Sustainability in retail
Promoting change
The retail sector is pivotal in driving the transition to a sustainable economy and influencing consumer behaviour. However, it also faces significant sustainability challenges, from carbon emissions in supply chains to waste management issues.
Retail operations account for approximately 10% of global carbon emissions, with the fashion industry alone responsible for 4-8%. As consumer demand for sustainable products grows, so does the need for retailers to adopt greener practices.
By implementing energy-efficient technologies and sustainable sourcing, the retail sector can significantly reduce its environmental impact. In fact, studies show that incorporating these practices can cut carbon emissions by up to 30%. Despite these potential improvements, rapid and comprehensive changes are essential for the retail industry to meet global sustainability targets.
Retail case studies
Retail insights
Meet our specialist consultants for retail sustainability
Henry Unwin
Director of Client Strategies
Henry has spent over 15 years working in sustainability, both as a consultant and in-house. For a decade, he led sustainability initiatives across regional government, international business, regenerative agriculture and retail.
A passionate advocate for the role of business in tackling the climate crisis, Henry has dedicated much of his career to driving progress in the food, farming, and retail sectors helping organisations turn ambition into action.
At Simply Sustainable, Henry leads the Client Strategies Team making sustainability work for our current and future clients. He brings a strategic, pragmatic approach to sustainability, balancing his passion for change with commercial insight.
Joaska Mischke
Director of Sustainability Solutions
As Director of Sustainability Solutions, Joaska leads Simply Sustainable’s specialist team in developing and delivering innovative sustainability solutions for clients across sectors. She oversees the team’s work to ensure every solution drives long-term value and creates measurable impact.
With expertise in strategy development, materiality, governance, and implementation, Joaska helps organisations embed sustainability into business models, decision-making, and culture. Her work spans the full sustainability spectrum, from regulatory alignment and reporting to purpose-led strategy execution, enabling clients to translate ambition into action.
Joaska holds an MSc in Management, Organisations and Governance from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She also holds diplomas in Design Thinking from IDEO, Business Sustainability Management from the University of Cambridge, and Sustainable Business Strategy from Harvard Business School. She is a GRI-certified sustainability professional and a registered Practitioner at the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP).
Will Bourns
Solutions Manager – Impacts and Dependencies
Will is the Solutions Manager for the Impacts and Dependencies team at Simply Sustainable. He leads the team supporting clients in developing understanding of the risk and quantifying impact on the society and environment. This ranges from initial carbon footprints to deep dives into specific commodities and dependencies on communities and ecosystems.
Will has experience across a range of sectors from financial institutions to food manufacturers and retailers. His expertise includes carbon footprinting, social value and quantifying the impact of land conversion and deforestation and utilising this data to inform business decisions relating to procurement of goods and future investments.
Will studied Zoology and Natural Sciences at the University of Liverpool and since graduating Will expanded his knowledge through memberships at PIEMA and EI.