BT offers retailers a route to sustainable retailing at Retail Solutions 2008

This purpose-built show piece area will be a key focal point of the show, and experts from BT and its partners will be on hand to answer questions on sustainable retailing and offer advice on areas which will include, technologies that retailers can adopt to help them become a more sustainable retailer, how can the carbon footprint of staff and stores be reduced, how to combat lost sales due to competitors better sustainability record, and how employees can be empowered to help customers view their company as a responsible retailer.

Research commissioned by BT has shown that in the past year over a quarter of consumers (27 per cent) have turned down a product or service from a supplier they felt did not have a strong sustainability record, 60 per cent would be prepared to spend extra on a product that was more environmentally and socially responsible and nearly a third (31 per cent) of employees do not believe that the organisation that they work for is environmentally and socially responsible. One in three (30 per cent) believes that their employer only takes action when forced to by external pressures such as suppliers or customers. Retailers are undoubtedly taking the issue seriously, the same report found that 56 per cent of retailers believe they are taking significant steps to improve their impact on the environment and communities and a further 28 per cent say they are doing everything they can, and Retail Solutions 2008 will give retailers a platform to discuss these issues.

Helen Slaven, CEO, BT Expedite, said; "BT contributes to sustainability in every market in which we do business, and has long been an advocate of social responsibility. Visitors to the stand will discover ways to benefit from these values in their own business."

Tim Edwards, event manager for Retail Solutions, said: "Following on from the success of Store of the Future at last years Retail Solutions, we are confident that visitors will be equally impressed with the Sustainable Retailing feature at Retail Solutions 2008."

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