Ikano Insight

🌱 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭: AI in ESG: Benefits, risks and the path to responsible adoption

AI is reshaping how companies approach ESG - from tracking sustainability metrics and enhancing governance to managing social impact more effectively. But with these opportunities come important questions around ethics, energy use, and data bias.

This whitepaper breaks it down clearly, offering:
🟢 Key ESG risks and considerations for AI adoption
🟢 How AI can drive efficiencies, reduce emissions and improve reporting
🟢 Practical guidance on ethical, responsible deployment
🟢 Insights on balancing AI adoption with workforce and governance needs

If you’re exploring how AI can amplify your ESG impact - responsibly - this is well worth your time: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0sJXgH0

🌱🌍 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐒𝐆 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰.

Sustainability can feel like a language of its own. So we created a Sustainability Glossary to help you decode the most important terms and make ESG actionable for your business.

📖 Read our full Sustainability Glossary now → https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0sBmPt0

🌍 Last week, we had the privilege of attending Sustainability LIVE: The Net Zero Summit - an inspiring two days of sharp discussions, valuable insights and high-energy networking.

We were thrilled to speak on the Innovation Stage, sharing how we achieved a 60% carbon reduction in the world’s best-selling bookcase from IKEA, showcasing that bold sustainability goals are possible through everyday products.

A huge thank you to all the speakers, attendees and organisers for creating such a thought-provoking and action-focused event. And, of course, a special shout-out to Punch the Monkey for loaning us her orangutan 🦧

Excited to take these insights forward and continue driving practical solutions for a net zero future. If you share our mission and are interested in sharing notes, please get in touch.

Imagine walking through your stores on a busy day. Every aisle, every counter, every customer movement is telling a story… but most of the time, those stories go unheard.

If your stores could talk, they’d tell you:
🟠 Where your highest-potential customers are really spending their time
🟠 Which areas are quietly overflowing with opportunity
🟠 Why some sites are underperforming
🟠 How subtle differences in product mix, pricing or messaging could unlock hidden potential

We act as the voice for your stores. Using location and behavioural analytics, we turn hidden signals into clear insights- so you can see where your best opportunities are, who your next customers could be and how to reach them.

Curious to hear your stores’ story? Speak to our experts 🗣️ https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0spZfX0

With AI-enabled ESG performance, organisations can move faster, improve accuracy and manage carbon with fewer resources.

Our solution, the ESG Performance Optimiser, supports end-to-end carbon management, helping organisations to:

📊 Measure and manage Product Carbon Footprints
📑 Simplify ESG reporting and disclosures
🔗 Gain visibility across Scope 3 emissions and supply chains

Find out more and book a demo to see how AI can transform your carbon and ESG management ➡️ https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0spNwj0

We’re proud to see Peter Jones featured in SustainabilityOnline’s inaugural Ambition Into Action report, exploring how organisations are turning sustainable ambition into tangible business action.

The article was written during Peter’s time with Ikano Insight and reflects our continued commitment to embedding sustainability into strategy, insight and decision-making.

Read the full report here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0s7FGV0

Ready to take your product carbon footprinting to the next level? 🌱

The PCF Agent delivers high-confidence, audit-ready carbon footprints across complex supply chains - faster, smarter and with minimal manual effort.

🔗 Learn more: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0s05v10

🌍 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥: 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰!

We will be at booth B1 at London’s QEII Centre, where will join with 1,000+ sustainability executives and 60+ incredible speakers for two days of insights, workshops and networking. And there's still time to register.

Explore the future of sustainable business with sessions on:
✅ AI in sustainability
✅ Carbon management
✅ Nature-based solutions

Hear from:
⚫ Adam Elman – Google
⚫ Danielle Mulder – BBC
⚫ Dana Haidan – Virgin Media O2
⚫ Julia Jasinska – J.P. Morgan

𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐭 𝐳𝐞𝐫𝐨 🎟️ And use code NZSPONSOR30 for 30% off tickets: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0sbX9P0

Stop chasing the same e-commerce customers every year.

Discover the areas where your next high-value buyers are waiting 👉 https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0s7T_90

What shaped retail in February? A quick monthly summary.

💰 𝐖𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 - Retailers including Waitrose, John Lewis, Lidl and Aldi announced significant pay rises, while Ocado cut 1,000 roles to offset rising costs. The sector is split between investing in frontline staff and streamlining headcount through efficiency drives.

🤖 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐈 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - AI is moving deeper into operations: Asos is training designers in generative AI, conversational search is driving higher conversion rates, and Just Eat launched delivery robot trials. But tech adoption carries reputational risks, as Sainsbury’s facial recognition controversy shows.

🏬 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞-𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 - Retailers are leaning into theatre and experiential campaigns to attract footfall. Greggs hosted yoga classes for its matcha launch, Topshop returned via John Lewis concessions, and Waitrose launched a sci-fi ad campaign, signalling renewed confidence in storytelling.

🛡️ 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐭 - Retail crime has fallen year-on-year but remains a costly burden, with organised gangs still hitting retailers for hundreds of millions. Debate over surveillance and facial recognition continues amid aforementioned misidentification incidents.

📉 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 - Inflation may be easing, but business rates, severe weather, and commodity volatility (e.g., Tony’s Chocolonely cocoa crisis) are creating new pressures. Retailers are navigating a shifting cost landscape rather than genuine relief.

⚡ 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐒:
• Oxford Street pedestrianisation plans approved
• eBay buys Depop from Etsy for $1.2bn
• Lidl opens five new stores in a single day
• Oatly banned from using the word ‘milk’
• Shoppers ditch restaurants for Valentine’s supermarket dine-in deals

💬 Want to see how your retail strategy can thrive amid wage pressures, automation, and evolving shopper trends? Get in touch with us at Ikano Insight to learn more: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0s7Y540