Sustainability from a retailer's perspective

Home Depot Incorporated began business in 1979 with two 70,000 ft(.)2 buildings selling approximately 20,000 different items. The company has evolved significantly since then. Today, the company has 1,300 stores, each over 100,000 ft.(2), selling 50,000 different items. Sales in 2001 exceeded $50 billion which has had an enormous impact on the forest products industry. Home Depot may, quite possibly, sell more wood-fiber products than any other single supplier in the world. With this achievement comes the responsibility to act, and serve, as a leader moving toward sustainability in both environmental and business arenas. This paper discusses this company's approach to attaining sustainability.