Retail experts to delve into sustainability at NRF 2023

Insights and lessons learned on building sustainability into the business
Sheryll Poe
NRF Contributor

The future of retail will include resale, if sessions at this year’s NRF 2023: Retail’s Big Show are any indication. From gently used furniture to high-end luxury items, resale or re-commerce is a business model at the forefront of many retailers’ sustainability efforts.

Here are a few Big Show sessions featuring trailblazers of the industry who will share insights and lessons learned:

Whole Foods Markets’ Jason Buechel has been with the grocery chain since 2013 and took over as CEO in September 2022. In his first speaking engagement as CEO, Buechel will deliver Monday’s keynote session on nourishing people and the planet. He will sit down with Deloitte LLP’s Nick Handrinos to talk about how Whole Foods is investing in sustainability, with initiatives around regenerative farming, reducing food waste and responsible sourcing to build a better future of food in the grocery sector and beyond.

NRF 2023

Did you miss us in NYC? Take a look at our NRF 2023: Retail's Big Show event recap.

On Sunday, some pioneers of purposeful retail will take to the stage to share their approach to conscious capitalism. Mark Broadhurst, senior vice president of impact and communications at Chobani, Gigi Ganatra, vice president of corporate affairs at Nordstrom Inc., and Jacee Scoular, senior director of brand strategy and communications for Hollister Co., will sit down with Morning Brew’s Jeena Sharma for a wide-ranging discussion on building a brand with purpose.

M.M.LaFleur and Madewell are two established retailers executing successful resale models. Madewell Forever is a partnership with ThredUp to resell clothes, while M.M.LaFleur’s resale marketplace, M.M. Second Act, is powered by service provider Archive. Sarah LaFleur, founder and CEO of M.M.LaFleur, and Liz Hershfield, senior vice president of sourcing for Madewell and senior vice president and head of sustainability for J.Crew Group, will be at NRF 2023 to discuss their different resale models and how to decide what’s best for your business.

Ikea launched its Buy Back & Resell program in 33 stores across the United States in November 2021 with a pledge to become a fully circular business model by 2030. A little over one year into the program, the retailer’s Co-Chief Commercial Officer Christian Kampe will join WD Partner’s Lee Peterson to go over the results and answer the question, “Can resale increase foot traffic in stores?”

Luxury resale is reported to be growing 11 times faster than traditional retail and is projected to reach $68.5 billion by 2028. But building a successful luxury resale marketplace can be a challenge. Hear from three experts in luxury resale — Fashionphile founder and President Sarah Davis, LePrix co-founder Emily Erkel and Saks OFF 5TH Chief Merchant Molly Taylor — as they discuss the luxury resale economy and how to choose the right marketplace platform to source, authenticate and sell pre-owned luxury items.

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