Dollar General Branches Out With New Sustainability Commitment

Retailer supports local and national tree planting programs this year through a collaboration with Arbor Day Foundation

5/6/2021

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The Arbor Day Foundation, which recently marked its annual Arbor Day, gets a boost from Dollar General.

In what is shaping up to be an overall impactful year for sustainability, Dollar General announced its latest environmental efforts. The company is teaming with the Arbor Day Foundation, donating $100,000 to support the planting of 20,000 trees and sponsoring a series of employee tree planting projects in communities around the country.

Underscoring the sustainability mantra of “Think globally and act locally," Dollar General’s support includes the funding of the Arbor Day Foundation’s tree planting programs in several areas experiencing deforestation, habitat endangerment and water quality issues. In addition, the retailer’s employees in Nashville, Tennessee, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Durham, North Carolina, and Minneapolis will work together this year to create green spaces in their hometowns by planting more trees.

“We look forward to partnering in the Arbor Day Foundation’s significant efforts to plant trees that will benefit communities for generations to come,” said Denine Torr, Dollar General’s VP of corporate social responsibility and philanthropy.

Reflecting the emerging emphasis of the circular economy as part of retailers’ corporate responsibility efforts, Dollar General is also focusing on recycling, including a cardboard backhauling initiatives that has saved an equivalent of nearly 35 million trees, according to company information.

Goodlettsville, Tennessee-based Dollar General operates more than 17,000 stores in 46 states, employing approximately 140,000 associates. The company is No. 16 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.