Retailers must work together to help government policymakers create effective and workable regulations to make the industry more sustainable, Jaap Gillis, chairman of the European section of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), told the organisation's 32nd conference in Warsaw on Wednesday.
Retailers must work together to help government policymakers create effective and workable regulations to make the industry more sustainable, Jaap Gillis, chairman of the European section of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), told the organisation's 32nd conference in Warsaw on Wednesday.
'I think generally speaking there's a growing sense of urgency that if we don't take measures now, there will be a major environmental meltdown and future generations will be the victims,' he said.
Gillis, chief operating officer of Amsterdam-based Redevco Europe Services, announced that the ICSC is 'going green' due to the urgent need globally to focus on the environment and sustainability. He said the ICSC has set up a working group on sustainability to develop industry-wide policies.
Drawing on an article he penned for the April issue of PropertyEU Magazine, Gillis said that Al Gore's film 'An Inconvenient Truth' may well be a major catalyst that has stimulated the debate on the environment. ' But, whatever the reason, the discussion is here to stay at all levels of society,' he added. The audience reacted with approval to his humourous declaration that the ICSC now stands for 'International Council for Substainable Centres'.
Gillis noted that some major retail chains have already taken initiatives to cut energy emissions and promote sustainability. For instance, Marks and Spencer has committed itself to becoming 'carbon neutral' by 2012 and Ikea has a team of 70 people that ensures its supplies meet sustainability criteria. However, he said it was important for the industry to work together in a coherent manner with governments and other agencies.
Click on the link below to read Jaap Gillis' article in PropertyEU Magazine