Retail

Driving sustainable performance across the retail sector.
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The Challenge with Retail

With recent figures showing that 66% of consumers surveyed consider environmental impact when making a purchase, sustainability is increasingly becoming a strategic priority for retail companies globally. While Covid-19 was the stress test that no organisation had foreseen, it also drove operational change and action, shining a light on new solutions and strategies to achieve financial, environmental and social stability.

There is still much work to be done, however, as while action to reduce climate impact across the retail sector has increased, only a few large retail organisations are successfully embedding sustainable practices across their operations. From luxury apparel and fast fashion to grocery stores, home improvement and personal care brands, responsibility for evolving and advancing the retail sustainability agenda lies across the full value chain, and involves necessary changes that are both complex and multi-faceted.

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Case Studies

Cosmetics bottles on a shelf
case study
Overcoming legal challenges in plastics and packaging with Quadpack

Situation Quadpack, a global cosmetics packaging manufacturer, needed to understand and assess compliance with legal requirements for the plastics and packaging it produces and distributes. Impact Through a thorough identification of the legal requirements across its operating markets, Quadpack has gained the ability to anticipate its clients’ compliance needs. This ensures that client companies meet…

ESPR
case study
Unlocking Sustainability Goals with Circular Business Models

Situation One of the world’s largest global retailers recently set an ambitious circularity goal: having 100% of owned brand products be designed for a circular future by 2040. Impact Solutions Sustainable Products and Circularity Situation One of the world’s largest global retailers recently set an ambitious circularity goal: having 100% of owned brand products be…

eucalyptus scaled 1
case study
Developing a Sustainability Supply Chain Strategy in Cosmetics

Situation A cosmetics and personal care brand aimed to define a purpose-based sustainability supply chain strategy, seeking to build a future-facing operating model and to gain visibility over their supply chain. Impact Solutions Supply Chain Sustainability & Responsible Sourcing Situation An early stage, high-growth cosmetics and personal care brand desired to define an authentic, purpose-based…

guess store
case study
Delivering Materiality and Sustainability Reporting for Guess

Situation Guess was looking for a partner to support its transition to integrated financial and non-financial reporting. Impact Anthesis conducted a double materiality assessment to support Guess’ strategic planning process for upcoming mandatory requirement including the CSRD. Solutions Double Materiality Assessment Situation GUESS was looking for a partner to lead the development of its next…

computer user system scaled 1
case study
Grievance Mechanism Assessment for a Global Retailer

Situation A global retailer commissioned us to analyse and improve their grievance mechanism in line with regulatory requirements and best practice. Impact Solutions Human Rights & Social Impact Services Situation A global retailer commissioned us to analyse and improve their system for staff and third-parties to raise complaints, in line with regulatory requirements and best…

gelato
case study
Implementing a Food Loss and Waste Programme for Righteous Gelato

Situation To prevent and reduce food loss and waste at the Righteous Gelato manufacturing facility in Calgary, Canada as part of the Walmart Foundation funded Food Loss & Waste Prevention & Implementation Program. Impact Saved 600kg/year in fruit, 7,750 kg/year in milk, and 9,200 kg/year in gelato. Improved sustainability without major capital investment, aligning with…

Meeting
case study
Conducting a Materiality Assessment for The North Face

Situation The North Face wanted to understand stakeholder perceptions, identify key sustainability issues, and inform strategy. Impact The North Face used the materiality assessment and strategy pathways as inputs to the development of a refreshed sustainability strategy. Solutions Materiality Assessment Situation The objectives of The North Face were two-fold: for the organisation to understand how…

Clothes
case study
Textile Brand Certification Strategy for a Global Apparel Retailer

Situation A global apparel retailer wanted to develop a strategy for certifying its supply chain and prioritise impactful textile sustainability certifications for business and customer impact. Impact Solutions Brand & Communications Situation An apparel retailer was working to determine a strategy for certifying its supply chain against industry textile sustainability standards (e.g. Textile Exchange CCS…

sewing needle and thread
case study
Developing a Sustainable Fibre Strategy for Peak Performance

Situation Peak Performance wanted support to develop evidence-based strategies to support the uptake of more sustainable fibres and, consequently, reduce the environmental impact of clothing being sold within the EU market. Impact Peak Performance reduced its collection’s average water footprint by 34 percent and its average CO2 footprint by 13 percent, as a result of…

Tesco
case study
Developing Sustainability-linked Supply Chain Finance Product for Tesco

Situation Tesco was eager to identify novel levers that could be deployed to help incentivise and reward suppliers to take action to deliver on Tesco’s updated supply chain carbon reduction targets and Net Zero emissions across its entire value chain by 2050. Impact Anthesis has supported Tesco to design the methodology that determines how suppliers’…

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Over the last 18 months, Anthesis’ expert but human approach has seen our partnership grow across a multitude of areas of ESG. An absolute pleasure to work with, Anthesis have seamlessly integrated into our ways of working. Immediately grasping where we were in our ESG maturity, they have shown a genuine desire to help us move things forward through applying expertise and passion from across a vast array of subjects and sectors.

AO

We were able to create a leading policy on a tight timeline, thanks to the great collaboration and leading expertise provided by Anthesis.

Zalando

The supply chain report produced by Anthesis was a key element of the success of the initial public offering (IPO) of In The Style. The report ensured investor confidence in ITS and set out a clear roadmap to guide progress.

Liberium

Our chemical strategy will be one of the most comprehensive in the U.S. retail industry, including all Target-owned and national brand products and operations, not just formulated products.

Target

J&J has been a proud member of Product Sustainability Round Table since 2007 and our membership has been a vital component of our product stewardship strategy. It helps us benchmark against other organisations, share best practices, and prepare for emerging trends and issues. The PSRT Leadership Framework has also supported J&J in our path towards more fully institutionalising sustainability across the organisation.

Johnson & Johnson

Anthesis has been instrumental in helping us quantify our carbon footprint and understand where our biggest opportunities lie over the years. This long-term support has allowed us to reach carbon neutrality and maintain our status as the UK’s most ethical water brand – an essential part of what Belu stands for.

Belu Water

Anthesis has been an important thought-partner for us. They’ve been so helpful in getting the vendors on board and engaged. We’ve really relied on their expertise and experience to guide us through this process.

GAP

Solutions for the Retail Sector

Our experts are dedicated to activating change throughout the whole consumer product ecosystem. We work with retail organisations worldwide, including 7 of the top 10 retailers in the Fortune 500, to identify and implement opportunities to drive systemic change while building business value, and to define and implement robust sustainability strategies.

Our experts also work with suppliers to improve their environmental and social performance, and collaborate with industry bodies to drive collective action.

The enablers we see as the strongest ways to drive sustainability progress in retail business:

  • Technological advances in supply chain traceability, transparency and data collection
  • Engaging and supporting suppliers to take climate action
  • Industry collaboration to create solutions, drive sustainable product design and accelerate progress
  • Educating the consumer on the sustainability impacts of their buying and product use decisions

Retail Sector Insights

Retail Team

Adrià Gelabert
Adrià Gelabert

Director

Spain

Honor Cowen
Honor Cowen

Director

North America

Simon Davis
Simon Davis

Director

UK

We are the world’s leading purpose driven, digitally enabled, science-based activator. And always welcome inquiries and partnerships to drive positive change together.

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