Former H&M CEO and current chair of Circulose, Helena Helmersson, recently addressed retail industry leaders at the World Retail Congress, calling for sustainability to take center stage in business operations. Helmersson emphasized that sustainability can no longer remain a peripheral concern, but must be embedded into the very core of how companies operate, make decisions, and deliver value. Drawing on her extensive experience, Helmersson urged businesses to adopt long-term strategies that align with sustainability and profitability.
Reflecting on her two-decade tenure at H&M, Helmersson noted how enthusiasm for sustainability has faltered in recent years due to global disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and pressures on trade. Comparing the industry’s trajectory to the Gartner Hype Cycle, she described the initial fervor for sustainability as entering a “valley of disillusionment,” where unfulfilled promises and skepticism have slowed progress. However, she maintained hope that this phase could lead to a “slope of enlightenment,” where tangible solutions emerge to balance environmental goals with financial value.
Helmersson called for a fundamental shift in how businesses tackle sustainability. She stated, “Sustainability cannot remain on the sidelines. It must be central to how companies operate, make decisions, and deliver value.” She also emphasized the importance of addressing the gap between sustainability and profitability, pointing out that if buyers are forced to choose between circular materials and protecting margins, they will likely prioritize financial outcomes. To overcome this, she advocated for systemic changes, such as centralizing the costs of sustainable materials, to eliminate trade-offs for buyers and enable better decision-making.
In discussing consumer behavior, Helmersson urged companies to move away from moralistic messaging and instead focus on aligning sustainability with customer convenience. She highlighted H&M’s investment in the secondhand platform Sellpy, which facilitates easy resale of unwanted clothing, as an example of meeting consumer needs while contributing to a circular economy.
Helmersson also touched on larger industry challenges, including the complexities of global supply chains. She called for greater collaboration between retailers, suppliers, governments, and technology providers to enact meaningful change. She remarked, “This can’t be solved by ticking boxes. It takes coordination, long-term thinking, and serious investment.”
As a leader, Helmersson underscored the responsibility of executives to drive sustainable transformation, creating systems that bridge ambition with execution. Her message resonated as a call to action for the retail industry to prioritize sustainability not as an add-on, but as an integral aspect of business strategy, ensuring companies can deliver value while meeting environmental and social responsibilities.
