Shop green? Global survey lists top eco-friendly retailers

SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - Eco-friendly managers and staff are the key to making a retailer go green, according to a study listing 15 of the world's top eco-friendly retailers in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.

Researchers in Canada, Scotland, Japan, Spain and France interviewed 200 retailers to look at best environmental practices and help the industry in adoptingsustainable practices that can also enhance their bottom line.

The researchers narrowed the list down to 15, finding that Mountain Equipment Co-op, IKEA Canada, Walmart and Home Depot were among the list of the leading green businesses in Canada.

They listed H-E-B in the United States, LUSH, Marks & Spencer, Alliance Boots, Monsoon and Tesco in Britain, Musgrave Group in Ireland, Monoprix and Carrefour in France, Aeon in Japan, and Woolworths in Australia.

Using solar panels and geothermal heating for energy sources and creating "eco ambassadors" to lead initiatives were some of the "green" activities underway but a common thread was the involvement of staff and managers.

"There has to be a commitment and passion from the CEO or senior management in order to implement sustainable practices," researcher Wendy Evans from Ryerson University's Ted Rogers School of Retail Management, Toronto, Canada, said in a statement.

"Once you have that in place, you can roll out a long-term plan that will benefit your company -- and win you more customers, who are demanding companies be more environmentally responsible."

Other common threads in the report published by Ryerson University's Centre for the Study of Commercial Activity (CSCA) were recruiting external advisers to help develop an eco-friendly strategy, assigning staff with environmental responsibilities, and regularly updating sustainability policies and achievements.

The study found that energy and waste top the list of what companies measure for environmental reasons, with 80 percent of companies tracking the amount of waste produced, CO2 emissions, transportation and water usage.