Walmart Chairman and Former CEO Michael Duke recently gave an update on the company’s green initiative. Duke noted that since establishing the benchmark, 80 percent of what used to go to the landfill from U.S. Walmart and Sam’s Clubs now goes toward recyclable efforts. More stats, like Walmart becoming the largest on-site green power generator in the United States, can be found in their 2013 Global Responsibility Report.

Ikea just announced plans to build a wind farm in Illinois. The project is expected to produce 65 percent more electricity than its U.S. operations consume. It’s all part of their master plan to use 100 percent clean energy by 2020. “It’s about taking care of the environment and living within our means,’’ said Rob Olson, chief financial officer of Ikea U.S.

REI recently retrofit their data center to pare down the amount of electricity they were using. The project was a huge success: The upgrade resulted in a 93 percent reduction in the amount of energy required for cooling, earning the effort the regional “Project of the Year” in 2013 by the Association of Energy Engineers.

Gap, Inc. has dubbed April “Earth Month” to shine a light on its environmental and conservation initiatives. What you may not know is that for the past 20 years, Gap has donated all kinds of recyclables to Materials for the Arts – resulting in 29,814 pounds of materials being diverted from landfills in the last three years alone. Now that’s a creative way to protect the environment.

Macy’s employees have given back to their communities in a big way, donating more than 125,000 of their personal time for community service. It’s a habit rooted in the company culture. According to their 2013 Social Responsibility Report, contributions to non-profit organizations — including employee contributions through workplace giving campaigns and customer contributions through signature giving programs — totaled more than $70 million in 2012.

These are just a handful of ways retailers are showing that retail is more than shopping – it’s also about supporting the communities they serve. How do you celebrate Earth Day every day? Let us know in the comments.

Charles Johnston, director of the repair and liquidation center at The Home Depot, joined Good360 Vice President of donor Relations Doyle Delph to make the case for donating unused goods to nonprofits in local communities. And when you see the numbers, it’s not a tough case to make. Many retailers have merchandise they can’t sell. Props from store displays, merchandise used in photo shoots, or returned merchandise that has been damaged and can’t be resold are just a few examples. The nonprofit group Good360 does a job that most of these supply chain executives can appreciate – logistics, or getting the right goods to the right nonprofit at the right time – while retailers gain a solution for unused items that reduces their carbon footprint, saves the cost of shipping waste to landfills, and helps them give back to their communities.

Home Depot has taken this win-win concept to impressive heights. Five years ago, when some associates at company noticed how many building materials were being thrown out, they asked if they could instead put it to use in their own communities. That request led to the creation of the Framing Hope project at the Home Depot Foundation (their philanthropic arm), an initiative that uses unsold merchandise to build houses for veterans and others in need. Since 2008, the foundation has donated more than $150 million in merchandise and impacted over 1 million homes and families through this partnership with Good360.

Johnston said the program isn’t just the right thing to do. It also increases employee morale, builds up the community, reduces carbon emissions, and makes good financial sense. Watch the video to see how the program works below:

But how do you go about calculating carbon emissions when logistics partners and multiple carriers are involved? That’s where the Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay program comes in.

To learn more about how retailers are using the SmartWay program, which will be discussed at our Global Supply Chain Summit next month, we talked with Cheryl Bynum, EPA’s national director of SmartWay and supply chain programs.

Cheryl Bynum, National Director, SmartWay and Supply Chain Programs, EPA.

SmartWay collects a lot of environmental performance data on carriers. Can you describe how the program benefits retailers? What does it mean for them?

SmartWay gives retailers and other shippers an easy way to assess and manage carbon and other air emissions from their transportation supply chain. This used to be a challenge for many companies because while they knew the amount of emissions and carbon generated from their own facilities, they didn’t know the carbon footprint of moving their goods. Retailers, logistics companies and carriers are all linked across the supply chain, so having uniform metrics and a single integrated carbon assessment framework for all of them means retailers can better understand their total carbon footprint.

SmartWay also gives retailers a way to identify and select the greenest carriers and modes for the products they are shipping, as well as track year-over-year environmental performance and emissions to see the impacts of choices they make. Tools like this help companies integrate corporate sustainability goals with their transportation operations.

Retailers in particular, because they deal with the public, want to be responsible environmental stewards, and SmartWay offers them an opportunity to stand out by showcasing their environmental achievements. SmartWay is run by the EPA, which is especially important to our retail partners since the integrity of their brands is as important to them as the integrity of the SmartWay brand is to the EPA.

The EPA reports that the SmartWay program has eliminated 28 million metric tons of carbon dixoide, and saved 65 million barrels of oil and $8.1 billion in fuel costs. What does that mean? Can you put these numbers in perspective for us?

Transportation accounts for over two thirds of our domestic oil consumption. Heavy-duty vehicles, including those used to move freight, account for about 17 percent of transportation oil use. Our dependence on oil to drive the transport sector in our economy is a challenge that we as a nation must address. If we can use less of this finite resource to move our goods across the country, then we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while investing more in our communities, businesses and households. Our partners are leading the way to do this – those SmartWay savings are equivalent to taking over 5 million cars off the road for an entire year!

To achieve those savings, our partners are investing in innovative technologies, strategies and operational practices – and sharing their successes with others. SmartWay partner achievements help to spur innovation across the entire goods movement supply chain. This raises the bar for the kind of excellence and innovation that today’s top global businesses are known for.

I noticed several retailers on your list of SmartWay Excellence Award winners. Can you share any particular examples of retailers that are doing a good job reducing their carbon emissions? What are they doing right?

SmartWay Excellence Award winners are our top performing partners, the “best of the best.” Shippers that have received an Excellence Award ship the majority of their goods with the most efficient SmartWay carriers. They optimize modal selection. They adopt strategies such as no-idling policies at their docks, and evaluate and modify freight operations at their distribution centers and warehouses with flexible pickup and delivery scheduling and cleaner and more efficient freight equipment like electric forklifts. Top performers look into how to ship more goods per mile by optimizing product packaging and routing. And they educate their carrier base, customers and suppliers about SmartWay, to encourage greater efficiencies across their supply chains.

What do you love about your job at the EPA? What do you find exciting about the work you do?

My colleagues and I love being part of a partnership that embraces and meets the needs of a broad group of stakeholders — the business community, the public, environmental organizations, professional groups, academic and research groups. It’s a pleasure and an honor, day in and day out, to serve the public interest by helping businesses involved in goods movement achieve significant environmental benefits while contributing to a strong and sustainable economy and to our nation’s energy security.

Since I worked in the transportation industry – including retail – for several years before coming to EPA, it’s especially rewarding for me to be able to apply what I learned from my experience in the business world to promote sustainable goods movement.

Earth day was this week. How do you celebrate?

That’s a great question! I celebrate Earth Day by learning what more I can do to protect our beautiful planet. I encourage your readers to check out www.epa.gov/earthday. It’s chock full of opportunities – from joining a national conversation, to committing to take action by “choosing five,” to learning more about what others in your community and around the country are doing.

Of course, since Earth Day was a Monday, my colleagues and I were hard at work, contributing to achieving EPA’s mission through our efforts with our retail and other partners and the SmartWay Partnership.

According to Edelman’s Good Purpose survey, “at least monthly” purchases of cause-supporting brands increased by 47 percent from 2010 to 2012, showing that shoppers are more apt than ever to put their money where their values lie. While retailers are working every day to provide more sustainable products and business practices, we thought in honor of Earth Day, we’d highlight a few green things retailers are doing within communities across the country every day and in celebration of today.

• Eco-friendly packaging is just one part of Macy’s green mission to turn over a new leaf. The initiative also empowers shoppers to choose paperless statements and earn points for taking green actions every day through Macy’s partnership with Recyclebank.
• Patagonia Footwear and The Pedestrian Shops in Boulder, Colo. worked together to support Boulder’s Earth Day Shoe Drive. The campaign is part of a larger effort benefiting the Center for ReSource Conservation which aids conservation programs along the Front Range that focus on waste reduction and energy and water conservation. This is just the tip of the philanthropy iceberg for Patagonia Footwear, which regularly partners with Patagonia stores for Advocate Weeks.
• Over the weekend, the island of Oahu had several events for residents to celebrate Earth Day. Among them was an commuter cycling workshop hosted by Whole Foods in Kailua, which joined with the Hawaii Bicycling League which lead a beginner-paced group ride around Kailua later that afternoon.
• Los Angeles residents could get in the Earth Day spirit a day early thanks to Anthropologie and Wellgro Co., who put together pop-up farmers’ markets and potting workshops for everyone to enjoy on Sunday.
• The Container Store is one of many organizations that encourage their employees and customers to take part in National Volunteer Month, another example of the company’s ongoing commitment to the communities they serve.
• CVS/Pharmacy and several other Queen Creek, Ariz. community businesses turned out commemorate the town’s second annual Earth Day celebration. The event, held on Saturday, included a recycling drop-off that gave residents the opportunity to drop-off a recyclable item and enter to win a bistro set from CVS, among other “green” activities.

Can you think of any green retailing examples we’ve missed that really stand out this year? If so, share it with us via email or tweet using #thisisretail. The best examples will be featured on thisisretail.org as NRF seeks to display retail’s critical role in communities across the nation. After all, retail means more than shopping – it’s community building at its core.

Ahead of her appearance on a keynote panel at Retail’s BIG Show next month, we reached out to Jeannette Ferran Astorga, ANN INC.’s VP of Corporate Social Responsibility, to talk about how her company makes product donations an important part of their business strategy. ANN INC., which includes the Ann Taylor and LOFT brands, partners with Good360, an organization that helps companies with the logistics of efficiently getting donations to the non-profit organizations that need them.

Read on to find out what ANN INC. gets by giving, and how they ensure their customers can feel good about what they buy.

Jeannette Ferran Astorga, VP of Corporate Social Responsibility, ANN INC.

There are numerous business benefits to CSR, but there’s also a feel-good aspect of working to make a positive impact on the environment and the community. Tell us about one project that you’ve personally found most memorable.

ANN INC. is a company for women. Our client base is 100% women, 93% of our associates are women and our CEO is a woman. Our company is passionate about women’s issues and this makes my job very easy…our associates are committed to CSR, responsible business practices and making a positive impact on the communities we touch and serve. I am most proud of the launch of our CSR website, ResponsiblyANN.com, since it allows us to share our CSR story and journey with our clients and business partners. ANN INC. is a fantastic organization with strong values and the website provides insight into how we uphold our values throughout our operations, supply chain and in the communities we serve.

Global retail supply chains are a very complex thing to manage. When it comes to building a greener and ethical supply chain, what strategies, technologies or tactics have you found most effective in helping you meet your goals?

ANN INC.’s supply chain is complex and connects companies and workers from across the globe to provide the materials and labor to make the products our clients love. Our clients genuinely care about the conditions under which Ann Taylor and LOFT products are manufactured and our impact on the environment. Therefore, we are committed to incorporating our high standards for social and environmental performance into every step of the process, from responsibly sourcing raw materials to selling the garment at our stores. Our suppliers are expected to drive high performance standards and we work only with suppliers that share our commitments and values.

Our impact on the environment is also a focus for ANN INC. and we have made changes across the supply chain to minimize our packaging footprint. We continually work with our suppliers on new initiatives to drive environmental sustainability in our product supply chain and share updates on our CSR website, ResponsiblyANN.com.

Since we’re in the midst of the holiday season, let’s talk about giving. Tell us a little bit about ANN INC.’s approach to product donations.

We have a strong and passionate purpose-driven culture at ANN INC. Our corporate giving program, ANN Cares, focuses on several distinct areas, including the needs of women, children, associates and the environment. To support product donations, we have partnered with Good360 to launch ANNCares360, a program that ensures that our products are able to reach these key groups.

Through our ANNCares360 program, Good360 is able, through its technology, to communicate to organizations within its network of more than 33,000 nonprofit organizations. The benefit for nonprofits is clear – they are able to keep their expenses down by using donated products – this means they can focus more of their energy and finances on programs and advancing their missions. Our stores benefit by keeping their backrooms clear of items no longer in use and our store associates are empowered to help their local communities by donating items to help people in need. The benefits do not end there – our ANNCares360 program creates a new path for products and keeps them out of landfills, which ultimately benefits all of us.

What’s your top piece of advice for retailers getting started with a product donation program?

Contact Good360! Our colleagues at Good360 have been fantastic partners and act like an extension of our own corporate social responsibility (CSR) team. They helped us design and build a program which aligned with our objectives and supported our goals.

What trends are you noticing in the field of CSR? How do you think these trends will evolve the role of CSR executives over the next several years?

The focus on CSR is increasing and there is greater awareness from the consumer. This trend will continue, especially with the growth of industry groups such as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, a key initiative driving the standardization of how sustainability is measured across the apparel industry in order to make the performance of products more visible to the consumer.

What do you love about working in the retail industry?

I have worked in the retail industry over 15 years and I have most enjoyed the years I have spent leading corporate social responsibility in our sector. In CSR, we have an opportunity everyday to connect with our clients and drive programs that align with her values. In retail, CSR goes beyond just sale…you make an emotional connection with your client and align your values with her values. That is true customer service!

Want to learn more about how product giving is a win-win for retailers? Watch Jeannette Ferran Astorga at Retail’s BIG Show, Jan. 13 to 16 in New York City.

To kick things off for the upcoming Summit, I asked asked Michael Noone, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Yusen Logistics (Americas) Inc., to share some insights into supply chain challenges for the year ahead, the value of collaboration in an increasingly complex environment and how transportation providers are taking corporate social responsibility seriously.

Michael Noone, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Yusen Logistics (Americas) Inc.

We are entering the traditional contracting season for retailers and their transportation providers. What do you see as the major issues that both sides need to consider during this year’s negotiations?

Both parties need to continue the dialogue to help cover fluctuating costs. This is especially important when it comes to fuel so that the cost exposure is not borne solely by the carrier. Both parties also need to work together to manage multi-year contracts and discuss rate changes to reflect not only market changes (rates going down) but also cost changes (that usually go up).

When a retailer and their transportation provider have a partnership in which the value to both sides is widely recognized within each organization at the highest levels, it creates its own momentum to move the relationship beyond the standard transportation transaction. For the retailer this usually means competitive ocean rates, responsive customer service and accurate invoicing, reliable space and equipment access, and extensive EDI connections. For the transportation provider, this is seen in good destination/origin cargo mix, slack season support, cost burden sharing, and annual volume growth. It can also lead to multi-service opportunities that lead to their own benefits.

How important is collaboration between retailers and their transportation partners?

The easy answer is ‘very’, but that has always been the case. What we are starting to see now, though, is a real appreciation for the value collaboration can bring, and this comes down to the increasing sophistication and integration of supply chains.

As 3PLs (third-party logistics providers) and logistics companies offer more integrated services – for example, NVOs (non-vessel operating common carriers) as well as domestic transportation services – the relationship between the retailer and transportation provider is more involved, simply because of more touch points. That adds a new dynamic that can offer more value to both parties.

Collaboration while working across multiple transportation modes delivers more benefits to the shipper and the retailer. The greater the collaboration, the better the opportunities to reduce cost, improve efficiencies and manage risk.

Collaboration is also about communicating the issues, too. Not everything goes right every time, and there are also external pressures and challenges that need to be addressed. Good communication lines stop these from becoming big problems and instead allow people to work together on solutions.

What can retailers do to strengthen partnerships with their transportation providers?

Retailers continually ask their providers about the next trends in logistics or where the next savings and efficiencies are going to come from. These are great questions that keep the providers constantly innovating, but without real insight into where the retailer is heading, the transportation provider can’t provide a real answer. It would be easy to throw out new IT ideas or suggest new sourcing areas, but the provider has to be sure it is really aligned with the retailer’s growth plans and direction. Insight into the retailer’s vision also allows a provider to offer better planning and investment strategies.

This comes back to my point about collaboration. Collaboration isn’t one way. It’s a partnership, and that means that both parties have to be open and willing to talk.

Another way to help strengthen partnerships is by using a multifaceted logistics provider. Transportation providers who can offer multiple services can better understand retailer’s needs overall.

What are the biggest challenges facing ocean carriers today? How do you see these issues playing out?

Right now carriers are enjoying some tightening on certain strings, so as a result they are standing firm on rate increases. However, they are facing a market where there will be over capacity, and that will be putting pressure on rate levels. This is partly due to the economy and consumer demand, but also because of new ship orders entering the market. Most likely we’ll see a lay-up of capacity to balance the supply-demand, which will lead to a capacity crunch. Then the challenge will be for retailers to secure space. Fuel costs will also remain an immediate concern in 2012.

Many carriers are heightening their commitments corporate social responsibility and this is becoming very important to your retail partners as well.  Tell us about what you’re doing in this area.

We were just recognized as part of the NYK Group as one of the ‘World’s Most Ethical Companies‘ for the fifth year in a row, which, for us, speaks volumes about the overall vision and direction of the Group. Yusen Logistics itself also now has global certification under ISO14001 for Environmental Management Standards and Green Management Standards. It’s a very important area for us, and something that really makes us stand out from other companies.

These are just two examples, though. There is more to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) than recognition or certification. CSR and Environmental Management are concepts that are pushed through the organization at every level, so it’s an area we take great pride and care in as a daily activity. We have an ever evolving list of projects underway in our Warehousing and Transportation divisions designed to cut waste, reduce emissions and energy consumption and provide more sustainable transportation options to our customers.

What got you into this business and what keeps you here?

It started in college with coursework on multinational trade and development, and I was hooked from there. A lot of it came down to, and still does, the dynamics of change in world economies, sourcing shifts and trade growth. Essentially, the ever changing nature of the global economy fascinates me. These changes require us to develop new strategies, and it’s this constant evolution of new challenges to be solved that keeps me interested.

In my 27 years in the industry, I’ve worked for three great, global companies, so the experiences have also been personally rewarding. I’ve had the opportunity to travel, and have met a lot of interesting people through my career. The relationships I’ve built up over the years are very important to me, and I’m glad to say I now count a lot of these people as close friends.

Raj Penkar, SVP & President, Supply Chain, Sears Holdings Corporation

You joined Sears Holdings last September after more than 20 years at UPS. How does your background with a provider like UPS influence your role now working for a retailer?

I spent almost 25 years at UPS, and most of that time, I was in some form of a customer-facing role. I led the team that developed solutions for UPS customers and optimized their supply chains. So from that experience, I developed a core belief that the supply chain is an enabler of business strategy, and I bring that with me to Sears Holdings. I believe that as a retail supply chain organization we need to be completely and totally customer focused. What that means from a retailer’s perspective is that we focus on our business units, our stores, and our customers, especially our SHOP YOUR WAY REWARDS™ Members.

What do you think are the biggest challenges for retail supply chains in 2012?

For supply chains within retail, especially retailers like us who have both a brick-and-mortar presence and a strong online presence, the challenge and opportunity is to fulfill the promise of omnichannel, or what we call integrated retail. Our customers want to be able to shop anytime, anywhere, across any channel. They want an experience that is simple, seamless, relevant and rewarding. We retailers are spending a lot of money to enhance the customer experience and enable our customers to shop their way. So we also need a flexible supply chain that can actually fulfill that promise. That leads to the need for flexibility and agility because many supply chains have typically been designed for either store-based or online models, but not both at the same time. But now we have to think about how our customers view purchasing and how they make purchasing decisions whether online, in the stores, or on their phones. We also need a relentless focus on cost optimization. This is about profitability and value, not just cost reduction. When customers purchase online, they expect delivery in a short amount of time with quick and easy returns. That means supply chains have to be both flexible, and perhaps a little bit more expensive for retailers in order to deliver on that promise.

What’s your take on the role of the supply chain in the areas of corporate social responsibility or environmental sustainability?

I think supply chains in general have a very strong impact on this area. And as you can see from what UPS and Sears have done in this area, it clearly is a huge area of focus for us. Sears recently won the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR® program’s highest honor: the ENERGY STAR “Corporate Commitment Award.” Environmental stewardship is a natural extension of what supply chain professionals do. When we optimize supply chains, it leads to a lower fuel expense, very often a lower carbon footprint, and a lower energy use, which all works toward social responsibility and environmental sustainability goals.

What technologies do you believe will have a significant impact on the future of the supply chain field in the coming years?

Technology in general, including social media and devices like iPhones and iPads, are changing how we interact with customers and members. It’s also changing how we run a globally distributed workforce. Sears runs a large supply chain that spans the globe, and we use social media internally to communicate better. We have internal technology that lets us communicate effortlessly across our globally distributed workforce. So although we’re not face-to-face, our people are in regular contact with each other so that improvements in one of our distribution center can quickly spread to other distribution centers. If issues come up, they become globally apparent very quickly.

You’ll be discussing the supply chain implications of an integrated retail model at the NRF Global Supply Chain Summit. Tell us about your own experience with that subject and what you’d like the attendees to take away from your presentation.

At this stage of the game, I think all supply chain leaders in the retail industry have a tremendous opportunity to enable an integrated retail supply chain. We are essential to fulfilling the customer promise made by integrated retail – improving people’s lives by allowing them to shop when, where and how they want to, pay how they want to, etc. A supply chain that is appropriately implemented and executed will provide a true sustainable competitive advantage in our fiercely competitive business. I hope to encourage my peers to think about their own company’s strategy and how their supply chains enable that strategy.

The success of a retailer’s supply chain can have far-reaching effects on the company’s bottom line. How important is collaboration within the supply chain to this success?

Internal and external collaboration is critical. Internally, we work with our business units, stores, and internal partners to answer the challenge of getting products to our customers faster and in new ways. Often, it is the Logistics team who suggests new innovations to improve our customers’ retail experience. Externally, we collaborate closely with our transportation providers, third-party logistics providers, suppliers, and vendors who provide the products we sell in our stores to make sure we have the right product at the right time and at the right price.

What advice would you give to a future retail supply chain leader?

We need to be looked at not just as supply chain leaders, but as business leaders. We need to contribute to developing the business strategy and earn a seat at the highest levels of management in our organizations. Current supply chain leaders need to give young supply chain employees a broad view of the business. At Sears, we make sure our supply chain folks have rotations not just in the traditional elements of supply chain such as distribution and transportation, but also in inventory management or the buying organization and sourcing organizations—all of the areas that really make someone understand what the retail business is and what the drivers are. This is critical to growing the next generation of supply chain leaders.

What are you most looking forward to at the NRF Global Supply Chain Summit in May?

Given the nature of the Supply Chain Summit, I’m looking forward to networking with my peers and learning from their experiences. From a professional perspective we’re all in this together. As companies we may compete in the market, but, at the same time, as individuals we certainly can learn from each other and help each other complete our professional goals.

Kip is a leader in a growing movement called Conscious Capitalism, which teaches that business leaders can create shared value by making their companies more successful and competitive while advancing the quality of life for the community and the world.

Companies like The Container Store, Whole Foods Market, Zappos.com, and Southwest Airlines swear by this philosophy, saying the result is a more profitable and sustainable business model.

Executives apply the concept in different ways. For example, in addition to supporting sustainable agriculture, healthy supplier relationships and focusing on customer service, Whole Foods Market gives a minimum of 5% of its profits every year to community and non-profit organizations.

While at Whole Foods Market, the customer comes first, at The Container Store, CEO Kip Tindell says the employee is the most important stakeholder.

As a preview to the Conscious Capitalism Super Session at Retail’s BIG Show next week, we asked Tindell to explain the concept of Conscious Capitalism and its affect on The Container Store.

Kip Tindell, CEO of The Container Store

How do you describe Conscious Capitalism?

Since 1978, we’ve been running our business by putting purpose before profits. Back then, we just called it the way we do business. Kind of Golden Rule-ish – that’s the way we lived and worked. Today, we’re proud to be one of the pioneering companies in a movement called Conscious Capitalism along with Whole Foods Market and others.

We are a group of like-minded companies working together to change the face of business in America and around the world. Businesses that practice Conscious Capitalism stand for more than just making money and that force comes from the top with leaders who walk the talk through developing and nurturing a conscious culture. And we all have a firm belief that properly balancing the needs of all of a business’ stakeholders – its employees, customers, vendors, community and shareholders – is the right thing to do.

What’s the reaction when you describe Conscious Capitalism to other business leaders? Are they surprised you can be profitable with this approach? Are shareholders threatened?

The economist Milton Friedman famously said, “The only reason a corporation exists is to maximize the return of the shareholder.” With all due respect, Milton, at The Container Store we actually put the employee first, and if you take better care of the employees than anybody else, then they really will take better care of the customers than anybody else.

If those two people are ecstatic, wonderfully and ironically enough, the shareholder’s going to be ecstatic as well. But it extends beyond just those three stakeholders: the same is true for the suppliers.

People worldwide grow up believing that business is a zero-sum game: that you cannot gain without taking something from the person you’re doing business with. That’s patently false.

There is such a thing as synergy, which creates the most profitable endeavors and long-lasting relationships in business. The circle of stakeholders is being balanced by these management executives in such a way that they create synergy that is beneficial for all, because business really and truly is not a zero-sum game: you don’t have to screw around the other guy in order to get ahead; you can find ways for it to be truly a synergistic situation. I hate to say “win-win”, because so many people believe they don’t exist, but they do. I think it’s because people don’t believe that they exist that capitalism has a bad reputation.

We treat our suppliers the same way we treat our customers; we have wonderfully long-term relationships with them. One of the beauties of Conscious Capitalism is that your employees are so proud of the business, that they’re more productive. They’re so proud of the way the company does business and its philosophies and culture that they work harder, they’re more creative, and they care more.

While some businesses like Zappos and Google have embraced this philosophy, you also have your critics. In your experience, what part of the Conscious Capitalism model is the most difficult for business leaders to embrace? How do you win them over?

The interesting thing, in regards to Conscious Capitalism, is that people are jaded; they don’t believe this works—but if you study business, the best examples of conscious capitalist companies worldwide are much more financially successful than the ones that are using the old model. The hard part is convincing the skeptics of this, so luckily we have many examples to give them.

It’s no secret that Southwest Airlines is very successful in this country, where almost all airlines are unsuccessful. They are a great example of Conscious Capitalism: their employees love their company; they are motivated through love rather than fear. Herb Kelleher has always said that you can motivate a company through love much better than you can through fear. Back when he first started talking about that, nobody thought like that. It really does work in every industry.

Ultimately, the proof is in the long-term financial success of the companies who practice Conscious Capitalism. At The Container Store, we’ve experienced a compounded annual growth rate of 24% since our inception and are proud of a 10% turnover when the average retail employee doesn’t last a year, and have hundreds of employees who have been with us working in our stores, home office and distribution center for 10, 15, 20, 25 years.

In some ways, your business philosophy resembles a personal code of ethics. Does the way you do business reflect the way you approach your personal life?

It’s about operating under one code of ethics – personally and professionally. There is not nor should there be a “looser” set of ethics for business. Why would you act one way at work and another way at home? The old adage, “well, it’s just business” doesn’t pass muster and is by no means is an acceptable way of behaving.

You’ll be co-presenting a Super Session about Conscious Capitalism at the NRF 101st Annual Convention & EXPO. With nearly 22,000 people expected to attend the show, you can plan on a huge audience that includes a lot of retail leaders. What do you hope to accomplish with your session?

We want to express that this form of capitalism works more effectively than other methodologies and share even more about it, providing examples of how it has manifested itself and driven success within our own businesses.

Besides your session, what are you most looking forward to at Retail’s BIG Show this year?

At The Container Store, one of our Foundation Principles is Air of Excitement! Three steps in the door and you know if a retailer has it. Well, the BIG Show has it! It’s one of my favorite events of the year – being surrounded by the greatest retailers in the world, sharing ideas for the industry and our own companies, seeing friends and vendors. I get to connect with heroes of mine like Gordon Segal, Tony Hsieh, and Terry Lundgren and meet amazingly brilliant people with incredible ideas like Tadashi Yanai from UNIQLO, who is honestly determined to be the world’s largest Specialty-store/retailer of private-label apparel by 2020 and I’m pretty sure he’ll get there.

I encourage people to attend and boldly interact with their peers – there is no other assembly of great minds and illustrious retailers on the planet than at the BIG Show!

For those who can’t make it, the session will be live-streamed from the event and available to view after the show. Visit www.nrf.com/annual12 for details.

To get the full story, we reached out to Professor Joe Ray-Barreau, Associate Professor in the School of Interior Design at the University of Kentucky, and a registered architect and lighting designer, and asked him more about the new rules.

For those who haven’t heard about the changes happening to the sale of household
light bulbs in the U.S., can you give offer a quick overview?

Incandescent lighting hasn’t changed much since Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in 1879. And we love incandescent light because it’s very visually appealing. The problem, however, is that incandescent lighting is extremely inefficient.

With the goal of reducing our energy consumption, and reducing our dependence on foreign oil, in 2007 the U.S. Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act. One of the components of this law is that some incandescent bulbs are being required to be more efficient. The first step is that beginning on January 1, 2012 the standard 100-watt incandescent bulb will no longer be available. Its replacement will be a 72-watt energy-efficient halogen incandescent bulb. The next steps in terms of rolling out the legislation, is for 75-watt incandescent bulbs to phased out in 2013, and the 60-watt and 40-watt bulbs will be phased out in 2014.

What do these lighting changes mean for retailers?

These changes will affect every retailer that sells light bulbs. Unfortunately, it’s fair to say that some confusion has already emerged. The fact is, not all incandescent bulbs are being phased out. Some bulbs are being phased out and replaced with more energy-efficient incandescent bulbs. These newer bulbs will look and perform just like standard bulbs.

What should retailers tell shoppers who may be confused or upset by the new rules?

We simply need to assure them that incandescent bulbs are not going away.

What is the price difference between these bulbs and the old ones? In the long run, will these changes save consumers money?

The new bulbs will cost between $1.50 and $2.00 each, which is more than regular bulbs. However, the 72-watt bulbs are more than 25% more efficient than the 100-watt bulbs. Over the rated life of the bulbs, consumers will save approximately $3.50 on their electric bills by using the new bulbs. Essentially, the consumer will not only receive a savings equal to the bulb, but they will also receive a payback of as much as $2.00.

Can retailers still sell light bulbs they have in stock which do not meet the energy efficiency standards?

Yes, they can still sell the bulbs that are in stock after the January 1, 2012 date. However, they will not be able to order the 100-watt bulbs after that date.

How should retailers go about ordering light bulbs that conform to the new standards? What are the newer options and how can they estimate what consumers will want?

It’s very simple. Retailers need to order the new 72-watt energy-saving halogen incandescent bulbs. And they need to let their customers know that over the life of the bulb they will receive a savings equal to the price of the bulb, plus an additional savings of approximately $2.00 on their electric bill. In addition, retailers can also sell compact fluorescent bulbs that save even more than the new halogen bulbs. The 26-watt spiral compact fluorescent bulb is a direct replacement for the 100-watt incandescent. While they look a little different than standard incandescent bulbs, they are 75% more efficient – which equates to a saving of 75% in electric costs over the life of the bulb.

Where can retailers find more information so they can help consumers choose the right bulbs for their homes?

They can visit the Lumen Coalition website, which is a joint venture between the American Lighting Association, the Alliance to Save Energy, and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

Some consumers prefer the older incandescent bulbs because of the way they look and the light they give off. What advice can retailers offer consumers on the best ways to shop for lighting for their home?

In actual fact, the new bulbs have a quality of light that is the same as incandescent bulbs, and that’s because they are actually incandescent bulbs! The halogen technology means that a halogen gas has been inserted into the bulb in place of other gases that are normally used in incandescent bulbs.

Your job description is pretty intriguing – ‘lighting designer, architect and professor’. How did you get into the profession and into this role?

Early in my architectural career I had a chance to work on several projects that allowed me to work in-depth on the lighting design of these projects.  I found the interesting combination of the technology of lighting and the aesthetics of lighting to be very interesting. During this part of my career I also had an opportunity to teach at the University of Kentucky and one of the classes I was assigned was a lighting design class. As a result, I’ve spent the past thirty years teaching lighting to design and architecture students, while also teaching thousands of industry professionals and other architects and interior designers. I’ve also had the good fortune to have worked on over 1000 lighting design projects with my lighting design practice.

That’s where Good360 comes in. The organization, which used to be known as Gifts In Kind International, is a full-service product donation company that makes the process as easy as possible for retailers. Their partners include many of the top retail brands including Walmart, Gap, Kohl’s, Williams-Sonoma, The Children’s Place, CVS and more.

Cindy Hallberlin, Good360 President and CEO

With many companies thinking about product donation in the run up to the holiday season, we reached out to Good360 President and CEO Cindy Hallberlin to share details about what retailers can gain from product donation (hint: it’s not just about the warm and fuzzies – there are sustainability and tax benefits too) and how businesses can go about sharing unwanted goods with people who really do need them. Read on for her insights.

What types of products can retailers donate during the holiday
season to best meet the needs of the nonprofits you work with?

Because we serve more than 22,000 nonprofits, product needs are broad. Women’s shelters need clothes, personal care products, mattresses and bedding. After-school programs need books, sports equipment, and toys. And communities trying to rebuild from floods, hurricanes, fires and earthquakes need building supplies, tools, housewares or home furnishings. But one thing is certain: everyone needs technology—whether new or refurbished—and especially computers.

How does the holiday season compare to the rest of the year in terms of donations? Is this a busier time of year for you?

This season is our busiest because our corporate donors want to quickly turnover year-end inventory, including holiday returns, and garner the enhanced tax benefits from product donation. At the same time, nonprofits are desperate to get goods to those in need to make the season jolly and help keep people safe, healthy and warm. Mix it all together and you have a very dynamic environment at Good360!

What are some of your favorite stories about the communities and individuals retailers have helped during the holiday season?

There are many but one in particular comes to mind.  Last fall, Anna’s Linens found themselves with brand new fleece blankets that they were not able to sell because of a misprint on the packaging. They contacted Good360 and we were able to find groups that could go directly to one of their nearly 300 stores to pick up the blankets. As a result, we helped Anna’s Linens distribute tens of thousands of fleece blankets to individuals just in time for the coldest months and were able to clear out the stockrooms in time for the holiday rush.

You work with many big names from the retail world – The Home Depot, Disney, Bed Bath & Beyond. What about smaller retailers? Can they donate smaller amounts of goods on a more local basis through your website?

Absolutely. It’s as easy as going to our website. We have a team that will vet each donation opportunity, whether it’s one-time or ongoing, to make sure that it matches the needs of our nonprofits.

The concept of retailers donating excess inventory to causes has been around for a while. How has it evolved over time?

For us, we’ve really seen the conversation shift from just asset management to how product donations can advance the business in a more strategic way. Retailers can achieve multiple objectives including waste diversion, loss prevention, brand enhancement, employee and community engagement, energy and bottom line savings. In fact, Indiana University recently completed some research that will be released shortly, which lays out a compelling business case for product giving.

As well as helping people in need, donations from retailers can also have positive effects on the environment. Can you tell us more about this?

Each year, we divert literally tons of products from landfills into the hands of those who need them most. A perfect example is The Home Depot’s Framing Hope Program that has saved $1.4 million in energy costs, about 2500 garbage trucks worth of landfill space, enough power to cover 119 homes a year, 3.3 million kWh of energy consumption, and CO2 emissions equivalent to planting 517 acres of pine forest!

Good360 has been named one of Forbes top ten managed charities. Congratulations! What are some of the secrets to your success?

Our success is in our people and their unwavering dedication to helping nonprofits help those they serve. Their passion builds resilience during tough economic times and creates a culture of continuous improvement; we are constantly in search of creative ways to improve efficiencies and reduce expenses.

Some retailers may find the prospect of donating excess inventory a little daunting, as there must be a lot of work involved in terms of tracking donations and distributing goods. What does Good360 do to help retailers walk through these processes?

That’s exactly why we’re here—to make donating products as easy and impactful as possible for companies. We listen to what donors want and customize solutions in response. We provide a turnkey, full-service operation, that includes vetting all recipient charities to ensure they are qualified 501(c)(3)s, schools or libraries and understand donor restrictions around use of the products donated. We handle logistics, tracking, distributing, monitoring, reporting and troubleshooting for every donation.

How did you get involved in the charitable giving business?

I was a Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer at US Foodservice and, in that capacity, I started the company’s first corporate charitable giving program. In less than a year, we donated over $4 million in food to Feeding America. I experienced first-hand the tremendous satisfaction in donating goods for the greater good. This led me to my current position as CEO of Good360.

Tell me something retailers might not know about charitable giving.

Product giving is becoming a movement… in fact it’s a growing portion of the overall charitable pie. Today’s economic realities mean that companies have less cash to give—not less heart. And now there’s actually a business case that lays out the ROI of product philanthropy that makes it a compelling option over liquidation, and a slam dunk over disposal. Every day, someone or some community is experiencing a crisis or disaster. That’s why Good360 is here – to help fill the product gap when needs are acute, for those crises that don’t rise to national or international attention; or when media attention wanes after a disaster and communities begin to rebuild. That’s when the needs are often greatest but the desire for action has dissipated.