Cambridge Business Association
Sustainability in Retail Is Possible – But There’s Work to Be Done
Article

Sustainability in Retail Is Possible – But There’s Work to Be Done

Shalini Unnikrishnan, Henry Fovargue, Davide Urani, Alexandra Frugone, Priya Karve, Miranda Hadfield and Josefina Salas
Boston Consulting Group, 2022
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The Boston Consulting Group partnered with the World Retail Congress to survey employees from 37 significant retailers. Though responses came from companies all over the world, they had one result in common: Retailers are increasingly concerned with sustainability. Is it just lip service to mollify consumers, or is this new-found concern for the environment genuine? Time will tell, but either way, the road ahead is a rough one. This report provides nine necessary principles for moving retail companies in the right direction.

Summary

Most retailers are a long way from reaching maturity in terms of sustainability practices.

The 2015 Paris Agreement declared that maximum global temperatures should not rise more than 1.5⁰C above preindustrial levels to curb the effects of climate change. To stay within those parameters, organizations around the world would need to make and follow through with comprehensive sustainability plans.

Retailers and their supply chains are responsible for 40% of global plastic usage and 25% of global emissions. By and large, retailers have failed to implement robust sustainability initiatives within their own organizations or across their value chains.

Sustainability can create a competitive advantage for retailers.

Organizations in the early stages of their sustainability journey typically start with sustainability...

About the Authors

Shalini Unnikrishnan, Henry Fovargue, Davide Urani, Alexandra Frugone, Priya Karve, Miranda Hadfield and Josefina Salas are professionals with the Boston Consulting Group.

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