West Marine, a specialty retailer of boating supplies and accessories, has just launched its fourth annual Green Product of the Year Award. The contest is open to Canadian companies except those from Quebec. The competition is open to manufacturers, distributors and/or inventors of boating products. There is no requirement that they be a supplier to West Marine. Nominations close November 23, 2012.
Criteria for the Green Product of the Year Award include:
- Effectiveness: Is the product as effective as competitive products in the marketplace?
- Economy: Is the product priced competitively with existing solutions or similar products in the market? This can be measured on a per-use basis or a cost-justified basis (use of the product will save $xx).
- Environmental Impact: Is the product different from anything else in the marketplace? Does the product incorporate new materials or technologies?
- Degree of Innovation: Was the product introduced to the marketplace in 2011, 2012 or will it be introduced in 2013? Is the product different from anything else in the marketplace? Does the product incorporate new materials or technologies?
- Timing: Was the product introduced to the marketplace in 2011, 2012 or will it be introduced in 2013?
- Verification of claims: All environmental or efficacy claims must be verifiable and substantiated by an independent third party. Entry must provide actual data, test results, laboratory analyses, etc.
West Marine has 315 company-operated stores in North America, including five stores in Ontario and five stores in British Columbia. The Company publishes an annual sustainability report and has set the following ‘aspirational goals’ for 2017:
- Reduce landfill waste by 25%
- Reduce carbon footprint by 25%
- Improve product Sustainability by 25%
- Be a leader in ocean conservation.
Details of the Green Product of the Year Award and an application form can be found at http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/BlueFutureView?langId=-1&storeId=11151&catalogId=10001&page=Green-Product-Of-The-Year-Contest
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