Kroger Achieves Sustainability Milestone
The Kroger Co. has released its ninth annual sustainability report including an expanded focus on sustainable supply chain, and progress on key priorities such as moving facilities toward zero waste, increased sourcing of sustainable seafood and building energy efficient stores.
The report, available online, includes the following highlights:
- Making a Difference Together: Kroger has donated $1.2 billion to charitable causes since 2010.
- Fighting Hunger Across the Nation: Donated 54 million pounds of food; food and funds equivalent to 270 million meals.
- Associate health and wellness initiatives: 13.9 billion steps, equivalent to 41.7 million miles.
- Sustainably sourced seafood: 100 percent best aquaculture practice (level 2 farm raised), 100 percent ISSF certified canned tuna; 86 percent sustainably sources wild-caught – since 2009.
- Consumption reduction – energy and carbon: 35 percent reduction since 2000.
- Organics recycling – zero waste: 33,000 tons recycled in 2014, 12 percent increase in 2014, in 1,061 stores.
- Plastic bag recycling: 200 million pounds of recycled plastic since 2008, 125 percent increase since 2008.
- Fleet productivity: Improved more than 41 percent since 2008 – cube efficiency, increased miles per gallon, reduced “empty miles.”
“This report celebrates the completion of our first set of sustainability goals, established in 2009, and begins to chart our course for the future,” said Rodney McMullen, Kroger’s chairman and CEO. “We believe reducing our environmental footprint and being a good corporate citizen is a continuous learning process. We have a strong foundation because of the commitment of our associates to serve each and every customer every day and to be good stewards of our communities and planet.”
Cincinnati-based Kroger operates 2,626 supermarkets and multidepartment stores in 34 states and the District of Columbia under two dozen local banner names including Kroger, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry's, Harris Teeter, Jay C, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs and Smith's.