Beyond Lip-Service

I’ve never received as many press releases regarding sustainability as I have over the past year. Before that, only the odd shopping centre would think of mentioning a schemes’s environmentally friendly features or ‘green’ projects. Things have changed.
Like some enlightened manufacturers and retailers have already figured out, sustainability goes well beyond good works and public relations. It can also be as self-gratifying and potentially lucrative as any sound corporate development project. Sustainability is about ensuring the longevity of a business, while contributing to nurturing the environment in which the business evolves, be it the physical environment, economic conditions or the social fabric of the primary target market. When you consider sustainability in those terms, it becomes clear that it needs to be imbedded into every aspect of business management.
ICSC has recognised the value of sustainability, creating the ReSource Award to highlight the industry’s most environmentally, socially and economically sustainable schemes. You can follow the council’s lead.
While centre management is where we see the most obvious opportunities to embrace sustainability (e.g. more efficient lighting, recycling, heat management), the marketing department can contribute a lot.
Which materials do you use for shopping bags, giftwrap and collateral? How about your centre décor? How many times do you refurbish it and what do you do with old materials? Can local schools or non-profit organizations benefit from them? These are all questions to ask yourself when devising marketing plans. Once you make that a habit, your centre will become an even more valuable and respected corporate citizen, not to mention a more prosperous business.