As stated in Deloitte’s Future of Consumer study, “Change is a staple of humanity, and nowhere is the velocity of change more evident than in the consumer industry.” How should consumer companies perceive this change? What should consumer industry executives consider beyond their shareholder value while addressing this change? In this episode, Anthony Waelter, Deloitte’s US Consumer Industry leader, and Alisa Locricchio, senior manager with Deloitte Consulting, provide a preview into the six forces to understand the next decade of change including the implications of exponential tech, changing consumer, and more.

Digital marketplaces help retailers meet their customers where they are by improving visibility, expanding assortment, reinforcing the omnichannel experience, and diversifying the supplier base to keep up with changing trends. This integration also allows retailers to extend visibility to brands that otherwise may not have garnered a similar platform in a short time span. In this episode, we speak with Matt Baer, chief customer and digital officer for Macy’s, Inc., and Oliver Siodmak, Global Marketplace Service Offering lead at Deloitte Digital, about Macy’s impactful digital marketplace integration in just under nine months.  

With another holiday season behind us, this episode takes a look at how consumers and retailers faced the unique challenges of this shopping season including the economic uncertainty and the ongoing operational challenges. From the continued growth of digital channels to a return to pre-pandemic norms, we discuss how the 2022 shopping season reflected cautious consumer spending. For more detailed insights, check out our full report.

While women have experienced inequitable workspaces long before the pandemic, several issues such as pay disparity, lack of advancement opportunities, and mental and physical health impacts of the pandemic are front and center for women and all genders. With millions exiting the workforce to maintain flexibility to care for their families, the time has come for a culture of allyship to uplift gender-centered workforce design. Tune in to this episode with Sarah Alter, president and CEO of NextUp, and Tiffany Mawhinney, principal at Deloitte Consulting LLP, as they share their thoughts on a gender-centered design from their latest study: Creating more equitable workplaces through gender-centered design.

With an increasing focus on climate change and other ecological crises, consumer companies face an influx of stakeholder demands to disclose ESG data. While consumers, employees, and investors want to engage with more sustainable companies, regulators are proposing that companies disclose material sustainability data or even their public pledges to achieve reduction of emissions. However, how hard is it to collect accurate, valid, and trustworthy ESG data? Which elements of ESG data are essential for stakeholder engagement? Tune in to this episode as we discuss these questions with Mandi McReynolds, global head of ESG at Workiva Inc., and Charles Carrington, partner with Deloitte’s Risk & Financial Advisory practice.

Continuing to grow digital capabilities helps set retailers apart and is important regardless of what industry they plan in. What are some of the latest customer experience capabilities available to retailers today? How are everyday business owners able to leverage these tools in an always-changing digital experience? Tune into this episode as we discuss these questions with Jill Royce, senior managing director of Business Consulting for Retail & Consumer Goods at Salesforce, and Adrian Trzaskus, Digital Transformation leader with Deloitte Consulting.

Among the many pandemic-related challenges that the consumer industry has weathered, increasing talent shortage and turnover rates of frontline workforce continues to be a major hurdle. How are companies navigating this current landscape of frontline talent? What are some of the leading talent strategies that companies can leverage to retain and reward their employees? Tune in to hear from Barb Wallander, SVP, Human Resources and FedEx Express, and Cathy Gutierrez, Workforce Transformation leader at Deloitte Consulting LLP.

In recent years, consumers’ expectations of greater convenience and desire to stay “hyperconnected” through multiple channels has pushed retailers to rethink their approach to innovative and customer-centric shopping experiences. How do you design a store that achieves this? How do you balance convenience with profitability? Daniel Eckert, Operating Partner at Corsair Capital; and Adam York, a senior manager at Deloitte Consulting LLP, join this episode to discuss.

As the VP of Loyalty Operations and Customer Experience Strategy at Marriott International, Nikhil Takalkar has witnessed and contributed to the evolution of loyalty programs in the travel and hospitality industry over the last decade. He joins this episode alongside Ramya Murali, co-leader of Deloitte Consulting LLP’s Loyalty offering, to discuss the major changes they’ve seen and where they think loyalty strategy is going next.

There’s a digital option for nearly everything – how we work, play, eat, shop, socialize and more. How are companies managing customer data, connecting online and in-person experiences, while protecting privacy? Hear from Elias Oxendine IV, Chief Information Security Officer at Yum! Brands and Vikram Rao, Managing Director, Cyber & Strategic Risk Services at Deloitte and Touche LLP on this episode.