Net Zero Week: 3 Ways Technology Can Help Retailers Improve Environmental Impact

Net Zero Week, the UK’s National Awareness Week that takes place from 1-7 July, aims to highlight the urgent need for action to combat climate change.

Everyone must play their part to reduce emissions, and retailers are no exception. With fast fashion, high waste levels and inefficient supply chain processes, there is still a lot of work to be done in order for the retail sector to achieve net zero. Today, sustainability has become a pressing concern for consumers. Individuals are making conscious efforts to adopt more environmentally-friendly practices in their daily lives, with consumers across the globe actively making more sustainability-conscious purchases.

In an era where sustainability is given greater prominence, retailers must look for ways to become greener. From the supply chain through to the store shelf, retailers need to deliver sustainable practices at every step. Technology can play an important role in facilitating greener operations, and in this blog, we discuss three key ways retailers can harness technology to reduce emissions and become more sustainable: 

1. Reducing Energy Consumption and Streamlining Inventory

A 2023 Deloitte analysis shows that retail supply chains account for 25% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. The reduction of wastage across the supply chain has become a critical objective for retailers in their pursuit of sustainability; one key factor that plays a pivotal role in achieving this goal is complete visibility and data-driven insight.

With Teamwork Commerce’s Inventory Control solution, retailers can gain real-time access to accurate and comprehensive information at the tap of a button, enabling them to make more informed decisions related to their inventory. With high-level inventory accuracy, retailers know exactly how many items are required in all locations and can order or produce products based on demand. This optimizes their stock and significantly reduces the unnecessary consumption of materials and energy.

2. Eliminate Unnecessary Transportation

Transportation is one of many key components of a retailer’s ecosystem, but is also,  unfortunately, accountable for CO2 emissions. Whether at the start of the supply chain – where raw materials are transported to production sites – or at the end – when the final merchandise is distributed to stores, the global shipping and delivery of products can result in significant amounts of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere.

To reduce unnecessary transportation, retailers need accurate data in real time. By tracking individual store performance and analysing stock requirements across all locations, retailers can make smarter decisions that can help them to streamline their distribution, minimizing unnecessary transportation.

Retailers can leverage Teamwork Commerce’s Reporting & Analytics to forecast and make these decisions effectively. The tool provides retailers with automated recommendations and reporting capabilities, which can help them make effective decisions faster. This can help to significantly reduce unnecessary transportation during different stages of their retail ecosystem.

3. Minimizing Landfill Waste

Landfill waste is another major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.  In fact, the landfill waste from returns alone contributes 15 million metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Ultimately, to reduce emissions, it is essential for retailers to reduce their landfill waste, and this can be achieved by streamlining their returns management operation. Not only does this benefit customers by ensuring a smooth return transaction, but it also allows retailers to send more items back to the shop floor, avoiding landfill sites and minimizing CO2 emissions.

By deploying Teamwork Commerce’s Order Management System (OMS), retailers can also leverage its in-built Returns Manager, which helps them streamline the process of receiving and restocking returned items. Retailers can send pre-approved return codes included with the shipping documents to allow customers to return or exchange items with minimal effort easily. This can speed up the return process and help retailers get the merchandise back on their shelves.

Driving sustainability today isn’t a choice but a necessity to thrive. By prioritizing sustainable practices, businesses can attract and retain customers and drive long-term value for their brands.

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