We can get your stores ESG-certified
ESG Certification
Environmental, Social, and Governance aspects are becoming increasingly part of a company’s strategy. Stakeholders are expecting sustainable actions from organizations and are rewarding them with brand loyalty, an increase in sales, good publicity, and investments from investors. It became an important criterion for assessing a business. There are multiple aspects to take into consideration for retailers in the process of becoming ESG certified.
Store Design & Implementation
Designing the sustainable store of the future
ESG needs to be taken into consideration from the very start of the store design and implementation process. Each step of the process needs to be in alignment with the strict requirements of ESG goals, which are data points integrated into performance tracking metrics that can be used to transparently share the achievements internally and externally with stakeholders.
To design and implement a store that gets ESG certified, sustainable materials, production, and logistics need to be used in the process. Additionally, a store needs to use end-to-end thinking in a circular economy. ESG optimized HVAC systems and light & store technology help protect the environment as well as your financial bottom line as it uses less energy.
Store Optimization
Improving the sustainable performance of store operation
Stores that do not comply with ESG standards yet have the opportunity to analyze their business operations and work on the weaknesses to elevate the store to a standard that can lead to an ESG certification. To do that, the store and operations need to be audited. Certain agencies conduct audits and provide a report with a current assessment and areas to work on. Furthermore, a store needs to analyze the energy consumption and find ways to decrease it if necessary. Besides the assessment of the store and operations, staff training and handbooks & guides help to set the standard for behaviors. Documentation tools can be used to have all information accessible in one place to control and track the process and progress.
Tools & Data for Sustainable Retail
Enabling sustainable performance through ESG data transparency
Tracking data is important, but there needs to be a system behind it to purposefully use the collected data for decision making. Just collecting data without a purpose behind it does not lead to anything. Plus, having bulky, inconsistent, and not organized data from various sources can lead to confusion and can be useless, too. Therefore, project management & collaboration platforms and facility management & consumption data tools help organize the data to use it to your advantage. Build an IoT (Internet for Things) that can be controlled by an ESG Mission Control center.
Supply Chain Visibility
Consumer engagement
Showing the supply chain in a very transparent way to consumers provides an opportunity for brands to interact with consumers and earn their trust by showing that the brand is using sustainable suppliers. Additionally, through the usage of technologies, consumers have the opportunity to access the data of the product instantly to find the information they are looking for. This provides a connection between the shopping experience and the product experience. It enables consumers to engage with the brand and their retail efforts on sustainability, globally and locally. Supply chain visibility also provides the opportunity for brands to analyze and assess their supply chain to cut strings with suppliers that do not meet the organization’s sustainability standards.
Retail Sustainability Health Check
Before starting a new project, in this case, getting ESG certified, it is important to conduct an internal analysis of the current status of everything. It is advised to break down corporate sustainability goals and see how store design and operations align with these goals. It is beneficial to create a common understanding of where the brand currently is and in what direction the brand is heading. This provides the opportunity for team members to contribute with their input in a workshop and training environment. Together, the right people can be chosen, and targets can be defined. Ultimately, a checklist based on store design and operations ESG needs to be aligned with ESG certification standards. Finding the right measures, data, and tools to act purposefully makes the process easier and more targeted towards the goals.
Digital Innovation Services
We have years of experience helping brands in the process of getting their stores and operations ESG certified. Here is a list of services we offer to help brands reach their ESG goals:
Workshop: Trends, Vision, Idiation
Best Practice consultancy
Guidance & Hands on support
Project Management / Project Management of Audits
Stakeholder orchestration
ESG Performance KPI & documentation
Collaboration platform
Process Mapping
Procurement Management
Enterprise Architecture
Implementation & Testing
Vi3 Blockchain Technology