Environmental Sustainability

Purpose-driven marketing has become a bit of a buzzword (like omnichannel … don’t get me started). However, with an overwhelming 94 percent of consumers saying they value purpose-driven companies, it's imperative for marketers to authentically communicate their brand’s story. These values need to be transparent and reflected across the organization to work cross-functionally. Whether it's…

“Retailers expect more than $761 billion in merchandise sold last year to be returned by consumers.” That's a billion with a "B," and it’s according to the NRF’s Consumer Returns in the Retail Industry 2021 report. Retail returns account for nearly 6 billion pounds of landfill waste and 16 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions…

Fast-growing e-commerce brands understand only too well that "going green" is a thorny ambition. Online shopping is booming with demand accelerated by COVID-19, but offering fast international delivery using air freight will have an impact on the planet we’re all trying to protect. A commitment to carbon neutrality in the supply chain is therefore an…

In episode 341 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Michael Maher, CEO and co-founder of Taylor Stitch, a men's lifestyle company crafting responsibly built staples that are made to last. Listen in as Maher discusses his inspiration for launching Taylor Stitch, the premium products the company creates, and how pandemic-driven consumer behavior shifts…

Global lifestyle brand Allbirds has announced that it will launch Allbirds ReRun, a new resale platform, in partnership with Trove, a market leader in branded recommerce. ReRun is part of Allbirds’ holistic commitment to sustainability and will initially offer customers at three stores the option of trading in their pre-owned Allbirds shoes for $20 in…

Climate change is fundamentally altering many aspects of our lives, including the food and products we buy. Faced with the reality of natural disasters accelerated by a changing climate, including the record-breaking wildfires on the U.S. West Coast and the bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef, people worldwide are rethinking their consumption habits and how…

A record number of cargo ships are backed up in U.S. ports. There aren’t enough dock workers or truck drivers to distribute every new shipment. The global supply chain is strapped. All of these issues combined are leading to a significant amount of out-of-stock inventory and frustrated customers. Retailers are scrambling to prepare for a…

Have you ever made a conscious effort to "go green" by changing up your daily routine or swapping out certain products on your shopping list for more sustainable ones? Perhaps you started biking to work instead of driving (if you're not working remotely) or invested in reusable household items like metal straws and glass jars.…

In a digital world with so many choices on where to exert your effort and budget, the question for direct-to-consumer (D-to-C) merchants is really where you should be spending your time and what channels — new or old — can deliver the desired results. Smaller brands cannot be everywhere all the time nor do they…

In episode 318 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Eric Bjorling, director of brand marketing and public relations at Trek Bikes, a heritage bicycle retailer and manufacturer based in Waterloo, Wisconsin. Bjorling discusses why Trek conducted its first-ever emissions audit in 2020, the learnings from Trek's first Sustainability report, and the steps the company…