Environmental Sustainability

Wal-Mart is eyeing greater energy efficiency and less reliance on fossil fuels as key drivers of its low-cost, low-price business model. The company on Monday announced several new targets that are designed to put it further along the path to becoming supplied 100 percent by renewable energy and save an estimated $1 billion annually in energy costs.

H&M has launched a global garment recycling initiative, rewarding shoppers who donate used garments. Through the initiative, H&M shoppers who donate clothing will receive a 15 percent off voucher on their next H&M purchase for each bag of clothing donated. Any piece of clothing, from any brand and in any condition, will be accepted at all H&M stores worldwide. Global Green USA, the American affiliate of Green Cross International, will be the sole U.S. beneficiary of the H&M garment recycling program. Donated textiles will be recycled and proceeds given to Global Green.

Apparel retailer The North Face has launched "Clothes The Loop," a program that encourages shoppers to recycle used apparel. Shoppers can bring used gear - any brand, any condition - to any of the 10 participating retail locations. For each drop off (one per day), they receive $10 off their next purchase. The items are then sent to a recycling center where they're sorted based on over 400 categories. They're then reused to extend their life or recycled into raw materials for use in products like insulation, carpet padding, stuffing for toys and fibers for new clothing. 

Benetton Group is the latest global apparel company to join Greenpeace’s Detox Program. The Italy-based retailer, which operates 6,500 stores in 120 countries, is another coup for Greenpeace. With its commitment to eliminate the release of toxic chemicals...

At the closing session of the National Retail Federation's Big Show in New York City yesterday, executives from Home Depot and ANN Inc., parent company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, discussed the role social responsibility plays in their companies.

Amazon.com, Macy's, Leon Max, and Sears, Roebuck and Co. and its Kmart subsidiaries have agreed to pay $1.26 million in penalties to settle lawsuits filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that they mislead consumers by labeling textiles as made of bamboo, when they were actually Rayon. The FTC charged the retailers violated the Textile Products Identification Act and the FTC's Textile Rules. While so-called bamboo textiles often are promoted as environmentally friendly, the process for manufacturing rayon — even when it's made from bamboo — is far from a "green" one, the FTC said in a statement.

H&M is the first fashion company to launch a clothing collecting initiative worldwide, which begins in February. At that time, customers will be able to hand in used garments in H&M stores in all 48 markets. "Our sustainability efforts are rooted in a dedication to social and environmental responsibility. We want to do good for the environment, which is why we are now offering our customers a convenient solution to be able to leave their worn out or defective garments with H&M," said Karl-Johan Persson, CEO of H&M.

Zara produces 850 million clothing items a year. That's a hell of a lot of clothing and a hell of a lot to be concerned about if, as Greenpeace claims, those items are chock-full of toxic chemicals. Two weeks ago, Greenpeace released a report detailing the hazardous chemicals it found in mass market clothing. The organization tested apparel items from 20 leading brands, including Emporio Armani, Mango, Zara, Gap, Victoria's Secret, Levi's, Calvin Klein and Benetton.

Only two retailers — Office Depot and Staples — made it into the top 10 U.S. companies on the 2012 Newsweek Green Rankings, while Marks & Spencer is the sole retailer to make it onto the top 10 global list. For the fourth year in a row, Newsweek's Green Rankings assessed the environmental performance of the largest publicly traded companies in the United States and around the world, comparing their environmental footprint, corporate management and transparency. To conduct the study, Newsweek partnered with two leading environmental research organizations — Trucost and Sustainalytics.

Ikea announced that it will shift to renewable energy by 2020 as part of a preservation plan that has won support from environmentalists, according to a Reuters report. The Swedish-based retailer wants to build on many customers’ desires for a greener lifestyle, also committing that it would limit sales by 2016 to energy-efficient products including induction cookers and LED light bulbs, according to Reuters.