Delhaize America Banners Receive 11th Straight Energy Star Award

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to honor Delhaize America banners Food Lion, Harveys and Reid’s with their eleventh consecutive Energy Star award at a March 15 ceremony in Washington. The 2012 Sustained Excellence Awards go to a select group of organizations that have demonstrated outstanding leadership year after year. Winners have lowered greenhouse gas emissions by setting and achieving aggressive goals, implementing innovative programs, and serving as a positive example to others.

“We are … committed to being strong corporate citizens in the communities in which we operate,” said Susan Sollenberger, director of energy, maintenance and equipment purchasing at Salisbury, N.C.-based Delhaize America South. “Food Lion, Harveys and Reid’s remain dedicated to environmental stewardship and [will] continue to lead the way with energy conservation initiatives.”

Award winners are selected from about 20,000 organizations in the commercial, industrial and public sectors that take part in the Energy Star program, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

“The grocers and all our Energy Star award winners are helping Americans find cost-effective ways to save energy in everything we do, which is good for our climate, our health and our future,” noted EPA administrator Lisa P. Jackson.

For more than a decade, Food Lion, Harveys, and Reid’s have been committed to numerous sustainability initiatives, including energy conservation and reducing carbon dioxide emissions throughout their 10-state market area, as a result lowering their energy consumption by more than 25 percent, or 2.61 trillion BTUs, since 2000.

Delhaize America, the U.S. division of Brussels-based Delhaize Group, operates more than 1,100 supermarkets. Food Lion employs about 57,000 associates in 10 Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states. Harveys operates 73 stores in Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. Reid’s operates 11 stores in South Carolina.