Environmental Sustainability

Nordstrom announced last Friday that it has launched Sustainable Style, an online shopping category that consists entirely of responsibly made products. The featured items are sustainably sourced, manufactured in factories that meet higher social or environmental standards, and/or give back. The category includes more than 2,000 items from 90 brands, including Nordstrom-made Treasure & Bond, Patagonia, Reformation,…

Walmart is suing Tesla, Elon Musk’s electric vehicle and clean energy company, after its solar panels atop seven Walmart stores allegedly caught on fire, CNBC reported. The lawsuit, which details evacuations, damaged property and inventory, claims breach of contract, gross negligence and failure to live up to industry standards. Walmart is asking Tesla to remove its solar panels from…

Hardly a day goes by without the issue of waste appearing in the media. Its impact on the environment is becoming increasingly visible, driving changes in consumer behavior and threatening companies’ license to operate. A Long-Term ‘Dual Challenge’ for Retailers Retailers have been pushing hard to take on big issues like wasted packaging, plastic, food…

Lab-grown diamonds have become a popular choice among millennial consumers, however, many traditional diamond producers and jewelry retailers still keep lab-grown diamonds in their back rooms. At Spence Diamonds, a 40-year-old diamond retailer, man-made stones are put front and center as the focus of its business, while also still selling earth-mined diamonds. Spence Diamonds reports…

China’s recent ban on importing waste has created a worldwide crisis for recycling programs. In the global scramble for a solution, businesses have come to the realization that recycling is no longer a viable or sustainable option to manage today’s throw-away culture. As awareness deepens, companies are faced with the challenge and opportunity to develop…

“Going green” is officially mainstream. Topics such as global climate change, environmental migration, and the growth of islands of trash that fill our oceans are constant fuel for the news cycle. Consumers everywhere are becoming more cognizant of how their everyday purchase decisions can adversely impact the natural world, whether this means shopping for products…

The North Face said this week that it will close its global headquarters and its 113 stores in the U.S. and Canada on Earth Day, April 22. The action is part of a campaign to make Earth Day an officially recognized holiday. The VF Corp.-owned brand said closing its doors on Earth Day will provide its employees ample opportunity…

Amazon.com announced Monday its goal to make 50 percent of all its shipments net zero carbon by 2030. This goal aids the company's efforts towards achieving project "Shipment Zero," which focuses on a long-term goal to make all of its shipments carbon neutral. Amazon has been taking more steps to reduce its overall carbon footprint, and has…

We now live in a commerce environment where we quite literally can have any product whim fulfilled, and in many cases, in our hands the same or next day, at the enticing price of free. And why shouldn’t we? Amazon’s Prime Now, UberRush and Instacart make bold promises of delivery within hours of order placement. Well, possibly, we might be well advised to consider the longer term implications.

For many retail organizations, sustainability remains a financial hurdle to overcome rather than a solution to cut costs. Retailers face an uphill battle to increase already razor-thin profit margins amidst a rapidly changing industry, and, as a result, sustainability has taken a back seat for some. The following three tips will encourage retailers to rethink their business strategy and put sustainability to work for the bottom line: