Environmental Justice: Introduction for Retail

Stacey Halliday and Hilary Jacobs from Beveridge & Diamond provided an overview of the emerging environmental justice landscape and evaluate risks and opportunities for retailers. Attendees then heard from Donnel Baird from BlocPower, a Brooklyn-based energy technology startup rapidly greening American cities. Donnel shared a variety of paths for retail companies committed to (or, challenged when) addressing environmental justice issues in their operations, either by focusing on the communities in which they serve, the customer, employees or suppliers.

• A brief history and evolution of the environmental justice movement
• An analysis of how environmental justice is relevant to the retail sector and key developments in this rapidly evolving space
• A summary of best practices for how retailers can get ahead of regulatory and community environmental justice developments
• How to use environmental justice assessments in retail
• How retail companies can help source energy efficiency equipment for underserved, urban buildings
• How retail companies can help to decarbonize buildings for suppliers, employees, customers, and stakeholders

• Stacey Halliday, Independent Consultant – Beveridge & Diamond
• Hilary Jacobs, Associate – Beveridge & Diamond
• Donnel Baird, Founder - BlocPower