Sustainability In

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at www.emeraldinsight.com/0959-0552.htm IJRDM 39,4 Sustainability in the global shop window Peter Jones and Daphne Comfort The Business School, University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham, UK, and 256 Received November 2009 Revised April 2010 Accepted July 2010 David Hillier The Centre for Police Sciences, University of Glamorgan, Pontypridd, UK Abstract Purpose – The aims of this paper are to provide an exploratory general review of both the sustainability agendas being publicly reported by the world’s leading retailers and the nature of the reporting process and to offer some wider reflections on the ways these retailers are currently addressing and pursuing sustainability agendas. Design/methodology/approach – The paper begins with a short discussion of the characteristics of sustainability. The paper draws its empirical material from the most recent sustainability reports and information posted on the internet by eight of the world’s top ten retailers. Findings – The findings reveal that while there is considerable variation in the structure of the retailers’ sustainability reports, three broad sets of themes can be identified. Namely, the environmental, social and economic issues the retailers report on, how these issues are reported, and the role and importance of sustainability within companies and to their business. More critically, it is argued that the world’s leading retailers are, at best, adopting a “weak” model of sustainability and that in pursuing continuing growth they are ignoring the fact that the present patterns of consumption are unsustainable in the long term. Originality/value – The paper provides an accessible review of, and some reflections on, the sustainability agendas being pursued by some of the world’s leading retailers and as such it will interest academics and those working in management positions within the retail industry. Keywords Retailers, Sustainable development, Consumption Paper type Research paper Consumers are increasingly concerned about their own environmental impacts, those of the products they buy and those of the companies at which they shop. These concerns focus on physical impacts such as global warming and on broader social issues such as how their purchasing actions and choices affect the livelihoods of people in other countries. The Global Coca Cola Retailing Research Council Forum (2009). International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management Vol. 39 No. 4, 2011 pp. 256-271 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0959-0552 DOI 10.1108/09590551111117536 Introduction During the past decade the concept of sustainability has consistently moved higher up political, media, investment and public agendas. While sustainability is increasingly seen to be everyone’s concern, there has been growing awareness that large retailers have a pivotal role to play in promoting sustainability in that they are the intermediaries between primary producers and manufacturers on the one hand and customers on the other. Durieu (2003, p. 7) for example, argued that retailers “can greatly influence changes in production processes and consumption patterns and are positioned to exert pressure on producers in favour of more sustainable consumer choices”. At the same time, many large retailers are increasingly keen to publicly report on their sustainability agendas, commitments and achievements for a variety of reasons. Thus, many large retailers have been determined to ] developing the renewable resources. between “weak” and “strong” sustainability ( Jamieson. beauty. Typical of the first set is ecological sustainability defined by Callicott and Mumford (1997. More specifically. p. Sustainability The concept of sustainability can be traced back to the thirteenth century but in more recent times it appeared in the environmental literature in the 1970s (Kamara et al. 1998. . to enhance brand value and to grow their market share. 21) argued that “sustainability” can be seen as “the goal or endpoint of a process called sustainable development”. The latter is focused on the belief that “the demands we make on the Earth need to be revised. 2006) and since then it has attracted increasingly widespread attention. and to offer some wider reflections on the ways these retailers are addressing and pursuing sustainability agendas. p. and to experience fulfillment. 32) as “meeting human needs without compromising the health of ecosystems” and Sutton’s (2004. 184). The global shop window 257 More fundamentally. 2003). i) definition of environmental sustainability as “the ability to maintain things or qualities that are valued in the physical environment”. The most widely used definition of sustainable development is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (World Commission on Environment and Development. The second set is perhaps most exuberantly captured in Dauncey’s (2009. 43) which Diesendorf (2000.demonstrate their interest in the wellbeing of the environment. Jamieson (1998. there are sets of definitions that recognise that all human beings live on one planet with finite quantities of natural resources and fragile ecosystems on which all human life ultimately depends. and/or by searching for technological solutions to problems such as resource depletion and pollution (Williams and Millington. p. their employees and the communities they serve. p. a vibrant economy and a healthy environment. and joy without compromising the ability of future generations of humans and other species to enjoy the same. With this in mind the aims of this paper are twofold. to promote the transparency of their operations. . 184) suggested that “most people’s thoughts about the meaning of sustainability are probably simple and grand: sustainability is about human survival and the avoidance of ecological disaster” but he recognised that “professional discourse. 100) . on the other hand. .. The former puts the emphasis on: [.. so that for instance. 1) description that: [. 21) suggested “emphasises the long-term aspect of the concept of sustainability and introduces the ethical principle of achieving equity between present and future generations”. p. p. There are also much more all-embracing definitions that look to include ambitious social and economic goals and to meet human needs in an equitable manner. p. 2004. Elkins et al. namely to provide an exploratory general review of both the sustainability agendas being publicly reported by the world’s leading retailers and the nature of the reporting process. is complex and technical” (p. creating substitutes for non-renewable resources. Diesendorf (2000. we consume less” (Williams and Millington. Defining this concept is not straightforward and a number of diverse and contested meanings can be identified. 2004.] sustainability is a condition of existence which enables generations of humans and other species to enjoy social wellbeing. p. for example. 1987. . making more effective use of existing resources. to better manage risk. 100). a distinction is often made. p. 125) and “competing interpretations of sustainability” (p. 2007). for example. a number of attempts have been made to develop theoretical frameworks connecting nature and society and to recognise that social and economic development cannot be viewed in isolation from the natural environment. Within the Venn diagram model “the union created by the overlap between the three components of economy. Castro (2004) sought to lay the foundations for a more radical sustainability theory by questioning the very possibility of sustainable development under capitalism and arguing that economic growth relies upon the continuing exploitation of both natural and social capital. Robinson (2003) summarised three sets of criticisms. for example. p. that the concept is vague in that it means very different things to different people and organisations. especially of the interactions of the three aspects” and that “they are helpful in raising awareness for the general public” (webpage). As interest in sustainability has gathered momentum. argued that “the contested politics and ambiguities of sustainability discourses” can be embraced to develop a “critical theory of sustainability”. social and economic dimensions of sustainability. and pictorial visualisation models.. As such the Venn diagram model provides an appropriately robust general empirical frame of . the third is concerned with the development and application of sustainability indicators while the other two seek to link the environmental. that it attracts hypocrites who use the language of sustainability to promote and defend unsustainable activities. physical models. that it fosters delusions in that it fails to acknowledge that the current rates of economic growth are simply unsustainable and that it draws attention away not only from the need to develop new ways of organising how people can relate to the natural world but also from the need for fundamental social and political change. resisted and realized” (p. The pictorial visualisation models adopt a simple three dimensional representation of sustainability with the three dimensions being most commonly represented as three overlapping circles in a Venn diagram (Figure 1). Clark (2005). Third.4 258 and on “fundamental changes in consumption patterns and reductions in consumption levels” (Fuchs and Lorek. 4). In a similar vein Lozano (2008) suggested that such representations “provide basic sustainability understanding. webpage). p. the concept has also attracted criticism. First. She further argued that current debates should be located “within a broader tradition of social criticism” (p. conceptual models. writing in The Times newspaper argued “in the absence of any precise meaning the concept of sustainability is pointless. Amsler (2009. 1972) through to much more recent work on climate change (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.IJRDM 39. p. While sustainability has attracted widespread political support and has become applied to many areas of human endeavour. 124) and should be viewed as “invitations to explore the complex processes through which competing visions of just futures are produced. standardising models. The authors acknowledged that the conceptual category of models is very broad and they traced its origins from the work of the Club of Rome formed in the late 1960s and its report on The Limits to Growth (Meadows et al. 123). p. 125). environment and society are designed to represent sustainability” (Lozano. It could mean virtually anything and therefore means absolutely nothing”. Second. 1218) commended this model as being “powerful in reaching a broad audience”. More generally Todorov and Marinova (2009. 2008. 2004. Todorov and Marinova (2009. The first two of these models tend to be restricted to specific disciplines. 1217) reviewed the models being developed to conceptualise what they described as “an extremely complex concept” and they presented a five-fold classification namely: quantitative models. cash and carry/warehouse clubs. The retailers are widely recognised as industry leaders and as such they might be expected to reflect cutting edge thinking and practice within the retail sector of the economy. Frame of reference and method of enquiry In order to obtain a preliminary picture of the extent to which the world’s leading retailers were reporting sustainability agendas and achievements within the public realm. the world’s largest retailer.604 94. the top ten global retailers (Table I).The global shop window Society Economy 259 Environment Figure 1.235 69.367 63. Venn diagram model of sustainability reference for this paper.526 112. from the Deloitte report “Global Powers of Retailing 2009” were selected for study. Country of origin USA France UK Germany USA USA Germany USA USA Germany Number of countries of operation 14 32 13 32 7 1 24 1 8 15 2007 retail sales (US$ million) 374. At the same time. but not a truly global. Lozano (2008) recognised that the model has drawbacks in that it “considers sustainability to be compartmentalized and disregards the inter-connectedness within and between aspects” (webpage) and that it is “a mere snapshot of a moment in time.346 63.349 70.088 58.740 87. is listed as trading from discount department stores. Wal-Mart. The top ten global retailers . ranked by the value of sales. geographical presence in that between them they are represented in 71 individual countries.487 Name Wal-Mart Carrefour Tesco Metro Home Depot Kroger Schwarz Unternehmens Treuhand Target Costco Aldi GMBH & Co.586 77. oHG Source: Deloitte (2009) Table I. The majority of these retailers have a number of trading formats and have a broadly international. which lacks the ability to represent the dynamic process of change over time” (webpage). while Schwartz Unternehemens Teuhand (who trade as Lidl) and Aldi Gmbh & Co. the environmental. respectively. second the nature of the reporting process and third the status and management of sustainability within the companies and to their core business. Findings While there is considerable variation in the structure of the retailers’ sustainability reports. 51 and 34 pages. namely Carrefour and Tesco. 1) and Bowen (2003) suggested that the majority of large companies have realised the potential of the world wide web as a mechanism for reporting sustainability agendas and achievements. in reporting on environmental. respectively. social and economic issues the retailers report on (Table II). on specific .IJRDM 39. In surveying the top ten global retailers as described above. 2007. the three dimensions within the Venn diagram model were used as a simple framework to capture and outline the sustainanabilty issues reported by the world’s leading retailers. Tesco. These reports and information provided the empirical information for this paper and two simple approaches were used in analysing this information. 54. With this in mind the authors undertook an internet search for each of the top ten retailers’ corporate web sites in October 2009 employing Google as the search engine. Kroger. only operate stores within the USA. Home Depot. p. More generally. In discussing the reliability and validity of information obtained from the internet. while two of the top ten retailers. Seven of the top ten retailers. produced dedicated sustainability reports running to 109. it is possible to identify three broad sets of themes. Metro and Tesco are listed as having retail outlets in 33. (2007) emphasised the importance of the authority and reputation of the source and the citation of a contact individual who can be approached for additional information. One of the top ten retailers. had commissioned an independent external audit. Metro. The navigation revealed considerable variation in the volume and the detail of the information on sustainability that the world’s top ten retailers had posted on their corporate web sites. the UK. social and economic issues. both of which are private companies. namely Wal-Mart. First. China. First. namely Kroger and the Target Corporation. 84. Target and Costco. During the past decade “sustainability reporting has evolved from a marginal practice to a mainstream management and communications tool” (Global Reporting Initiative. He also argued that its interactivity. 33. provided some very limited sustainability information on their web site. updatability and ability to handle complexity adds value to the reporting process.4 260 and hypermarket/supercentre/superstore and supermarket formats and as having retail operations in 14 countries including the USA. a simple grounded approach was employed to identify two other major issues emerging from the sustainability reports. First. namely the nature of the reporting process and the extent to which the retailers are integrating and managing sustainability within their businesses. 32 and 13 countries. The principal focus is an exploratory examination of the current sustainability issues being addressed by the world’s leading retailers rather than a systematic and comparative evaluation of the sustainability policies and achievements of these retailers. Carrefour. Saunders et al. the focus is generally on broad commitments and agendas. the specific examples and selected quotations from the retailers’ sustainability reports/information cited below are used for illustrative rather than comparative purposes. the authors were satisfied that these two conditions were met but noted that only two of the retailers. Germany and Brazil. Second. 19. oHG. Carrefour. carried no sustainability information on their company web sites. Issues Walmart Carrefour Tesco Metro Retailer Home Depot Kroger Target Costco U U U U U U U U U X U U U U U U U U U X X U U U U U U U U U U X X X X X X X U X U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U X X U U U X X U X X X X X U U U U U U U U U U U X X X X U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U X U U X U X X X X U X U U X U U X U X U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U U X X X U U X X U U U U U U U X X U X Environmental Climate change and carbon emissions Energy consumption Water management Waste management Logistics Conserving natural resources Environmentally friendly products Land and property holdings Social Responsible sourcing Food safety Working conditions at suppliers Diversity and equal opportunities Training and development Health and safety Local community links Charitable giving Economic Employment creation Value for customers Supplier relationships Building shareholder value Corporate governance The global shop window 261 Table II. Sustainability issues – retailer summaries . the proportion of women in management positions. in reporting on the local sourcing of food supplies and on urban regeneration projects. social and economic issues. the company then reports that that “in 2007 we measured our direct greenhouse gas footprint to be 20. for example. for example. for example. emphasises its overall commitment “to be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy”. highlights its employee and social commitments covering employee retention. energy consumption. for example. building shareholder value and corporate governance.4 262 objectives and targets and on progress in moving towards these targets. in some cases by geographic regions and in others by individual countries. logistics.2 million metric tons” which was “an increase from 19. food donations. food safety. reports on the working of its “open doors for our suppliers” policy in Brazil. environmentally friendly products. Nicaragua. El Salvador. franchisees. Guatemala. for example. a number of common themes can be identified including responsible sourcing. distils this down into 16 specific objectives and then reports on achievements against these objectives since 2008. Metro. Wal-Mart. health and safety within the workplace. there is often a recognition that sustainability initiatives are more advanced in some markets than others. Wal-Mart. focuses upon the USA and Canada but included a pledge to “pursue new policies and actions to help us become even more sustainable throughout the entire enterprise”. suppliers and shareholders. As such the reporting process reflects one of the drawbacks of the Venn diagram model namely that it treats the environments. clubs and distribution centres based around the world by 20 percent by 2012 to 2005 baseline”). The Costco report. The retailers tend to report separately on environmental. throughout all the European Union countries in which it trades. namely climate change and carbon emissions. training and development. Carrefour’s “economic scorecard”. Economic issues generally receive more limited coverage but include employment creation. More systematically Carrefour provides a quantitative assessment of progress on 17 key indicators.IJRDM 39. Some of the retailers which have retail outlets in a number of countries report on their efforts to promote sustainability within a number of specific countries but others tend to concentrate on providing a general picture of their agendas and achievements. This contradiction perhaps reflects the difficulties the world’s leading retailers face in effecting reductions in carbon emissions across large and geographically dispersed trading operations. “reduce greenhouse gases at our existing stores.g. diversity and equality of opportunity. supplier relationships. and land and property holdings. water management. first introduced in Germany. conserving natural resources. Costa Rica. A wide variety of environmental issues are addressed throughout the supply chain. nutritional labelling in Europe and healthy lifestyles and provides some limited information on progress in meeting five specific targets on some of these commitments. Reporting on renewable energy. social and economic issues as independent but there are some limited attempts to integrate two or more of these issues as. lists the company’s 13 commitments to customers. . retail education and vocational programmes. breaking this down into ten specific time-dated goals (e. Honduras. links with local communities. on its programmes to reduce energy consumption within stores in China and Japan and on its support for a campaign to fight AIDS in Lesotho. At the same time. and charitable donations. waste management. However. Metro reports on its initiative to roll out “consumer friendly nutritional labelling” on own label food products. Mexico. for example.2 million metric tons in 2006”. In reporting on social issues. working conditions at suppliers’ premises. providing value for customers. including for example. Missouri in the USA and a description of the company’s approach to allegations of forced child labour in the cotton fields of Uzbekistan. Tesco reports on progress against 14 key performance indicators. the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Labour Organisation’s Declaration of Fundamental Principles. More specifically. The Wal-Mart report. The majority of the selected retailers provide a simple narrative of their sustainability agendas and achievements. Carrefour. The Tesco report includes the following quotations: “in terms of community investment Tesco seems very responsive” and: [.Second. for example. Costco uses a bullet point format in describing its sustainably sourced product strategy. . such unattributed quotation might be seen to lack some authority. Carrefour’s “Sustainability Report” includes information on the scope of the reporting process. Some of the retailers seek to use external guidelines and elements of benchmarking in drawing up and in measuring achievements within their sustainability reports. Cameo case studies are sometimes used to illustrate general themes within selected retailers’ sustainability reports. The global shop window 263 Which are attributed to an unnamed “business organisation” and an unnamed “supplier”. charitable donations and nutritional labelling. The company also reports that its sustainability reporting is developed with reference to the Global Reporting Initiative Framework and the Organisation for Economic and Cooperation and Development’s principles. the lack of common and agreed reporting frameworks and standards and the use of individual case studies and selective external quotations make it difficult not only to compare one retailer meaningfully with another.] so much comes down to the individual buyers as to whether the supplier has a good experience. the nature of the reporting process merits attention. Sometimes such quotations carry attributed authority. for example. respectively. carbon dioxide emissions. the methods of data collection and the external auditing process which is seen to provide “a moderate level of assurance as to the social and environmental performance indicators selected by the Carrefour Group”. the Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Partnership. In a similar but arguably less comprehensive and rigorous vein. and we applaud their commitment to corporate social responsibility” made by Amir Dossal. We’ve had a fantastic experience over the past two years – better than with any other retailer. describes food safety as its top priority and outlines its bi-monthly food safety review audit of each store and its customer education programme. reports that its overall activities are guided by major international principles including the United Nations Global Compact. but also to assess the contribution that the large retailers are making to global sustainability targets. . Kroger. as for example in the Wal-Mart report which includes the former US President Bill Clinton’s statement that “Wal-Mart’s commitment gets to the larger point I have been trying to hammer home like a broken record since we’ve started on this climate change thing” and “Walmart is having a positive impact on people around the world. for example. . While retailers are unlikely to publicly name suppliers and business partners for reasons of commercial confidentiality. includes a number of short case studies including one concerning one of its employees establishing a recycling campaign in Pineville. Overall. A number of the reports offer some sense of external approval via the use of comments typically entitled “What Others Say”. often illustrated with descriptive statistics. the recycling of waste from stores. IJRDM 39. Carrefour. for example. Discussion The majority of the world’s top ten retailers recognise and report on a wide range of the impacts their businesses have on the environment. Wal-Mart’s commitments to offer “savings to our customers” and Costco’s belief that their “presence in a community makes pricing better throughout the area. Sustainability is built into our business. emphasised that: [. This Department now works with local sustainable development co-ordinators in all the countries in which the company has retail outlets. explicitly claimed to have fully integrated sustainability into their businesses. Here. retailers may have to assess whether the environmental costs of importing fresh fruit. “workers are paid well and treated well” and that there is compliance with the “Vendor Code of Conduct” which “expects our vendors to comply. We don’t even see it as corporate social responsibility. Carrefour and Tesco. namely Carrefour. the role of retailers in promoting sustainability within their stores ` and supply chains vis-a-vis their role in encouraging customers to make sustainable choices within stores. Mike Duke the company’s Chief Executive Officer. However.] stainability at Walmart isn’t a stand-alone issue that’s separate from or unrelated to our business. with the applicable labor and environmental regulations of the country where the merchandise is produced”. a number of issues merit closer attention and reflection. society and the economy. at a minimum. which is concerned with “identifying and anticipating the expectations of stakeholders” and “defusing conflicts”. Tesco claims that sustainability is embedded in the company’s governance framework and within the company a cross-functional team of executives provides dedicated leadership on sustainability issues. . four of the selected retailers. namely reconciling competing sustainability agendas. for example.4 Third. At the strategic level. the tensions between commitments to sustainability and resource consumption and the ways the retailers’ commitments to sustainability are increasingly being publicly contested. the way retailers construct sustainability agendas. Given the wide range of the sustainability agendas and issues currently being addressed by the large retailers. . As part of this management process. They may. in the words of the two companies mentioned above. At the store level. managers are working to meet what may be ever demanding operational and financial targets and/or to achieve performance related bonuses. It’s completely aligned with our model. When addressing sourcing policies. for example. also provide some information on how they manage their approach to sustainability. retailers may have to make difficult trade-offs between competing goals. At Carrefour. It’s not an abstract or philanthropic program. prices come down” may well threaten other commitments to ensure that. for example. Tesco and Wal-Mart. it will not always be easy to align what may be competing strategic goals and decisions. the company also reports on its “ongoing dialogue with our stakeholders”. Kroger. . reports establishing a Sustainable Development Department in 2001 and giving it responsibility for driving its sustainability programme forward. for example. sustainability is described as being “the core of the company’s strategy” and “an integral part of its management model”. because when we have a tough competitor in the market place. are outweighed by the social benefits of trading with less developed economies. vegetables and flowers from Africa. In a similar vein in his introduction to the Wal-Mart report. 264 Two of the retailers. our mission and our culture. (2004. in turn. within a constantly changing and fiercely competitive business environment. There must also be doubts about the retailers’ ability to verify such information when they are sourcing products from a large number of suppliers and producers drawn from often wide geographical areas. More specifically. argued that conventional approaches to sustainability “centre on the notion of the rational individual and his or her needs and wants. p. Outlining its Matrix of Action Points as part of its contribution to the European Retail Forum. Research undertaken amongst a number of major European retailers by Almaani et al. for example. This. there must be limits to the information about sustainability that the major retailers can provide on the vast range of products they offer for sale. (2008. evidence from their sustainability reports suggested that they may be concentrating their efforts more on the physical operation of their stores and their sourcing and distribution activities. If consumers are to be made more aware of sustainable consumption choices. suggested that messages designed to promote sustainability need “to take into consideration the average customer awareness on sustainability issues” and that “the message will be more successful if it conveys clear feel of a direct usefulness and advantage provided to the customer by the sustainable products compared to unsustainable ones” (p. webpage) action point. Wal-Mart’s UK company. Dolan (2002. provided a number of detailed and time constrained targets for the reduction of energy consumption within its stores and water usage within its distribution depots. argued “visible change is needed on supermarket and shop shelves and in advertising messages” (European Environment Bureau. While the selected retailers stress their commitment to drive a sustainability agenda throughout the supply chain. webpage) action point. begs the question about the most effective way retailers can use marketing communications within stores to encourage customers to make sustainable choices. there are dangers that providing accurate and verifiable information for all products “drowns out the ability of consumers to make like-for-like comparisons and ceases to provide them with any useful means of comparison” (Consumer Focus. Furthermore. for example.when facing problems in staff scheduling. At the same time. 170). 2009. put employees under pressure to work outside the hours that suit their work/life balance or refuse to release employees from their store duties for training and retail education programmes. 2009. and neglect the significance of consumption practices as embodying the relations between The global shop window 265 . “visibility of products and of communication”. p. (2004. At the same time. it is important to recognise that the act of consumption is often divorced from the product that is being consumed. 1). p. and the need to “use changing routines to capture attention”. then as Doreen Fedrigo. 42). p. Almaani et al. 2009. 30). Reisch et al. the company simply cites the company’s free magazine as the only method of providing information for customers under the “How we Communicate” (Eurocommerce. 30). for example. p. Here. 2009. However. warned “sustainability communication is a highly complex and even risky activity that needs careful strategic planning and genuine stakeholder input”. p. under the “How we Sell” (Eurocommerce. they have greater control and here too they can more easily monitor sustainability and resource goals. ASDA. rather than on encouraging their customers to make more sustainable choices. 30) identified three key elements as being essential for retailers’ marketing communications campaigns for sustainable consumption. namely “segmentation and target information”. European Union Policy Co-ordinator for the European Environment Bureau. 26). 4 266 individuals”. 308) argument that rich and powerful groups will construct sustainability agendas that do not threaten consumption. by their own commercial interests with the focus being on efficiency gains across their business operations. water consumption and waste emissions. rather than on maintaining the viability of natural ecosystems and reducing demands on finite natural resources. which are driven largely. However. 2). loyalty and efficiency within the workforce.. p. they can be seen to be collectively constructing their own definition of the concept. The large retailer’s position on growth and consumption is epitomised by Sir Terry Leahy. p. 170). the work/life balance. Fernando’s (2003. health and safety at work and training and retail education all help to promote stability. “the pursuit of sustainable opportunities” and “supplier and stakeholder relations” (webpage) as broadly reflected in the Venn diagram model. regeneration and social security) rather than embody them in the true cost (and therefore true value) of goods and services on sale (Parkin et al. He also warned that the development of sustainability as a widespread practice “is more complex than change in individual values and practice” (p. but seek to link them “to forms of knowledge – science. 16). (2003) stressed that shareholder value and profitability is influenced not only by “product and service costs and traditional productivity measures” (webpage) but also by a wider range of factors including “reputation and risk management. Thus. . webpage). There are also issues about the way in which retailers construct sustainability agendas. technology and efficiency – that embody the locus of power” held by the retailers. “growth of income and . they also reduce retailers’ costs. There are broader and more fundamental issues about the tensions between commitments to promoting sustainability and the continuing level of resource consumption. The world’s leading retailers might thus be seen to have constructed sustainability agendas. 1) assertion that “capitalism has shown remarkable creativity and power to undermine the goals of sustainable development by appropriating the language and practices of sustainable development” resonates loudly. In a similar vein. Such a definition is built around business efficiency and the search for competitive advantage and is driven as much by business imperatives as by a concern for sustainability. 2003. to be green and to grow” (The Coca Cola Retail Research Council Forum. (2008. that while moving towards sustainability is a major policy agenda. employee satisfaction” (webpage). per se. 2009. the retailers’ commitments to their employees focusing for example. While all of the selected retailers explicitly stress their commitment to sustainability. for example. This in turn might be seen to reflect the traditionally dominant business ideology that: [. who argued that his company “is seeking to create a movement which shows that it is possible to consume.IJRDM 39. security. the Chief Executive Officer of Tesco. which is seen by some commentators as being fundamental to pursuing continuing growth. This approach echoes Hobson’s (2006. while many of the environmental initiatives addressed in the sustainability reports are designed to reduce energy. p.] The economy currently treats natural resources as largely inexhaustible and freely available. upon good working conditions. though not necessarily exclusively. This suggests a privileging of the economic interests and dimensions represented in the Venn diagram model at the expense of environmental and social issues. p. and tends to ‘mop up’ the costs of social and environmental impacts in a range of different budgets (such as health. . Parkin et al. Here. This approach is certainly consistent with the argument by Reisch et al. This. recycling materials and increasing production efficiency have tended to be the dominant means supposed to decouple environmental degradation from economic growth” and they concluded that “the policy agenda on sustainable consumption is in danger of becoming a merely rhetorical reflection of concern” (p. 22 prominent organisations and pressure groups including Friends of the Earth. contained within Tesco’s Sustainability Report. The former referring to the decline of resource impacts relative to growth and the latter signifying an absolute decline in such impacts. recognising the power relations between social groupings and between cultural value systems” and his warning that “this is the context within which the idea of sustainability will stand or fall” (p.] that to do this it will have to ask some big questions about what a truly sustainable supermarket looks like. While the world’s leading retailers might claim to support relative decoupling through their commitments to efficiency. The global shop window 267 Partly. A number of pressure groups have become increasingly critical of the large retailers. webpage) argued “The pairing of terms (Wal-Mart and Sustainability) elicits strong reactions. p. 1). the Institute for Policy Studies and the International Labor Rights Forum. Reisch et al. p. In 2007. Finally. echoes Dolan’s (2002. 180). 8). a UK charity committed to sustainable development suggested that “the next big challenge for Tesco is to address how it can grow whilst respecting environmental limits”. retailers’ claimed commitments to sustainability have been contested within the public arena. Jackson (2009. Forum for the Future. p. More radically. p. 48) believed “is essential if economic activity is to remain within ecological limits”. in an invited response. namely that “growth may be unsustainable but de-growth may be unstable” (p. 2007. It also argued: [. on communities and on the economy. 8) drew attention to what he described as “the deep seated dilemma”. arguing that “the company’s business model makes it inherently unsustainable” (Tocco and Anderson. p. this reflects Jackson’s (2006. However. They rely too heavily on finite resources and they generate unacceptable environmental benefits”. 1) belief that “the consumption patterns that characterise modern Western Society are unsustainable. Responding to Wal-Mart’s 2009 Sustainability Report. 1). p. 57) concluded a discussion of what he described as “the myth of decoupling” by arguing that “it is entirely fanciful to suppose that deep emission and resource cuts can be achieved without confronting the structure of market economies” (p. develop some new business models and set – and then achieve – some ambitious global sustainability targets. collaborated to produce a robust critique of “Wal-Mart’s Sustainability Initiative”. 1) argued that “rather than controlling consumption. they currently show little enthusiasm for absolute decoupling which Jackson (2009. for example. 180) belief that “the goal of sustainable consumption needs to be seen as a political project. 57). for example. the Corporate Social Responsibility Wire (2009. Action Aid International. The “oxymoron camp”. believe that “Walmart’s business model of overdriven underpaid factory workers pumping out . 8) decoupling. (2008. 8) he highlighted the importance of distinguishing between “relative” and “absolute” (p. He suggested that while the “conventional response to the dilemma of growth is to call for decoupling” (p. arguing that their activities are having damaging effects on the environment and its resources. . . in turn. more challengingly Jackson (2009.material throughput by means of industrialisation and mass consumerism remains the basic aim of western democracy”. p. Perhaps. usually falling into three camps”. the authors suggest that the large retailers’ commitments to sustainability are couched within existing business models centred on continuing growth and that current policies are little more than genuflections to sustainability. and commitments to. G. farmers and workers worldwide.IJRDM 39.medioambiente.. one of the UK’s leading international retailers. P. the world’s leading retailers might be seen to be merely at the start of a potentially long and difficult journey towards sustainability..pdf (accessed 25 August 2009). D. Burman... In a similar vein the UK-based Tescopoly web site.. Aylwinblanco. C. The world’s leading retailers are thus effectively and conveniently ignoring the fact that the present patterns of consumption are simply unsustainable in the long term. More specifically the focus is generally on reporting separately on environmental. webpage). Sorgeloose. As such the world’s leading retailers are. The large retailers vigorously refute the vast majority of the accusations made against them and they consistently argue that their continuing success reflects their ability to respond effectively and efficiently to customer needs and aspirations. these retailers seem likely to continue to attract potentially increasingly vocal and sustained criticism from those who are concerned about what Jackson (2009. C. Vanier. . sustainability can be interpreted as being driven as much by business imperatives as by commitments to sustainability. M. C. J.gov. but not one included in this study. 6) described as “an emerging ecological crisis that is likely to dwarf the existing economic crisis”. and Vemali. local shops and the environment” (Tescopoly.. Palacios. J. they are better placed to provide long-term growth and financial security for all stakeholders and to enhance their market position and reputation. Thus. M. This in turn suggests the need to develop a more dynamic Venn diagram model which incorporates greater coalescence (and possibly greater separation) of the environmental. at best. available at: http://www2. Cacouris. Benavides. 2009. 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C.pdf (accessed 21 October 2009). 99-104. Switzerland. business and management. pp. The Geographical Journal. The global shop window 271 To purchase reprints of this article please e-mail: reprints@emeraldinsight. Williams. available at: http://sites.corporate-ir. available at: www.net/ocf-02.com/wps/portal/Corporate_Responsibility (accessed 21 October 2009).pdf (accessed 21 October 2009).com/plc/cr09/crr09.htm (accessed 23 April 2010).pdf (accessed 21 October 2009). He has undertaken educational and commercial consultancy work in Norway. available at: www. sustainability and urban regeneration and his work has been extensively published in a range of marketing.thekrogerco.C. corporate social responsibility and woodland management. available at: http://phx.com Or visit our web site for further details: www. She is a geography graduate and her research interests are in new developments in retailing.com/reprints . available at: www. paper presented at the World IMACS/MODSIM Congress. Vol. D. He also has research interests in retail change. has been widely disseminated by the UK’s Home Office. Kroger. World Commission on Environment and Development (1987).pdf (accessed 21 October 2009). Sustainabilty report/information web sites: Carrefour. About the authors Peter Jones is a Professor in the Business School at the University of Gloucestershire and he has served as Head of the Department of Retailing and Marketing at the Manchester Metropolitan University and as Dean of the Business School at the University of Plymouth.target. available at: www. India.com/documents/KrogerSustainReport09.ac.un-documents. Peter Jones is the corresponding author and can be contacted at: pjones@glos. 2. The Netherlands. David Hillier is Emeritus Professor within the Centre for Police Sciences at the University of Glamorgan. His current research interests are in corporate social responsibility and sustainability within the service sector of the economy and in the past he has published on the introduction of information and communication technologies within retailing and on urban fringe management projects. available at: www. She is currently working on a project which evaluates the nature and quality of the student experience. sustainable development.uk Daphne Comfort is the Research Administrator in the Business School at the University of Gloucestershire.homedepot.com/sites/sustainabilityreport/2009/en_overview.net/External. Metro.File?item¼ UGFyZW50SUQ9MTU 2NDF8Q2hpbGRJRD0tMXxUeXBlPTM¼ &t¼1 (accessed 21 October 2009). Cairns.au/modsim09/D2/ todorov_D2a.carrefour. Greece. His principal research interest is in crime and the design of the urban fabric and work he has undertaken with Paul Cozens. (2004).emeraldinsight. now of Curtin University in Perth Western Australia. “Models of sustainability”. From 1994-2006 he was Head of Geography at Glamorgan.org. 170 No.I. “The diverse and contested meanings of sustainable development”. Singapore. A.pl/servlet/PB/show/1212320_l2/NHB2008-en.metrogroup. “Our common future”. Spain.investis. Indonesia and Malaysia. Costco. html (accessed 21 October 2009). V. transport.pdf (accessed 21 October 2009).com/docroot/groupe/C4com/Commerce%20responsable/ Publications/RGG2008GB.mssanz.pdf (accessed 23 April 2010).com/images/corporate/about/responsibility_report/2009/ full_report. available at: http://walmartstores. (2009).