The Eco Index Moves the Needle on Sustainability

摘要

Besides expecting more from companies that produce cotton, consumers are also putting their favorite retailers' sustainability efforts to the test. "Consumers have high standards when measuring merchandise form, functionality and performance," said Will Manzer, president and CEO, Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS), Peterborough, N.H. "Now sustainability is part of that equation." EMS takes its commitment to sustainability so seriously that it joined a responsibility task group in 2007, through its membership with the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), called the Eco Working Group. The OIA Eco Working Group (EWG) explores the issues of environmental sustainability as it relates to the outdoor industry. The EWG consists of more than 100 outdoor businesses whose first accomplishment was collaboratively developing the industry's first environmental assessment tool: the Eco Index.