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Embracing sustainability at retail

By Fairy Dharawat | Vjmedia Works | February 17, 2014

To become a successful and responsible retailer/ mall owner, embracing environmental sustainability has become an essential ingrediant. Ensuring a better world for future generations to come, sustainability is becoming a part of most responsible retail brands' agenda today especially in the international retail markets. Let's take a look at the scene closer home and find out what Indian retailers and mall owners have to say on the green revolution and their own initiatives in this regard.

Going for a greener alternative is a concious choice with a life-long commitment, and while in the competitive global economy there is a  paradigm shift towards sustainability, it is still an evolving agenda in India. As the availability of resources continue to become scarce,  future issues will be more complex, competitive and challenging compared towhat we are currently facing.

To lead responsibly and create a better place to live, is the priority among up leaders who must pave a way for others to follow. As Amit Sarda, Marketing Manager at Soulflower Co Ltd puts it, "Sustainability is a  personal choice which reflects on your business." Soulflower, a brand and retailer offering aroma products, has practised a sustainable business model since its inception. Amit further adds,"Though being sustainability is highly cost effective it requires discipline and long-term commitment."






The retail industry is a major contributor to economic growth and depends highly on natural resources like energy, water and natural reserves. As Mukesh Kumar, VP -- Infinity Mall, adds, "It is becoming increasingly clear that sustainability can be a driver of new growth that capitalizes on a rising demand for environmentally friendly and energy-efficient products." He further adds,"Going green is cost effective as well. With the recent rise in inflation, retailers are looking to cut costs while boosting end user demand, and  sustainability provides a perfect solution to the problem at hand."

The above is exaclty what drives brands like Woodland which has a sustainability initiative called ProPlanet that supports greener alternatives. Some of their initiatives include:

  • Use of eco-friendly materials during manufacturing and process at our production units.
  • Use of eco-friendly material for packaging and transfer of the goods
  • Aiming to be the country's first Carbon-Neutral retail chain in times to come
  • Use of eco-friendly materials while developing new stores - most of them done with recycled wood
  • Lot of events at a mass-level to educate the customers about the need of being ProPlanet in the interest of the mankind


Harkirat Singh, Managing Director, Woodland Shoes, says in this regard, "We believe in using business to inspire solutions to the environmental crisis. And it is with this belief that we strive to discover new ways and also increase awareness for creating sustainable solutions in India."

Another example is Oberoi Mall which recently won the Leadership in Energy Efficiency & Environmental Design award ( The LEED Award) for their Sustainable Practices and efficient use of resources from USGBC under Existing Building- Operations and Maintenance Category. The rating is also very significant as it is difficult to achieve and so far the mall is the only one in India to be "Gold Rated” in existing building category. Says Nirzar Jain Vice President - Oberoi Mall, "To maintain a sustainable model reflects the vision of the organization and how it wants to make a difference to its community and needs constant focus and vision from the founder."

He further adds that, one of the major challenges they face while adopting sustainability is "the lack of local market to procure goods and materials complying with these global standards. Motivating and sensitizing retailers to participate in the process".

According to Ashwini Sheth, Managing Director -- Sheth Developers & Realtors (India) Ltd. ( Viviana Mall), though there is a market for sustainable solutions, a lot of factors are responsible. Availability and prices in the right location, recognition of this as an industry and economy driver, Policy's  FDI in retail, ease in availability of finance, ease in statutory roadblocks will affect sustainable growth to a large extent. Sustainability is not economical. However, it benefits operations. In the long run it's a way of giving back to the society that matters as well as the magnitude of organized retail can definitely impact the thought process of many," he says.

Shoppers Stop has undertaken multiple initiatives when it comes to sustainability and here is what Arden J. D'souza - Customer Care Associate & Head - Visual Merchandising - Shopper's Stop Ltd has to say, "Sustainability is an approach to life and the way you see different aspects of life. It can be as simple as using a bicycle can be the best mode of transport and as a retailer I need to push that - like keeping lots of bicycles on sales." He further adds,  "The world is now waking up to the sustainability movement, and we are also getting into it. The management needs to take a call on what we need to do, like investing in natural light in the form of solar panels which saves on tremendous amount of electricity. We use sunlight harvesting to light our retail stores in Andheri Mumbai.When you look at the initiative it can be used for a house as well. We also use wind panels, simple light fittings which consume less electricity and cut down on lot of our lightning bill."

Sustainablity is a choice and it is a simple one. The above are just some examples of retail initiaves in this regard. What is really needed is for it to become an integral part of retail management agenda so it is a way of retail life. This would requite addressing many issues. But as they say, where there is will, there is way.  
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