligations and broader impact areas and efforts to address those social impact areas related to responsible sourcing and supply chains. Other social-related topics like diversity & inclusion, labor & employment and health care can be found under our HR focus area.  

The key environmental impact areas across RILA’s membership align around waste and energy, and the key responsible sourcing social impact areas focus on ethical working conditions in owned and contracted supplier facilities. These areas translate into action through our five committees: Sustainability (environmental), Responsible Sourcing, Environmental Compliance, Energy Management, and Zero Waste.  

Why Sustainability/Environment Matters to Retail 

Sustainability matters to retail because sustainability means protecting two of the most important assets to the industry’s success: environment and people. Sustainability is anchored in the important role that environmental and social issues play in ensuring the retail industry’s actions and values are aligned and well-informed. The retail industry is dependent on planet and people sustainability for long-term viability, whether it comes to efficiency and cost management, compliance, asset protection, brand reputation, or growth through innovation and new business models. By bridging the gap between compliance and sustainability, companies can benefit from lower compliance costs and a reduction in risk.  

Our Priorities  

Given the many retail categories within which RILA members operate, the Sustainability priorities most appropriate for us to focus on are those which are most universal and timely. 

For environmental compliance, our priorities are to provide retailers with educational resources designed to help retailers implement compliance programs for various environmental media such as air, water and hazardous and nonhazardous waste. Other priority areas include hazardous materials transportation, product toxics and green chemistry, state bag policies, and identifying and implementing sustainability opportunities that can eliminate or reduce compliance burdens. We prioritize our advocacy efforts and engage the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Transportation and relevant state agencies for reform. 

For environmental sustainability, our priorities are increasing efficiency and waste diversion and exploring circular economy innovations for waste – and increasing efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for energy. 

For responsible sourcing, our priorities are working with suppliers to assure compliance with domestic and international regulations and continuous improvements to safeguard ethical working conditions for the global communities that support our supply chains.