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You asked, we listened. Retail Week’s first Responsible Retail Summit is born out of our acclaimed Sustainability Summit, broadening its reach with impactful content designed to help you solve the most business-critical challenges and realise opportunities on the horizon surrounding ESG and responsible retailing.  

Over four hours, expect content that will make you think differently about your ESG and CSR strategies. We’ll be exploring not only the environmental issues retailers must tackle today, but the social responsibilities employers need to address, and the governance factors shaping decision making.

Beyond the agenda, there will be 60 minutes of unmissable networking, giving you the chance to speak candidly with your peers in an off-the-record environment, sharing best practice and learnings across retail sectors.

And that’s not all. Our Responsible Retailing Showcase returns for 2025 – a celebration of burgeoning brands with ethical retailing at their heart – with businesses bringing samples and information for you to learn from and be inspired by.  

Demand is expected to be high – our last three Sustainability Summits reached capacity with wait lists – so be sure to register your interest early to secure your attendance.  

Apply for a place 

Attendance at the Responsible Retail Summit is limited and reserved exclusively for senior leaders from retailers and retail brands.   

Tickets are priced at £50 per person. Register your interest for a place at the summit, and our team will be in touch to confirm your attendance and share details on how you can purchase your ticket.  

Agenda

8.30-9.10: Breakfast and networking 

9.10-9.30: Keynote speech | Decathlon

Nearly two-thirds of the UK shoppers surveyed by Retail Week (60%) rank ‘the sustainability of products’ as an important influence on their shopping behaviour, but what drives them to act on it at the checkout?  
 
In this keynote session, Decathlon’s Director of Sustainability Chris Allen explores the retailer’s 20-year sustainability journey, from the initiatives making an impact and how to create a culture for change, through to consumer shopping preferences and whether good intentions really do manifest into greener spending. 

9.30-10.00: Panel | What really counts as responsible retail? 

Being an ESG leader can feel like an impossible task in 2025.

The set of considerations required to ensure you meet the ‘responsible' criteria spans ethics, sustainability, technology, consumer trust and more.

The targets are steep, the timescales are tight and the repercussions of getting it wrong are high.

So, what should leaders really be prioritising to achieve ‘responsible retail’ status in 2025? What are the true metrics of success? And what role are AI and emerging technology playing to drive change?

In this panel, we bring together retailers and industry experts to explore:

  • What ‘responsible retail’ really means in 2025 and the soon-to-be business-critical areas you might have overlooked
  • How to take stock of what's going well, what needs improvement and which measurement tools are designed with responsibility in mind
  • How brands can implement AI and innovative technologies with integrity and protect their businesses from cyber threats along the way 

10.00-10.25: In conversation | The cost of going green: balancing budgets and environmental impact

Sustainability is fundamental to retail today, but so are profits.

While going green won’t necessarily break the bank, it can come at a cost for retailers, which, amid a volatile economic landscape, can provoke tension between green targets and financial realities.  

In this session, we will bring together leading retailers and industry experts to explore:  

  • Which sustainability initiatives have the strongest business case, with real-world examples of cost-effective wins.
  • How to balance sustainability and cost KPIs, and measure and compare their effect across business functions.  
  • Strategies for improving internal stakeholder alignment to boost collaboration between sustainability, finance, procurement and operations teams.

Speakers include:

  • Terry Gardner, Account Director, Acopia
  • Amy Whidburn, ESG Director, Pets at Home

10.25-11.00: Coffee and networking 

11.00-11.30: Panel | Who is really responsible for driving ethical and sustainable consumption?  

The challenges of sustainable retail transformation can’t be tackled by retailers alone.  

Customers should be adopting more ethical consumption practices, suppliers should be ensuring supply chain evolution and transparency, and the retail sector as a collective should be connecting the dots to drive sustainable messaging forward.  

But, when push comes to shove, who does the buck sit with when it comes to driving ethical and sustainable retailing?  

In this session, we’ll explore:  

  • The strategies leading brands are employing to engage customers as active participants in their CSR strategies.
  • How partnerships are helping logistics operations become more sustainable.
  • Case studies from retailers successfully democratising the sustainability function across their businesses, and what works to engage employees at all levels.

Speakers include:

  • Natasha Fry, Head of Sales, Mer UK
  • Cathy Moscardini, Head of Sustainability, Depop  
  • Emma Reynolds, Global Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Mars Food

11.30-11.55: In conversation | Four days, five generations, one workforce: rethinking responsible recruitment and retention  

Recruitment and retention aren’t just about keeping boots on the ground.  

They’re about building inclusive, flexible and value-led cultures that reflect the evolving expectations of workers and customers alike.  

The retailers failing to listen to their colleagues, adapt their recruitment and retention practices, and employ the right technologies to support HR functions will get left behind.  

In this conversation, we’ll unpack:  

  • What’s working, and what isn’t, when it comes to inclusive and cross-generational hiring strategies.
  • The future of hybrid and flexible working patterns, such as the four-day week.
  • What’s driving the cultural shift to prioritising wellbeing and purpose in the workplace? 
  • What role should AI be playing in colleague recruitment and retention?

Speakers include:

  • Michelle Parczuk, Chief People Officer, Avon 

11.55-12.25: Panel | Walking the talk: how to responsibly communicate ESG claims

Customers, investors and employees are asking more of brands – not just to act responsibly, but to communicate those actions transparently and authentically.  

How can retailers find the right balance in communicating their ESG claims, saying enough to build trust without overpromising or oversimplifying?  

From product claims to company-wide commitments, in this session we’ll discuss how retailers can ‘walk the talk’. We’ll cover: 

  • Getting your green and ethical claims right to win customers and stay compliant.
  • Why collaboration between sustainability, marketing, legal and product teams is key.
  • Moving beyond required reporting and how to share what stakeholders want to know.

Speakers include:

  • Karl Arpon, ESG Engagement Manager, Kingfisher 
  • Ed Ayton, Ethics & Sustainability Advisor, Abel & Cole

Speakers

Ed Ayton, Ethics & Sustainability Advisor, Abel & Cole

Bio and headshot coming soon.

Karl Arpon, ESG Engagement Manager, Kingfisher 

Karl Arpon is an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Engagement Manager who specialises in corporate sustainability reporting, data analytics and stakeholder engagement.  

At Kingfisher plc, Karl manages the company’s ESG investor engagement programme alongside the Investor Relations team and oversees the delivery of sustainability disclosures in line with key ESG rating agencies like MSCI, Sustainalytics and ISS. Karl co-manages the delivery of Kingfisher’s Responsible Business reporting suite which includes the company’s annual sustainability report.  

Prior to joining Kingfisher, Karl worked at CDP to develop and manage its accountability framework to enable sub-national governments to disclose on their climate change and forest management efforts. 

Natasha Fry, Head of Sales, Mer UK

Natasha joined Mer as the Head of Strategic Accounts following Mer’s acquisition of Elmtronics in April 2022, bringing over 20 years of experience of working with fleets.  

She is responsible for managing the relationships between Mer and some of the UK’s largest private sector organisations, including several FTSE 250 businesses.  

Natasha’s mission is to enable the transition of large EV fleets by ensuring that no stone is left un-turned when EV charging infrastructure is critical to the operation. She is passionate about providing expertise and advice to businesses at every stage of their electrification journey. 

Terry Gardner, Account Director, Acopia

With over 14 years at Acopia, Terry Gardner leads new business development while also driving retail strategy, innovation, and key account success. His deep experience in the retail sector and passion for solving complex challenges have made him a trusted advisor to some of the UK’s most recognisable brands. 

In 2015, when a national charity approached Acopia to help streamline their procurement, Terry identified the opportunity to create a digital solution—what would eventually become MyAcopia®: their ‘industry-leading’ procurement portal. 

Terry’s hands-on approach and industry insight have helped transform procurement processes for clients including Barnardo’s, Oxfam GB, ProCook, Saltrock, Aldo and Dobbies Garden Centres. He continues to shape bespoke solutions that deliver real-world results—always with a focus on efficiency, impact, and innovation. 

Cathy Moscardini, Head of Sustainability, Depop  

Bio and headshot coming soon.

Michelle Parczuk, Chief People Officer, Avon 

Bio and headshot coming soon.

Emma Reynolds, Global Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Mars Food

As Global Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Mars Food & Nutrition, Emma Reynolds sits on the Global Food & Nutrition Leadership Team and leads Corporate Affairs for the segment. Home to a portfolio of global food brands including Ben’s Original, Dolmio, MasterFoods, Kevin’s Natural Foods, and Seeds of Change, Mars Food & Nutrition is guided by its purpose to make food tasty, accessible and healthy – Better Food Today. A Better World Tomorrow.  

Under Emma’s leadership, the Corporate Affairs team is responsible for promoting and protecting Mars Food & Nutrition’s corporate reputation and building connection with our brands through earned media; driving the business’ purpose-led performance; shaping policy and regulatory environments around the world; driving leadership for the segment on industry topics including health and sustainability; and delivering strategic business communications to its Associates. Emma is also a member of Mars, Inc’s Global Corporate Affairs Leadership Team. 

Prior to joining Mars in 2023, Emma worked at Vodafone UK heading up Communications, Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs, leading campaigns to tackle digital poverty, reform the regulatory and policy environment, and promote the reputation of the business. Prior to Vodafone, Emma worked at AB InBev in a number of Corporate Affairs leadership roles, and at Tesco, as Government Affairs Director. 

Chris Allen, Director of Sustainability, Decathlon

Bio and headshot coming soon.

Karl Arpon

Karl Arpon

Natasha Fry

Natasha Fry

Terry Gardner

Terry Gardner

Emma Reynolds

Emma Reynolds

Get involved

Can you help retailers and brands achieve their responsible retail goals? Do you have insights to enable retailers to measure and improve their ESG ratings, wherever they are on their journey?   

Sponsorship of the Responsible Retail Summit provides exclusive speaking opportunities, targeted lead generation and brand awareness among a captive audience. Share your insights with retailers and position yourself as a thought leader.   

Contact Retail Week’s Commercial Content Director Nicola Harrison to find out more: nicola.harrison@retail-week.com

Alternatively, if you are a retailer with a great story to tell and you would like to speak at the Responsible Retail Summit, please contact Rebecca Taylor at rebecca.taylor@retail-week.com