Call for Content! December's Issue in Focus: Retail Innovation

Calling all innovators and implementers! During December 2012, Sustainable Brands will be publishing a new “SB Issues in Focus” editorial package, including daily features, interviews and case studies on the topic of “Retail Innovation.”

Guest editors Kate Heiny of Target, Kevin Brady of PE International/Five Winds and retail sustainability consultant David Ian Gray of DIG360 are seeking content to consider for publication in this issue. This is a perfect opportunity to share your insights on trends driving opportunity for growth through retail innovation, and to showcase leading-edge initiatives or business model innovations your company has successfully pioneered and/or brought to market (NOTE: Think game-changing innovation, not incremental improvements).

Our readers are business leaders seeking information about how others are profitably innovating for sustainability. They seek insights and ideas that might be applied across market sectors about how to drive top-line growth and shift toward sustainability across their value chains. We will evaluate submissions based on currency and relevance of the example or idea presented, balance of perspective, strength of content, and delivered principles, based on specific experience that might apply to a variety of markets or product sectors.

Article ideas are due by Monday, Dec. 3.

Content Guidelines

WHAT: Written (and/or audio and/or video) perspectives. Focus areas include:

• market drivers or barriers fostering or impeding innovation in retail and/or delaying catch-up by the sector
• new foundational strategy and management structures that will foster innovation and collaboration
• trends and developments for retail in emerging markets (ex: will they leap-frog into "green" retail models?)
• new ways to shop
• sites such as Hukkster
• how the sharing economy is driving shift in retail models
• mobile/virtual shopping
• the power of peers/Facebook to drive shopping behaviors
• innovations in product delivery
• how the sharing economy is driving shift in traditional retail models
• the rise of makerbots
• eBay and big box stores testing out same-day delivery to compete with Amazon
• new ways of measuring the sustainability of products
• new ways of selecting responsible suppliers

WHO: Managers, consultants and any other field experts involved in the retail sector

WHEN: Specific idea pitches due by end of day Monday, Dec. 3; editorial selections will be made by Wednesday, Dec. 5 and author final submissions are due by Monday, Dec. 10.

HOW: Please submit your content ideas by Monday, Dec. 3. Share an OVERVIEW (one paragraph to one page) of your innovative ideas, initiatives and implementations for your company or industry, focused on retail innovation.

Criteria

Contributions providing specific insights will be given highest priority, such as:

• Vision: How has the science of sustainability been integrated into your business vision or brand value proposition?
• Metrics: What concrete goals are (or should be) in place for measuring the success of a given initiative; what metrics are (or should be) in use to track results; and what progress or results have been experienced?
• Financial Impact: How has implementing an initiative contributed to financial gain?
• Communication: How are you communicating your solutions to various stakeholders, including customers, community members, investors, etc?
• Accountability:  What is the highest level of accountability? What goals have you made at a corporate level and how are you being held accountable?
• Decision Making: How is the criteria surrounding retail innovation woven into business processes (e.g. R&D)?

Higher preference will be given to pieces that provide perspective on enterprise-wide and ideally market-wide implications.

Send submissions to guest editors:

Kate Heiny — kate.heiny@target.com
Kevin Brady — k.brady@fivewinds.com
David Ian Gray — davidiangray@dig360.ca