SGS' Brian Whitters to Discuss Sustainable Apparel Design at USA-ITA Feb. 16

FAIRFIELD, N.J., Feb. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- SGS Consumer Testing Services announced today that Brian Whitters, DVP of Global Sustainability Services, has been selected to discuss sustainable apparel design and lifecycle assessment at the United States Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA) West Coast Seminar in San Francisco on Thursday, February 16. The presentation, "Business Case for Sustainability: Differentiate by Implementing Sustainable Design," is open exclusively to seminar attendees.

In the session, Whitters will explain how companies that implement sustainable design can not only improve their environmental performance but also foster product innovation, reduce costs, increase profits, make credible environmental marketing claims, and stay ahead of regulations that could otherwise threaten their presence in specific geographic markets. Topics will include:

• The added business value of integrating sustainability into both the business strategy and product/process design
• The new and constantly evolving sustainability challenges faced by manufacturers and retailers
• The ability of retailers to influence both sustainable production and consumption by defining environmentally oriented purchasing requirements and educating consumers about sustainability issues and lifecycle issues such as end-of-life product disposal
• The changing role of manufacturers in the sustainability debate, with an evolution from pollution control to preventive strategies that minimize the environmental impacts of their activities 

Whitters' presentation is one of nine at the seminar, which runs from 9 am through 4:30 pm at Levi Strauss & Company. Registration for the entire USA-ITA event is available at https://www.usaita.com/index.php?option=com_civicrm&task=civicrm/event/register&Itemid=141&id=15&reset=1

SGS sustainability consultancy services help organizations ensure that they have efficient and manageable processes and systems that comply with stakeholder requirements related to quality, health and safety, environmental management, corporate social responsibility and other areas of sustainable development. Services cover strategic sustainability consultancy, corporate carbon footprinting, energy audits, social audits, management of restricted substances, life cycle assessment, sustainable design practices and environmental labeling.

About SGS Consumer Testing Services

SGS Consumer Testing Services, a division of the SGS Group, is the world's leading verification, testing and certification company. The company's comprehensive testing, product inspection, process assessment and technical services cover the entire supply chain from product development to retailing for electrical products, wireless products, soft line products, hard line products and food products. SGS' global network and expertise provide a single consolidated source that can help manufacturers, suppliers and retailers reduce risk, improve efficiency and product quality, and ensure compliance to both national and international standards. Parent company SGS Group has more than 70,000 employees and over 1,350 offices and laboratories in 140 countries. For more information about Consumer Testing Services, visit www.us.sgs.com/cts  

SOURCE SGS Consumer Testing Services