‘You can definitely do well by doing good,’ Peter Robinson, CEO of Vancouver-HQ’d Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), told a press conference last month. MEC has teamed up with environmental network One Percent For The Planet (1%FTP), which includes companies that donate at least 1% of their annual revenues to environmental orgs, and Community Foundations of Canada.

The chain will support its 1%FTP involvement with in-store signage and a spread in its catalogue.

MEC began in 1971 as a socially and environmentally responsible retail co-op selling clothing and gear for people to enjoy outdoor recreation. Today it’s Canada’s leading retailer in the segment and has given over $9 million to Canadian environmental initiatives since 1987. By 2006, sales reached $221.4 million.

Robinson pointed out that he won’t be selling outdoor gear much longer if there’s no great outdoors left. He urged other businesses to take up the 1%FTP challenge, arguing that going green will help their bottom lines as much as the environment.

As Yvon Chouinard, 1%FTP member and founder/owner of Patagonia, has stated: ‘Every time I’ve done the right thing for the environment, I’ve made a profit.’