First Perspectives from the Green Council 

The PRSM National Conference in Orlando 2008 marked the introduction of the Green Council to the membership. As the PRSM organization continues to commit itself to growth, we find more and more talent, ambition, and commitment amongst our membership. Such is the case with this newly developed Green Council, which aims to combine the growing needs of retailers and vendors to respond to our nation's loud call to sustainable development and "green" building operations and maintenance.

During the Tuesday General Session, we asked the member body to respond to a Green Council survey, in order to help the Council focus on areas members would like to learn more. Here are some highlights:

• More than 50 percent of the respondents were retailers, from mid or small box stores with greater than 1,000 stores with the majority of responses at a corporate director or manager level.
  
• The five topics of highest interest are: retrofitting of existing stores; energy efficient lighting; waste management & recycling; eco-friendly products and services; and water conservation.
  
• About 63% of the respondents are following LEED certification standards as guidelines to initiating green initiative, although they may not be working to achieve LEED certification.
  
• The tools they would be most interested in learning about greening initiatives are: PRSM magazine articles; success stories from other retailers; conference education sessions, online resources, links to other websites.
  
• Most respondents felt that their executive management believed sustainability efforts are very important.
  
• Respondents currently monitor the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Edison Electric Institute (EEI), local utility companies and a host of other smaller groups for information about sustainability and green building initiatives

Already the Green Council is responding to these areas of interest. For example, while at PRSM2008! a few council members along with PRSM President Mario Vega met with representatives of the USGBC, and also the EEI to discuss how PRSM could be more actively working with their organizations on green initiatives to become the recognized voice of the retail facilities maintenance profession. We are generating alliances with these types of groups in order to collaborate and stay abreast of developing opportunities in sustainable green building operations and facilities maintenance.

Four specific educational sessions addressed sustainability at this year's national conference through the efforts of the Education Committee and the Green Council. In turn, we attended these sessions in order to learn, benchmark member satisfaction, and evaluate content for use in establishing future sessions. Overall, we trust that you were very pleased with these sessions.

One of the key educational sessions, presented by Jim Dion entitled Retailing Sustainability in Action, where he pronounced "Green is the New Black," was packed with 55 minutes of thought provoking ideas for retailers to combine sustainability programs with true cost saving initiatives. Mr. Dion aptly stated "this is not a niche, not a trend, not optional, this is the future." Opportunities in green space include: $230 billion in annual sales to 60 million educated and affluent consumers; $17 billion investments in green technology by 2009; and, the birth of the corporate Sustainability Officer.

In another key session, Steve Keisner, Director for Edison Electric Institute, presented the critical issues facing the electric industry and its customers along with Tom Roessler of ICF International. According to Mr. Keisner's research, one-third of the contributions to green house gases is due to electrical generation. This fact has resulted in an intense focus on demand-side energy management by utilities, with a return of 797 billion kWh saved since 1989 or the equivalent of power for 74 million homes! India and China, countries where we as retailers have major sourcing investments, have increasing electric demand of 8 -10 percent per year. Natural gas and residual oil have increased in cost 400 percent and 300 percent respectively since 1999.

"Why are retail organizations concerned and increasingly committed to reducing their carbon footprint?" asks Tom Roessler of ICF International. In his session, he explained the top answers are: employee recruitment and retention (today's employees want to work for environmentally friendly companies), consumer demand (consumers' expect it), environmental leadership (the message is sinking in to us all), shareholder resolutions (shareholders' want it), and The Bottom Line!

The PRSM Green Council is comprised of market leading retail professionals operating in global markets representing Wal-Mart, Limited Brands, Staples, Collective Brands-Payless, and Beauty Brands Salon Spa Superstore.

We are excited to serve the PRSM membership by developing resources focused on green educational sessions; a PRSM webpage and webinars structured by and for members; partnerships with leading organizations that will increase the involvement of our membership; and most of all, answers and resources that will help you to succeed in your efforts to bring sustainability concepts and actions into your companies.

We offer huge thanks to all for responding to the survey and for attending the sessions and to all who gave their very best to present the information in Orlando. Follow us throughout the year as we bring you the "Green Issue" of PRSM magazine this summer, and exciting green and energy efficient educational sessions at the Mid-Year Conference, September 17-18 at the Sheraton Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey where we will bring you fresh and new state-of-the-art ideas to "Go Green."