Retailers Calendar

Canon has improved consumer relationships by showing them that more energy efficient products save them
money!
• Canon initiated a study (see figure 11.2) that shows consumers that they actually save money when Canon produces
energy efficient products. As shown in the diagram below, the costs of switching to environmentally friendly products
and total environmental protection are lower than the benefits on the consumer side: compare 16.1 to 35.8 Yen.
• Large benefits to the consumer often mean greater benefits for the retailer and producer of the product. They are
translated through higher sales, customer loyalty and improved customer relationships by giving them more energy
efficient products, and thus saving them money.
• This study helped them to realize the overall benefits of environmental improvements on the consumer side.
Along the Chain: Eco-Efficiency Pays
Costs
Benefits
Figure 11.2: Canon shows that eco-efficiency pays in the consumer side
Box 11.1: An example of improving consumer relationships through energy efficient products
Source: Canon sustainability report
Implementation
To read
more on project
implementation
processes, see
UNEP’s
Greening Shops
and Saving
Costs Guide,
pages. 19-25
http//:www.unep.
fr/pc/retail.
Once you have prioritized your options, you will want to implement your key improvement technique. This stage
might include several procedures, such as the following:
• Establish employee and partnership roles and responsibilities;
• Develop a plan for the project, including resources necessary, implementation deliverable deadlines, and
schedules;
• Establish coordination points among processes and people;
• Reach out to various stakeholders in the process;
Each part of the process will be important. For example, if using choice editing of some of your less-sustainable
products, it will be important to coordinate with suppliers to find appropriate product substitutions, find a way of
informing your customers of your project, and phasing out the product in a suitable manner. Such a project will
require: working with various departments, like purchasing, merchandising, and marketing; ensuring employees
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