Supporting the retail sector in its transition to net zero

Fri 21 April 2023

Sustainability

Saturday April 22nd is Earth Day, a time to reflect on the importance of sustainability, and to come together to advance climate action.
The 2023 theme is ‘Invest in our Planet’, which hopes to highlight the importance of dedicating time, resources and energy to solving climate change.

The ARA is committed to helping Australian retailers achieve this ambitious target, but we know that finding the time to understand complex climate change terminology alongside the day to day running of a retail business is a challenging task.

In 2022 we launched the Net-zero Roadmap for the Australian retail sector and our pledge to become an accelerator for the UN-backed Race to Zero campaign. This Net-zero Roadmap calls on the Australian retail sector to take ambitious climate action to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. To achieve this we have focussed heavily on our responsibility to educate the sector about how they can take action on climate climate change.

Take a moment to explore the education programs we have facilitated this year to assist in this transition. Investing in our planet is necessary to
protect it and the best way to pave a path towards a prosperous future.

Sustainability Accelerator: Net Zero Masterclass Series

A series of six on-demand webinars to help you understand and apply climate action in your business. Featuring leading climate advisors and ARA member case studies.

Module 1

Net Zero Foundations

The transition to net zero is going to impact every industry and country. Before we get into the details of ‘how’, we’ll review the ‘why’ – the current science and global political commitments and what that means at a strategic level within your business.

Module 2

Data Driven Decisions

Understanding your emissions is the first step to reducing your footprint. Once a baseline is established, focusing on the biggest contributors, the level of ambition to reduce emissions will inform the short and long term targets for emissions reduction.

Module 3

Low Emissions Operations

A key emissions reduction focus for retailers is energy use in their operational premises, including using it more efficiently, switching to low carbon energy sources and buying offsets.

Module 4

Low Carbon Logistics

Transport and freight are another major contributor to most retailers’ footprint. There are a number of strategies to improve vehicle efficiency and switch to low-carbon technologies, both within owned fleet and third party providers.

Module 5

Responsible Sourcing

While they are often out of direct control, supply chain emissions are generally the largest contributor of emissions for the retail industry and critical to collectively reaching net zero. Address supply chain emissions through product design, sourcing considerations and supplier engagement.

Module 6

Sustainable Consumption

An effective communications strategy provides an important avenue to convey your sustainability commitments, galvanise action and provide tools for change, both internally and externally.

Sustainability Accelerator: Net Zero Workshops

In person workshops designed to assist attendees in developing a climate action plan

The ARA was proud to host an inspiring two days at the inaugural Net Zero Accelerator two-day workshop. This in-person workshop brought together experts from a range of industries to support retailers committed to decarbonise their businesses, in their transition to net zero.

Attendees walked away equipped and inspired to take action, with new industry connections to facilitate their journey, and will continue to be supported with implementation through our monthly roundtables.