Retailers that adopt the Four Leaf system not only display their commitment to helping the environment, but are initiating a fundamental shift in the dynamics of supply and demand within our economy.

A product’s environmental rating will become an integrated part of the retail purchasing decision. To increase and maintain consumer sales, suppliers will have to consider a new P – Protecting environment with as equal weight as their concentration on the traditional marketing mix being product, price, place and promotion and the expanded people, process and physical environment.

Four Leaf will enable market forces to determine the desirability of goods that are greener compared to competitors. Whilst market research has indicated that some consumers are not willing to pay a premium for environmentally friendly products, there is overwhelming evidence that they will switch from a preferred brand to a greener alternative within the same pricing parameters.

A major deterrent of adopting environmental practices is the economic cost of their implementation. Through driving consumer demand towards products that are more favourable to our environment, market forces will prompt higher rates of greening to regain/retain market share. Alternatively, it is anticipated that those companies who do not instigate environmentally friendly policies and products will lose market share. Reducing wholesale and retail price will be the only mechanism through which these companies will attract consumers.

Four Leaf will also benefit many smaller manufacturers who have not had the resources to consider their environmental footprint. Some may have been interested in quantifying this, but were discouraged due to no low cost methodology being easily available. Four Leaf provides such companies with a snapshot of their footprint and a framework from which they can build improvements.

Implementing environmentally friendly practices is a win/win for future generations of our world, consumers and business. Reductions in the use of water, energy and raw materials has already saved companies many millions of dollars and had a positive impact on net profit.