Episode 32

full
Published on:

15th Nov 2022

Laura Phillips on Sustainability and Retail

In this episode, Andy is joined by longtime retail and sustainability expert, Laura Phillips. Laura spent over 2 decades at Walmart where she served as SVP for Corporate Sustainability as well as SVP of Global Sourcing. Andy and Laura explore the evolution of sustainability, in-store challenges in an omnichannel world, and answer questions from Walton College of Business students. Big thank you to Molly Rapert, Katie Fowler, Arthur Cummisky, Megan Maciulski, and Kendall Wentworth for their questions!

Questions and Topics

00:00 Welcome to the Show

00:50 Introducing Laura Phillips

03:28 How do consumers view sustainability?

6:01 The impact of personal sustainability

8:30 How can supplier collaboration generate innovation?

10:47 How can merchants be customer-centric?

13:54 The power of observation

15:24 How important is the in-store space in an omnichannel world?

18:00 How can packaging impact the in-store effectiveness of a product?

21:17 Questions from Walton College of Business students

22:10 The role of curiosity in career growth

24:30 How can corporations regain consumer trust regarding sustainability?

26:29 What is the most unexpected challenge faced in sustainability?

28:00 How can young adults lead a sustainable lifestyle?

29:07 What is one thing you wish you knew entering the workforce?

30:39 How a positive approach to difficult challenges can lead to success

32:43 What the future looks like for Laura Phillips



Show Links

Laura Phillips: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-phillips-5412a52/

Andy Murray: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewlmurray/

CCLI: https://www.linkedin.com/company/customer-centric-leadership-initiative-sam-m-walton-college-of-business/

bigQUEST: https://www.bigquest.com


Student Profiles:

Katie Fowler: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-fowler-144989248/

Arthur Cummisky: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-cummisky/

Megan Maciulski: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meganmaciulski/

Kendall Wentworth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendall-wentworth/

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for It's a Customer's World with Andy Murray

About the Podcast

It's a Customer's World with Andy Murray
Equipped with more than 30 years of experience in retail, most recently as the Chief Customer Officer for Walmart Asda in the U.K., host Andy Murray is sharing his expertise through his new role as the founder and executive chair of the Customer Centric Leadership Initiative at the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business. Now more than ever, retailers and brands are accelerating their quest to be more customer centric, but to be truly customer centric, it requires both a shift in mindset and ways of working, not just in marketing but in all parts of the organization. Through his initiative and this podcast series, Andy will be talking with practitioners, thought leaders, and scholars to hear their thoughts on what it takes to be a leader in today’s customer centric world.

About your host

Profile picture for Walton College

Walton College