Environmental Sustainability

Ikea has purchased a wind farm north of Scotland and is investing in rooftop solar photovoltaic installations as part of its plan to use 100 percent renewable energy in the long term. The wind farm in Huntly, Aberdeenshire will generate electricity equivalent to that used in five U.K. stores — or 30 percent of the company’s total consumption in the U.K. 

Green Mountain Energy Company announced that Lord & Taylor will purchase renewable energy for its flagship Manhattan and Eastchester, N.Y. stores. The retailer has committed to purchasing wind energy from Green Mountain for 100 percent of the two stores’ electricity usage.

Who are the greenest of the green retailers in the U.S.? According to the most recent ImagePower Global Green Brand Survey, five of the top 10 green brands in the U.S. are major retail chains, based on consumer opinion and perceptions.

Overstock.com announced the debut of carbon-neutral shipping for every purchase made from its Worldstock Fair Trade inventory, effective immediately. This sustainability effort establishes Overstock.com as one of the largest online retailers to take responsibility for the environmental impact of its product shipping program.

Fifty percent of large businesses and 25 percent of their suppliers have reduced supply chain costs by managing carbon emissions, according to the Carbon Disclosure Project’s 2011 Supply Chain Report. But observers say most retailers have only begun to limit the amount of carbon their supply chains release into the atmosphere.

As thousands of companies try to link their marketing messages to Earth Day, a new study from OgilvyEarth finds that the vast majority aren't having any impact on consumer behavior. While 82 percent of Americans have "good green intentions," only 16 percent are dedicated to fulfilling them.

Macy's announced a series of initiatives to become a more sustainable company. The retailer will increase its use of energy-saving LEDs and solar power. It will also switch to eco-friendly hangers, and become the first major department store to pilot the use of self-serve electric vehicle charging station.

Anthropologie and the Cork Forest Conservation Alliance announced a joint initiative in all 153 Anthropologie stores in the U.S. and U.K. to increase awareness and promote the preservation of Mediterranean cork forests, one of the planet’s most important ecosystems.

The biggest players in the world of retail have come together to form a Super Friends-like coalition, whose mission is to address the environmental and social impacts of their products. Made up of global retailers like Nike, Wal-Mart, Target and Gap among others, the “Sustainable Apparel Coalition” intends to create a universal Apparel Index that would eventually give retailers the opportunity to publish environmental scoring metrics on their products.

Retail giants, non-governmental organizations, academic experts, and the Environmental Protection Agency are banding together to reduce the social and environmental impacts of apparel and footwear products sold worldwide.