LONDON – One of the best speakers of the World Retail Congress 2025 was Helena Helmersson. The top woman has been at the head of the Swedish H&M Group for a few years and has recently become the chairman at Material Innovation Company Circulose. In London, during a convincing Keynote she called on all present professionals to get back on sustainability.
Helmersson acknowledges that the focus on sustainability has been relaxed. That has good reasons: the pandemic, inflation, various wars, AI, etc. All got the attention of sustainability, because sustainability was no longer the biggest challenge that companies had.
However, there is no need for despair yet. Helmersson illustrates through the Gartner Hype Cycle (a framework and graphic representation) that trends follow a certain path from hype, according to non -feasible expectations, disillusion before stabilizing and long -term implementation. According to the top woman, the industry is now in ‘the valley of disillusion’ in the field of sustainability. This is a phase in which progress is slow, consumers now see the broken promises of companies and there is more skepticism.
After this there is the chance for the ‘slope of lighting’, but there is difficulty from the industry for that. Leading companies and leaders must close the gap between sustainability and profitability. “You have to build a system as a leader that allows people in your company to be successful.” For example, removing the pressure on profitability during the purchasing process. “Let a central budget contribute to more sustainable materials that are more expensive so that buyers do not have to choose between profit and sustainability to balance their budget.”
In order to get the disillusioned consumer, sustainability must also not only turn around to ‘join the movement’, but in the provision of practical needs of the consumer. For example, she gives the example of Sellpy’s second -hand platform in which the H&M Group has invested. “It helps consumers to clean up their closet. It’s easy, good for their wallets and it helps them find their personal style.”
Helmersson is also honest during her keynote about how difficult it is to realize sustainability. She knows that all too well as an ex-CEO of the H&M Group. “It’s not enough to just make the plan and communicate this.” She therefore says that within the company they have to leave room for achieving the goals, but that externally long -term partnerships must also be formed. “This problem cannot be solved by checking boxes. Coordinated and investment must be made in view of the long term.”
