Environmental Sustainability

In episode 372 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Nils Altrogge, head of technology innovation at On, the fast-growing specialty running brand. Altrogge discusses the Swiss sports brand's mission (0:46), his professional background (2:09), and the factors to which he attributes On's rapid growth (3:50). The footwear brand recently debuted the first shoe made…

SHEIN, the fast-fashion online retailer, has launched SHEIN Exchange, an online peer-to-peer resale destination to buy and sell previously owned SHEIN products. SHEIN Exchange was inspired by SHEIN's customers, who have communicated an interest in resale destinations where they can buy and sell previously owned SHEIN products without the barrier of high platform fees that…

While all industries have seen an uptick in sustainability marketing in the past few years, retail — and fashion in particular — is one of the worst offenders when it comes to greenwashing. The International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) found as many as 40 percent of sustainability claims could be unsubstantiated, while Changing Markets…

Environmental activists repeatedly target the retail industry — and their message is important and effective. Carbon emissions, high energy usage, and plastic packaging can contribute to waste in retail supply chains, and retailers need to respond. While most retailers recognize the benefits of prioritizing sustainability, making organization-wide change is easier said than done. Many sustainability…

Every organization should be on an ever-evolving environmental, social and governance (ESG) journey. In this video, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Kathleen Carroll, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Grainger, a leading business-to-business (B-to-B) broad line distributor. Carroll discusses Grainger's portfolio of environmentally preferable products (EPP), why the business focuses on environmental sustainability, and…

There's an urgent need to increase sustainable shipping practices among e-commerce retailers. Research shows e-commerce has grown two to five times faster than before the pandemic. And while this surge in online shopping has been positive for retailers, fulfilling these orders has material consequences for the environment. In fact, the World Economic Forum predicts emissions…

Ever since the U.S Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed rules governing climate-related disclosures from all public companies on March 21, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting has become a necessary part for retail company corporate boards to address, especially in today’s environmentally and socially conscious world. Whether it’s understanding how the retailer is combatting…

In 2021, e-commerce boomed. Consumers spent $870.78 billion online last year, and according to the National Retail Federation (NRF), returns resulted in $761 billion in lost sales for U.S. retailers. As we near the halfway mark of 2022, retailers are getting organized around the holiday season to prepare for more online shopping, more delays and…

In episode 351 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Johnny Meagher, senior director of marketing, North America at Wrangler, the 75-year-old heritage American jeans and workwear company. Listen in as Meagher discusses Wrangler's recent launch of a sustainable jean collection for Earth Day (0:58), the role that sustainability plays at the retailer (3:17),…

We’ve all been talking about how shopping patterns and, therefore, shipping patterns have changed since 2020, but what we should really be talking about is the effect that those changes could have on the environment. According to a report from Freightwaves, the total count of final-mile delivery vehicles on the road could increase by 36…