BCSC - General - UK
Date: 07 Mar 2008
Speaking today (5 March) at BCSC's Shopping Centre Management Conference, TV presenter Philippa Forrester made a call to action to retail property and shopping centre managers and owners to play their part in the fight against climate change.
Addressing a packed audience of delegates, Philippa talked of her work in broadcasting and her belief that the media has an important role to play in raising awareness of the problem of global warming and its impacts.
A recent guest on Philippa's BBC Radio 4 programme - World on the Move - provides a particularly stark reminder of why she believes we must act now: "Tim Arnbom, arctic coordinator for WWF spoke of the plight of polar bears in the Russian arctic region. For the first time, a migration of the bears could not take place because an ice bridge had not formed to provide passage. This is thought to be a result of climate change as there are many ecological changes occurring in the Arctic - and subsequently 200 polar bears are now missing from official figures."
Philippa continues: "While this is a depressing example and we might feel powerless to prevent cases like this, it is also important to remember that climate change is a problem that won't go away - and as businesses and individuals we need to learn to be adaptable, flexible and innovative to meet these new challenges.
"Pressure will come from Government in the form of new policy, but pressure is also increasingly coming from consumers themselves. How environmentally-friendly a shopping centre is will begin to affect whether people decide to shop there. Sustainability is also a factor when customers are deciding what to buy - whether that is a big or small purchase.
Encouraging delegates to take responsibility, Philippa adds: "But what can we do? Everyone has a part to play - by starting with the small changes. As shopping centre and retail managers, you can inspire and educate your staff and your customers. Encourage them to come up with ideas, and find the solutions that work for you - whether this is reducing waste, saving energy or water. For a good start, take a look at the sustainability portal on the BCSC website.
"Positive change is already taking place. Victoria Square in Belfast is opening today - this a great example of retail-led inner city restoration and regeneration. Princesshay in Exeter is also a good example of integrating sustainability and energy saving measures - 80 per cent of existing buildings were successfully recycled as part of the new-build."
Philippa concludes: "Rethink Retail is the theme of this conference, and by being here you have already shown you are open to new practices and thinking. The issue of climate change will not go away but it is of course far too big to tackle on our own. As retail property managers and owners you have real influence -what we really need to do is change our attitude and work together. All we have to do is want to make a change."
BCSC's Shopping Centre Management Conference brings together leading experts on retail management, marketing, customer relations and sustainability. The conference, held in association with the College of Estate Management, is running from 3 to 5 March and is themed 'Rethink Retail'. Over 500 delegates will attend keynote speeches and workshop sessions, and a concurrent industry exhibition features some 45 companies.
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