Mission Possible: To Net-Zero and Beyond in Retail

5th September 2023

This new report explores the drivers and challenges facing retail organisations on the road to net-zero and what steps can be taken to deliver change that benefits planet and society.

The retail sector has forged collaborative partnerships in a bid to drive businesses towards net-zero emissions, but efforts to date have been threatened by ongoing megatrends. The retail sector has struggled to deliver a coordinated response to the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, with the following economic downturn only contributing to the challenges facing the sector.

For this report, edie will explore the drivers, challenges and opportunities when it comes to accelerating decarbonisation across the retail sector, along with the steps that can be taken to embrace a ‘net-positive’ philosophy.

The report uses exclusive results from edie’s Sustainability Leadership survey of more than 200 sustainability and energy professionals. Of these, 20 respondents were from the retail sector and expressed their challenges and opportunities facing the net-zero transition. As such, the survey provides a timely snapshot of the mindset that sustainability professionals within the sector have adopted, and what barriers they still need to overcome.

This retail report is the final in our series of Sector Insight reports, exploring the steps to net-zero and beyond. You can access the other reports, focusing on manufacturing, hospitality, the built environment and the public sector, here.