Press release

Improve Environmental Performance Today with New Environmental Defense Fund Business Community

(Washington, DC – January 12, 2009) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today launched the Innovation Exchange (http://Innovation.edf.org), a first-of-its-kind online resource that allows businesses to quickly identify and share ways to improve their environmental performance and reduce costs.

 

“In today’s tough business environment, no company can afford to miss out on proven strategies to cut costs and improve brand value.  EDF Innovation Exchange provides the information and inspiration that companies need to achieve market leadership and meet essential environment demands worldwide,” said Gwen Ruta, vice president, corporate partnerships at EDF. “This new community will enable businesses leaders to learn from their peers, contribute ideas and success stories and leverage the power of collective innovation.”

 

The Exchange provides a no-cost, comprehensive set of recommendations, case studies, publications and tools for companies to improve their environmental performance. 

 

“Access to proven environmental strategies is more vital to business success than ever before,” said Lisa Manley, director of environmental communications, The Coca-Cola Company. “Collaborative innovation between companies will play a major role in helping us meet our sustainability goals.”

 

The site also includes a five-step “Getting Started” resource that includes recommendations for companies just beginning to understand their environmental performance who need guidance on everything from measuring impact to taking concrete action. 

 

Many of the tools, best practices and case studies on the site are based on EDF’s twenty years of experience creating environmental innovations through partnering with Fortune 500 companies including McDonalds, Wal-Mart and FedEx.  The Exchange also includes links to numerous external resources that have been vetted by EDF experts.  The site will continue to grow and evolve, fostering a dynamic community of users working together to create the next generation of environmental best practices for businesses. 

 

In the coming months, EDF will build out the interactive aspects of the Exchange and develop offline initiatives such as webinars, training programs and fellowships.  More information is available at http://Innovation.edf.org. 

With more than 3 million members, Environmental Defense Fund creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. To do so, EDF links science, economics, law, and innovative private-sector partnerships to turn solutions into action. edf.org