SAP to Host Super Session on Sustainability in Retail, Featuring Walmart Keynote
Recognizing the importance of sustainability in the retail industry, SAP will present a super session on "Sustainability in Retail - Increasing Profitability and Impacting the World" on Monday, Jan. 11, at 9:45 a.m. EST. The session will be hosted by SAP Chief Sustainability Officer and Executive Vice President of Sustainability Solutions Peter Graf, with the keynote from Walmart Senior Vice President of Sustainability Matt Kistler.
SAP will discuss how it has put sustainability at the forefront of corporate responsibility and profitability, helping retailers get an endtoend picture of what sustainability means to their businesses. Attendees will learn about SAP's broad sustainability initiatives for both managing its internal operations in a sustainable way and delivering solutions that support the sustainable business practices of customers.
In the keynote by Walmart's Matt Kistler, session participants will also learn how Walmart developed sustainability goals based on a holistic view of its business to reduce the organization's environmental footprint and engage its suppliers, associates and customers to achieve even greater results.
"At Walmart we see opportunities in our own operations and throughout the entire supply chain to improve energy efficiency, reduce waste and make environmentally friendly products more affordable," said Kistler. "We are excited to share our progress toward becoming a more sustainable company and we hope to get other retailers excited about the opportunities to impact the world through sustainability activities."
"The retail industry has the unique opportunity to link rising consumer demand for sustainable products and services to global value chains," said Graf. "Information technology plays a major role in such an endeavor by creating the clarity needed to improve environmental, social and economic outcomes - all at the same time and across value chains. In other words, new software solutions for sustainability help retailers implement global and profitable sustainability strategies."
Executive Roundtable Features Coldwater Creek, Tractor Supply and Wawa
SAP will host an executive customer roundtable on Tuesday, Jan. 12, at 8:00 a.m. EST in the SAP booth (#1603) for media and industry analysts. SAP customers, including Coldwater Creek, Tractor Supply and Wawa, will provide details on their recent implementations and the role technology played in improving their business processes. The panel, hosted by Verlin Youd, senior vice president of Global Trade Sectors for SAP, will provide an exclusive opportunity for attendees to speak directly to retail executives about their operations and future trends affecting their business, as well as how technology fits with their strategies to weather the current economic storm.
SAP Provides the Solutions Retailers Need for Success
Investing in the right IT platform and solutions enables retailers to run a clear enterprise. Attesting to this fact, retailers globally - including 7-Eleven (Australia), Sport Chalet, The Bon-Ton Stores, Wolverine World Wide and Zappos - went live or upgraded in 2009 on SAP® solutions to address their industryspecific needs. Visitors to the SAP booth at NRF 2010 (#1603) will see firsthand how the SAP solution portfolio offers retailers a clearer view - from supply though demand - giving them the insight to understand shoppers' needs. SAP can help retail companies increase productivity, reduce costs and promote ongoing profitability by ensuring customer loyalty, eliminating redundant processes, optimizing inventory and executing successful promotions. Solutions from SAP enable retailers to prepare for and capitalize on opportunities that will allow them to adapt and grow their business and stay ahead of the competition.
SAP will also demonstrate how its extensive partner ecosystem complements the company's solutions and delivers additional value to retailers. Visitors to the SAP booth will be able to review SAP partner solutions and services from Capgemini, CIBER, The Glenture Group and OpenText.
"The National Retail Federation provides an excellent forum for industry leaders to meet and share experiences and ideas on how to succeed in a challenging economy," said Verlin Youd, senior vice president, Global Trade Sector, SAP AG. "SAP delivers business solutions that provide the clarity needed by retailers today as well as in the future, enabling companies of all sizes around the world to be bestrun retail businesses."
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About SAP® for Retail
SAP® for Retail is a solution portfolio for endtoend retail management that allows retailers to base operations around common insight into the business. The solutions cover merchandise lifecycle management and planning, supply chain, store operations, shopper experience, and core finance and human resources capabilities for grocery, hardlines, and softlines retailers. SAP for Retail helps retailers to better understand their business, anticipate their business needs, and inspire their shoppers, employees, and shareholders by delivering results. Additional information is available at www.sap.com/retail.