Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 27

Focusing on greening operations across the board helps retailers' bottom lines.
REASoNINg gREENINg

Retailers who are still unsure about
how much money they should invest in
green retailing, and whether it's worth
the effort at all, need to look at their bottom line. Sustainability saves money as
much as it saves the environment.
It makes good business sense.
Numerous studies conducted around

the world concerning green business
practices show that green initiatives
helps drive innovation. This is great
for the future of the business, and for
the customer, and it encourages new
ways of thinking and doing as well. In
shor retailers who invested in greening their operations see a payback.

 Leverage the lease. Most retailers lease
their premises. As a result, it's hard to
make changes to the spaces without getting the landlord's buy-in-and investment.
Still, retailers can make a strong case for
getting landlords to install water-saving
fixtures, energy-efficient lighting and
windows and other eco-friendly changes if
they make an economic case. Many incentives exist to invest in capital improvement
projects and eco-overhauls to the landlord's space, which will pay off in the longrun when they have a happy tenant. Many
leases have a clause that allows retailers
to request physical improvements over
the term of the lease-this might be the
best way to lobby for changes that lower
operating costs. Finally, when looking for a
new lease, retailers should ask prospective
landlords to invest in hardware changes
that shrink the store's footprint.

www.retailcouncil.org/training/retailersguides

And retailers don't have to be ecoholics to implement change. Even
retailers who focus strictly on the
bottom line can squeeze profitability
from green initiatives. By investing
in the business they're receiving a
return and doing the right thing at
the same time.

Buy Better

Sustainable products sometimes involve a
higher cost. And it usually takes more time to
suss out the products with the right quality for
the right price. So, when a retailer looks at the
costs involved, in addition to the time it takes
to find the right product, the investment can
sometimes look dubious. So why do it? Because if the customer wants it, get it.
 Deepen your list of suppliers. Sustainable products are easier to find now than
they used to be thanks to the popularity
of these products and the internet. Retailers who want to distinguish themselves
with product choice will want to look at
attending green trade shows to find new
products and vendors with reputable track
records. And, it won't hurt to network
within the local community to find up-andcoming suppliers who can help retailers
offer products that larger retailers don't.

fall 2014 | cANADIAN REtAILER

| 27


http://www.retailcouncil.org/training/retailersguides

Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014

Member Insights
Retails Currents
Retail: At Issue
Being Green
Big Gains in the Supply Chain Game Bringing Supplier Closer to Customers
Protect Your Retails Business Against Fraud
Clean Sweep
The Modern Era of Retail Enagagement
Advertiser's Index
Retail Quick Tips
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - cover1
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - cover2
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 3
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - Member Insights
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 5
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - Retails Currents
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 7
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 8
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 9
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - Retail: At Issue
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 11
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - Being Green
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 13
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 14
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 15
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 16
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 17
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - Big Gains in the Supply Chain Game Bringing Supplier Closer to Customers
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 19
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 20
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 21
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 22
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - Protect Your Retails Business Against Fraud
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 24
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - Clean Sweep
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 26
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 27
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 28
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 29
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 30
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 31
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 32
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 33
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - The Modern Era of Retail Enagagement
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 35
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 36
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 37
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 38
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 39
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 40
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 41
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 42
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 43
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 44
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 45
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 46
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 47
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - 48
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - Advertiser's Index
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - Retail Quick Tips
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - cover3
Canadian Retailer - Fall 2014 - cover4
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