Greentailing

Greentailing
Crafting a sustainability roadmap
February 12, 2010

Sustainability does not have to be a confusing issue. But when the scope is defined differently by non-governmental organizations, Federal programs, associations, industries and green leaders—it’s no wonder we have a quagmire of diverging opinions on this subject. Clarity would have been within arms’ length had a successful Copenhagen Climate Summit come about. Then, the largest economies would have come to an agreement on a set of global sustainability metrics and helped shape a framework to benchmark environmental performance against (surprise surprise, they did not). Alas, the confusion will continue into 2010, forcing everyone to roadmap their way through the ever-growing maze of eco-labels, standards and certifications.

So, we kick off 2010 with an uptick in the Green Confidence Index, Copenhagen a bust, retail sales showing a glimmer of hope and a little bit of the same old, same old—green leadership without a common benchmark.

By not having a common sustainability metric, companies have learned that they have roughly three ways to address and/or communicate their sustainable attributes and initiatives for market recognition—and this will continue into 2010 and beyond.

Path1
Use an ecolabel, standard or third-party certification that is relevant, affordable and achievable. Certify under it or use it as a “guideline” for improvement. Forbo is a good example of a company taking this approach. They have certified their products under nearly every relevant ecolabel the market has to offer—more than 10. Interestingly enough, ecolabels are prominently displayed on Forbo’s North America and China market Web sites—two unregulated markets, whereas ecolabels are not promoted on the U.K. or German sites. This is a strong indicator that ecolabels will continue to carry value in our market until regulation comes about. In regulated markets, green is simply business as usual.

Path2
This path is an alternative to the first, but can only work if transparency is practiced. Recognize third-party certifications and ecolabels as your guide to sustainability—but don’t rely on them. Instead, build a green strategy that is unique to your operations, special to the brand and aligned with corporate values. Interface FLOR is a company that has done a wonderful job of this. Currently, they are promoting their OFF OIL by 2020 efforts. They are not leaning on third-party certifications to tell their story, even though some of their products can contribute to qualifying LEED credits. Rather, they have chosen a sustainability path that is defined by telling success ��stories, transparently communicating their weaknesses and committing to long-term goals that all staff can huddle around to help resolve.

Path3
The third approach is a combination of the two aforementioned routes.

Now that I’ve provided a very cut-and-dry set of paths, here comes the billion-dollar question. Which road is best for your company or brand? Herein lies the biggest confusion in the market—roadmapping a sustainable strategy that makes sense for your brand, your operations and your customer.

Sustainability is still a burgeoning industry, and not everyone is expecting a certification or label today. In fact, many don’t even know what to expect, but you can be certain that a sustainable attribute will not be a turn-off, so long as your service or product meets the first priority—fulfilling the primary need of the customer.

Regardless of the road you are considering, success is hinged on being transparent and authentically communicating and reporting all the inputs and outputs of your product. It is vital that your organization is on a path of continuous improvement. Nobody is expecting a perfect green product today, but they do want to be assured that the decision they are making is one that is supporting environmental progress.

How you plan to change for the better and share that process with your customer is really up to you and your unique set of circumstances. Some retailers are accomplishing this through green procurement strategies, while others address operational efficiencies. Deeper into the supply chain, we see manufacturers exploring new materials, meeting standards and putting new logistics in place, whereas companies like Interface and Wal-Mart take on big, hairy, audacious goals that slowly trickle into every arm of the retail enterprise.

Without regulation in sight, there will continue to be no definition of right, but there certainly is one wrong: standing by and doing nothing in a fast-moving voluntary market.
As you draft your New Year’s resolutions, make sure you tuck the construction of a sustainability roadmap in your affirmation box. Welcome to a fresh start, 2010!

Cheers,

Justin Doak
Founder, Ecoxera – Green Business Strategy for Retail
Send green retail questions to justindoak@ecoxera.com.