Sustainability Management at Nau Inc.

Nau made efforts to integrate every aspect of its operations with sustainability, right from the material used to make the garments to the way the clothes were produced and distributed. All the products were made from organic and recycled fabrics, and most of them were developed by the company along with its vendors.

Nau also sold its products using a unique concept: it opted for 'Webfronts', which were smaller stores that combined the retail buying experience with the convenience of online shopping. The company set a new standard in corporate philanthropy by contributing a part of the total revenues to non-profit organizations.

Analysts described Nau's efforts to do business in a responsible manner as highly commendable.

As BusinessWeek pointed out, "Nau is part of an emerging group of startups that reflect a new sensibility about what it means to be green. Where a few years ago just adding a few green products to the shelf might have made a company more appealing to environmentally conscious consumers, a backlash is beginning to emerge against companies that promote 'green' offerings that are only marginally better than regular ones."⁷