Consumers are increasingly conscious of their effect on the environment and how they can help to be more sustainable every day. Google searches for terms related to supportive spending, including sustainability and corporate responsibility grew 300% and 600% in 2020. This is a trend that can’t be ignored, so it’s important that retailers and attractions make this part of their value proposition. Putting sustainability efforts front and centre shows an awareness of the social and environmental issues facing society, and that a business wants to alleviate the ways it contributes to them.
Sustainable business solutions
Retail Integration understands the importance of this for our clients and that is why sustainability is a key pillar in our system design process. We take the approach that sustainability integrates environmental, social and economic considerations into decision-making with the goal of creating a thriving and healthy society.
“Retail Integration recognises that climate change remains one of the single greatest environmental and social challenges that we face as a species and we will actively seek to be part of the global response that is needed.”
Patrick Heslin, Managing Director Retail Integration
We are continuously updating our Meridian Retail and Meridian Experience systems allowing our offering to be more sustainable for our clients.
Partnering for a greener future
To that end, we have partnered with Kavanagh Recycling to expand our sustainability offering. Kavanagh Recycling is an IT Services Company specialising in IT Asset Disposal. Since 2012, they have been one of Ireland’s leading providers of computer, electronic & WEEE recycling, IT disposal and data destruction.
Governments across the world have pledged a move to net-zero emissions over the coming decades, which will lead to increased costs for businesses and consumers. We have partnered with Kavanagh Recycling to stay ahead of these challenges for our customers.
This will enable us to remove any of our clients’ outdated till equipment when they upgrade to our new EPOS system. Not only will this help our clients with their sustainability initiatives; it will also remove the inconvenience and cost of disposal of these items for our clients.
Our partners are also experts in data destruction, meaning our clients’ can rest assured no data stored on their old equipment will end up in the wrong hands.
Going paperless for greater sustainability initiatives and gains
As part of improving our Meridian system offerings for our clients, we also endeavour to make these as green and sustainable as we can. Avoidable paper waste is another element businesses and consumers no longer find acceptable. A 2019 study found that 92% of retail customers believe sustainable business practices, including going paperless should be standard.
Our contributions to the sustainability process start with how we create and build sustainability into our software development process by creating software solutions that offer a paperless approach i.e. emailed receipts, reports, online ticketing, QR codes etc.
A big way of avoiding paper waste in the visitor attraction sector is by enabling customers to download e-tickets on their mobile devices. This avoids the need to print tickets and saves on paper waste – this also ensures that your customers never lose their tickets and helps bring new customers into your CRM and loyalty programs.
For retail customers, they can be provided with paperless gift cards and receipts. This also cuts down on waste and also helps customers keep track of their orders and avoids the need to keep track of receipts.
Retail Integration delivering sustainable software solutions
We are proud members of Guaranteed Irish and as members, we take pride in having a sense of purpose and making a positive contribution to our economy, society and our environment. We are committed to developing and supplying innovative software solutions that remain highly efficient throughout their service life and support a sustainable energy supply. Learn more about our commitment to sustainability and download our sustainability policy here.
To see how Retail Integration can help you with sustainable software solutions, contact us today.
