
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
Head of Climate and Carbon
Henry has dedicated his career to sustainability, building up 14 years of experience both as a consultant and in-house. For a decade Henry drove sustainability initiatives in-house within regional government, international business and regenerative agriculture and retail. A passionate advocator for businesses’ role in tackling the climate crisis, dedicating much of his time in the food, farming and retail sector.
Henry leads our Climate and Carbon Team, making the complex simple for the businesses he works with. His specialisms include senior stakeholder engagement, supporting businesses to set their ambition for net zero and developing bespoke net-zero strategies to drive carbon reduction through supply chains.

Joaska Mischke
Head of ESG and Sustainability Strategy
Joaska leads strategic initiatives for our clients and embeds sustainability into organisations within an ever-evolving business landscape. As a specialist in sustainability, materiality, and transformation, Joaska excels at developing and integrating complete ESG and sustainability strategies. She has also successfully led numerous CSRD-aligned double materiality projects, both as part of broader strategies and standalone efforts. Her expertise in incorporating CSRD requirements into business processes ensures value creation beyond compliance.
Joaska attended the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) where she obtained an MSc in Management, Organisations and Governance. 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 registered Associate at the Institute of Environment Management and Assessment (IEMA) and is a GRI-certified sustainability professional.

Will Bourns
Senior Consultant – Climate and carbon
Will specialises in the quantification of corporate greenhouse gas emissions across direct operations and supply chains in a range of sectors. This enables Will and the team to create net-zero targets and align strategies for companies to halt the worst impacts of climate change by transitioning their companies to 1.5 degrees. Will’s love for the natural world has led him to work with organisations to understand Forest Land and Agricultural emissions (FLAG), associated targets as well risks and opportunities associated with climate and nature.
Will studied Zoology and Natural Sciences at the University of Liverpool and since graduating Will expanded his knowledge through memberships at PIEMA and EI. Before joining Simply Sustainable Will worked at a series of not-for-profit organisations from WWF to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home as well as We are Albert where he created an emissions calculator tool used by the film and TV industry to support the supply chain in quantifying its impact. Outside of work, Will volunteers at Care4Calais, a charity supporting asylum seekers and refugees in the UK and Europe.