The tides are changing at the store everyone knows for its always low prices. Wal-Mart’s new “greener” mantra is reducing waste as well as prices.

Already on the shelves at more than 200 Wal-Mart stores are EcoLogo-certified BioSource Solutions cleaning products and Oxi Brite’s Greenline cleaning solutions, which have been developed in partnership with Wal-Mart.

Novozymes, world leader in bio-innovations, is also working with Wal-Mart to provide their suppliers with ways to improve their products. At a Thursday, Aug. 7, meeting in Bentonville, Arkansas, Steve Schotta’s Doing Business in Bentonville and Novozymes representatives helped Wal-Mart to go the “sustainable” mile. Wal-Mart is reportedly asking buyers to submit innovative “green” products for selection that fall into its new sustainability criteria. According to The Morning News out of Arkansas, the products up for selection must be able to tell a story that incorporates an environmental impact that consumers care about and understand. Click here for more on this story.

Lee Scott, President and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores, made a speech in January 2008 at the Wal-Mart U.S. Year Beginning Meeting that sets the tone for this recent action. In his speech, Scott says that Wal-Mart will require its global procurement, domestic importers and manufacturer’s of Sam’s Club or Wal-Mart private brands suppliers to demonstrate that their factories meet specific environmental standards, as well as social and quality standards.

Suppliers take note; “…we will only work with suppliers who maintain our standards throughout our relationship. So we will make certification and compliance part of our supplier agreements and ask suppliers to report to us regularly,” said Lee Scott.

Wal-Mart will be applying pressure on suppliers over the next few years to meet their environmental standards and will favor those that share their commitment to quality and dedication to sustainability.

This is certainly a company to keep your eye on. To read Lee Scott’s Year Beginning speech, click here.

This past July, outdoor apparel and gear company Timberland held a Stakeholder Conference Call on eco-labeling. The speakers included: Jeff Swartz, President and CEO of the Timberland Company (www.timberland.com), Joel Makower, Executive Editor of GreenBiz.com (www.greenbiz.com), and Mindy Lubber, Executive Director of Ceres (www.ceres.org)

We caught up with Joel Makower this week to talk about some of the eco-labeling issues that came up during this recent discussion.

Kate - There are hundreds of eco-labels in the marketplace: 308 at last count. One of the comments that kept coming up during Timberland’s stakeholder call is a need for standardization among the many environmental labels. How important would a standard be, given the rise in companies designing their own eco-labels?

Joel Makower - It would be very important, but I don’t honestly think it can be done. Each of the 300 or so eco-labels has its own approach, agendas, methodology, and levels of independence. Most can’t be compared apples to apples, or even fruit to fruit.

However, there could and probably should be some overriding principles for what makes a credible label, not the least of which is that standards be specific, transparent, and verifiable. That alone would go a long way toward warding off activists’ and consumers’ concerns, along with the concomitant charges of greenwashing.

Kate – Consumers are becoming more and more confused and suspicious of eco-labels. Is there something marketers can do to better promote “green” products?

Joel Makower - I think what makes consumers confused and suspicious are the marketing claims that go with many products. They tell us that “it’s easy being green” and that we can “save the earth” by making smart purchase choices. I think most intelligent people recognize that both of those claims are overblown, if not outright lies. And yet such hyperbole is all too common among green marketers.

I think marketers would do better to put their claims into context, leveling with consumers that the company recognizes that their environmentally better product is one small step consumers can take. And that the product itself is far from perfect, from an environmental perspective, but that its manufacturer is working to continually reduce its environmental impacts.

I think consumers can accept imperfection, and will probably embrace it, recognizing that just like them, companies are struggling with how to make changes. Which, in fact, is exactly what’s going on.

Kate – According to The Morning News out of Arkansas (article found here), Wal-Mart is looking for its buyers to submit products for selection that have an environmental impact that consumers care about and understand. They want their products to tell a story. What do you think about this approach?

Joel Makower - I think Wal-Mart is on the money. So much of marketing is storytelling, and it’s no different here. In fact, when it comes to sustainability, storytelling takes on an ever greater importance. That’s because sustainability involves, on the one hand, extremely complex, scientific, geeky stuff, about which even the experts don’t agree. But on the other hand, it’s about our bodies, families, and future. So, it’s head and heart. And you can’t emphasize either too much or you’ll lose much of your audience. Storytelling is the best way we know how to integrate head and heart, along the way making companies more transparent and, yes, more human.
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Check back for more conversations with Joel as he gets ready to launch his newest book “Strategies for the Green Economy” later this fall.

The blog is on the road with Scot Case, Vice President of TerraChoice Environmental Marketing. Read what he has to say about an educational conference he recently spoke at…

Greetings!

When I spoke about green purchasing at a National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) conference ten years ago, there were six people in the room and three of them were speakers.

At this year’s event, the entire conference was green. The NIGP Annual Forum and Products Exposition that took place from July 26 to 30, 2008, demonstrates a real shift toward sustainability. It had numerous green purchasing sessions and an entire “Green Alley” on the trade show floor devoted to green products and services. NIGP is also to be commended for its efforts in “greening” the conference. From reducing large binders full of paper to a CD and using compostable cups for water instead of bottles, this conference made a difference by lessening its impact on the environment.

Also of note at this event was the launch of the Green Knowledge Community.

“Created as a benefit for members, the Green Knowledge Community provides easy access to resources and tools to help public purchasers make informed decisions about green policies and products,” says Belinda Reutter, Member Services Director at NIGP. “This resource is primarily for educational purposes and brings together experts to share information about environmentally preferable products and social and economic responsibility in public procurement.”

To learn more about NIGP’s Green Knowledge Community, click here.

- Scot Case

The EcoLogoCM Program needs your expertise in the expansion of a current standard and offers an important opportunity to contribute to EcoLogo’s continued scientific rigor and environmental leadership.

We are requesting comments on the proposed criteria for Area Rugs (CCD-152G), which is an expansion of CCD-152 for Flooring Products. This invitation for public participation is restricted to Area Rugs only as it is the EcoLogoCM Program’s intention to review the entire standard for Flooring Products in 2009, when all criteria will be re-assessed against current environmental best practices and other available standards in the market sector.

In developing environmental leadership standards, EcoLogoCM actively encourages the participation of a wide variety of stakeholders familiar with the product group. This includes environmental NGOs and other not-for-profit organizations, academics and other scientific experts, manufacturers, industry associations, government representatives, and purchasing professionals.

Please direct comments to standards_development@ecologo.org. All comments are treated with discretion and confidentiality.

The EcoLogoCM Certification Criteria Document (CCD) can be found online at: http://www.ecologo.org/en/criteriaunderdevelopmentandreview/criteriaunderpublicreview/ or a copy can be sent upon request.