Fashion retailer Reiss has today announced a new partnership with artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platform, Compare Ethics, which will help it verify its green claims.
Compare Ethics’ AI-powered system evaluates and ranks the quality of green claims against regulatory requirements, and offers actionable steps for achieving full compliance. It is already working with fellow fashion retailers New Look and Reformation to do just that.
For Reiss, which is also aligned with software company Segura to map its supply chain and boost transparency across its supplier base, the partnership with Compare Ethics is viewed as a way of boosting customer confidence in its messaging around sustainability.
Sally-Anne Newson, chief customer officer at Reiss, commented: “At Reiss, we are dedicated to embodying sustainable practices in every aspect of our business.
“Working with Compare Ethics means we can communicate our responsible sourcing achievements to our customers with total confidence and demonstrate our progress within responsible sourcing and environmental, social and governance (ESG). We are delighted to be working with the organisation to verify our green claims.”
Abbie Morris, CEO of Compare Ethics, added: “Complying with sustainability regulations is no small feat due to the time, cost, and complexity of verifying all environmental claims and the fact that requirements often vary significantly across jurisdictions.
“Our platform offers a way for retail businesses to quickly get the knowledge and expertise they need. We look forward to working with the in-house teams at Reiss this year as the organisation starts to scale its claims in line with the Green Claims Code.”
According to Compare Ethics, its platform will verify between three to 14 data points for every sustainability claim made by Reiss, ensuring compliance to all regulations. The technology will also reduce internal workload.
Finding ways to reduce retail teams’ workload in relation to the sustainability and ESG agenda was a key theme that cropped up at Segura’s Retail Supply Chain Sustainability Conference (RSSC), which took place earlier this month.
Green Retail World was pleased to support the event, which was attended by circa 100 people, including sustainability and ESG leaders from a wide range of retailers and brands.
Our editor, Ben Sillitoe, hosted a panel discussion with Pentland Brands’ Sara Brennan, TFG Brands London’s Fran Mangano, and River Island’s Rachel Franklin, in which they all talked up the capabilities of Segura technology. They also underlined the importance of implementing technology to simplify ESG teams’ complex roles.
Earlier in the day, Compare Ethics’ head of customer success, Sophie Oldridge, had told delegates how embracing ESG strategy can provide retailers with “a competitive edge”.
In her presentation, Oldridge noted that a strong and well-communicated ESG strategy can help businesses build trust with customers, shareholders, and investors, adding it can lower the cost of capital, bring down outgoings throughout the supply chain, and reduce operational risk.
[Image credit: Green Retail World]
