Ace Hardware Leveraging Environmental Stewardship Walter Coddington created the first multi-stakeholder, environmental marketing guide for store managers of the Ace Hardware chain. Vendor and trade-customer environmental management and marketing partnerships are the most powerful business development opportunity to emerge from the "green" movement. Stronger retailer and supplier business relationships have resulted from jointly-sponsored packaging, recycling, and infrastructure development and consumer education programs designed to promote green processes and products and make environmental stewardship profitable.