Sustainability and the Supply Chain Key for RILA
Retailers are increasingly interested in expanding their sustainable practices across the supply chain. That was the finding of a recent white paper released by the Retail Industry Leaders Association.
RILA, based outside Washington, D.C., found that some retailers are taking a more active interest in the environmental impact of their supply chains and how business is conducted all along the supply chain, according to its research paper, released on Aug. 11. Supplier practices regarding labor and the environmental impacts of manufacturing, as well as safety issues in manufacturing, have received a deeper look from retailers, according to the report. The white paper contended that if retailers exhibit a deeper engagement with supplier issues, much of the risk found in their supply chain will be reduced.
On Aug 12, Adam Siegel, RILA’s vice president of sustainability, helped lead a discussion on Twitter about sustainability issues between retailers and their suppliers throughout the supply chain. One discussion participant, Rashmi Tewari, noted on the Twitter chat that the “Supplier-retailer relationship is adversarial—not enuf buy-in for the supplier’s employees to address retailers goals.”
Siegel later noted on the Twitter chat: “More collaborations are forming & more retailers are engaging their suppliers—generally I see a rapid growth in activities.”
Sustainability and environmental issues are hot topics for RILA. In October, the organization will help sponsor the Retail Sustainability Conference 2011 in Orlando, Fla. The conference will discuss supply-chain issues, issues in constructing ecologically friendly buildings, and working with state and federal regulators.
