Message from ARA CEO, Paul Zahra 

Having navigated the global pandemic, Australian retailers are now moving on to tackle the next big global disruption - climate change. 

Unlike previous disruptions that have caught some retailers off guard, we’ve had plenty of notice about the need for urgent and decisive climate action. The science is clear, the business case is strong, and the call for change is growing louder by the day. 

That's why I am so proud to launch the ARA’s Climate Action Plan,  outlining the steps our team will take to: 

• Unify our sector behind a common vision for change 
• Outline the strategic roadmap to net-zero emissions for the Australian retail sector
• Support retailers in setting, meeting and exceeding their own ambitious targets 
• Support the retail sector transition to the low-carbon economy of the future 
• Collaborate with other sectors for a holistic approach and collective impact to reducing emissions 

No sector will achieve net zero emissions in isolation though. That’s why we need strong policy settings and a robust framework to collaborate with other sectors to ensure that the retail sector is best-placed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. 

The launch of our plan follows the release of the ARA’s Net-zero Roadmap for the Australian retail sector and our pledge to become an accelerator for the UN-backed Race to Zero campaign - demonstration of our commitment to work with our sector, local partners and global collaborators to accelerate the transition to net-zero. 

I commend the ARA’s Climate Action Plan to our members, retail community and stakeholders, and we welcome your feedback on how we can continuously improve the plan together. 

Paul Zahra 

CEO, Australian Retailers Association