The Russian retail sector and climate change: challenges and opportunities for board members

15 July 2021 11:00 a.m. (online)

The global retail sector is already one of the top contributors of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for approximately 80% more emissions per year than all road transport combined.

The effects of climate change are already being felt across the retail industry. In the global supply chain, changes to climate patterns and more extreme weather events are forcing producers to adapt to new agricultural practices and technologies, pushing retailers to adjust their sourcing arrangements and threatening the long-term security of supply for key commodities. Consequently, the implications for quality, price and availability of goods are growing every year.

Climate change will increasingly pose operational challenges to retailers in Russia, with changing weather patterns requiring adjustments to retail buildings, logistics networks and infrastructure. A rise in sea levels and more frequent extreme weather events will expose retail and supply chain infrastructure located in vulnerable areas to greater risk of flooding and higher insurance costs. Climate-related economic disruption could have a knock-on impact on consumer spending. Meanwhile, the expectations of Russian consumers are changing, leaving companies that fail to act on climate change exposed to reputational risks.

Moderators:

Olga Pascault, Chair of the Management Board, Climate Governance Initiative Russia
Elena Haykin (Sapozhnikova), Member of the Management Board, Climate Governance Initiative Russia

Speakers:

Konstantin Voytikov, Vice President of Supply Chain, Member of the Board of Directors, Unilever Russia, Ukraine and Belarus

Natalia Beneslavskaya, Head of Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection, IKEA Russia

Ekaterina Ivanova, Head of Social and Environmental Responsibility Department, Leroy Merlin Russia

Nadezhda Galaktionova, Head of the Department of Sustainable Development, Magnit

Elena Konnova, Corporate Communication Director, Х5 Group

The event will be held online.

To attend the discussion please register below.