Abstract

This IDC Survey is designed to provide insight into the goals, challenges, and benefits of sustainability initiatives for retailers; where their focus is for sustainability initiatives; how considerations for sustainability impact decisions relative to technology implementations; which technologies and types of providers are viewed as providing the most benefit to enabling sustainability; and what levels of investment are expected in sustainability-related technologies.

The survey addressed sustainability specifically through eight dimensions:

• Scope 1 and 2 — GHG emissions/energy management
• Scope 3 — GHG emissions/energy management
• Water and wastewater management
• Customer privacy and data security
• Product quality and safety/selling practices and product labeling
• Employee experience/DEI
• Employee health and safety
• Product design and life-cycle management/waste and hazardous materials management

One of the encouraging findings of this survey is that "improving operational efficiency and costs" is the number 1 factor driving retailers' sustainability initiatives. That is significant because it demonstrates an understanding that sustainability isn't only an add-on. It is about running a business more responsibly and less wastefully. Philosophically, it shows an understanding that sustainability is just good business and that it is becoming integrated into how everything is done — a habit, one might say.

Coverage