Southeastern Grocers Details Sustainability Efforts, Including Earth Month Initiative
Southeastern Grocers Inc. is sharing its progress and long-standing commitment to enabling stronger communities and a healthier world in its 2023 environmental, social and governance (ESG) report. To continue making a difference in its communities, the retailer is donating 33,500 reusable bags and supporting local conservation efforts through volunteerism and monetary donations in celebration of Earth Month.
The annual report lays out in detail Southeastern Grocers’ support of the environment and its surrounding communities through continuing corporate social responsibility efforts across its retail footprint. The grocer strives to meet six specific United Nations Sustainable Development Goals addressing hunger, health, education, inequalities, responsible consumption and production, and ocean conservation.
“Our associates, customers, partners and communities are constantly inspiring us to lead for positive change to help foster a healthier, more inclusive world,” said Southeastern Grocers President and CEO Anthony Hucker. “In 2023, we took significant steps to promote fairness, diversity and sustainability throughout our operations. By implementing eco-friendly practices, supporting our diverse workforce and partnering with suppliers who share our values, we actively worked to safeguard our environment and create a more equitable future. Our dedication to delivering a preferred shopping experience is deeply connected to our sincere commitment to serving both our people and the planet, as we strive to create a brighter future for generations to come.”
In 2023, Southeastern Grocers and its charitable arm, the SEG Gives Foundation, donated more than $3.7 million to local communities. This included more than $560,000 in funds and 13 million pounds of food for hunger relief, and the company held 25 mobile food pantry events. Southeastern Grocers also gave $750,000-plus to Folds of Honor in 2023, helping to provide 150 educational scholarships to the children and spouses of fallen and disabled military members. As the 2023 Northeast Florida American Red Cross Community Partner of the Year, Southeastern Grocers donated more than $460,000 to fund emergency assistance, disaster preparedness and relief programs. Through its Romay Davis Belonging, Inclusion and Diversity (BID) Grant Program, the SEG Gives Foundation gave $400,000 to 40 Southeast nonprofits working to address racial disparities in health care, food insecurity and education.
Last year, Southeastern Grocers also furthered its commitment to diversity among its associates and supplier partners by boosting its diverse supplier count by more than 13% and rolling a five-year BID strategy to empower associates to be their full, authentic selves at work. The company awarded more than $300,000 to employees to help with college scholarships and offer support for those facing unforeseen hardships. As a result of such actions, the grocer was named among Newsweek’s Greatest Workplaces 2023 for Diversity and garnered Fortune’s Great Place to Work certification for the fourth year in a row.
In the area of responsible environmental stewardship, Southeastern Grocers collaborated with Relocalize last year to pioneer an innovative method of producing and distributing ice cubes while reducing water waste and trucking CO2 emissions by 90%. The company has also rolled out more EV charging stations at select neighborhood stores.
Southeastern Grocers has also increased its waste reduction efforts by eliminating the use of almost 125,000 pounds of paper and 1.95 million single-use plastic bags. Customers have the option of using the Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie mobile apps for digital receipts and paperless coupons, as well as the grocer's reusable bags that also give back through the Community Bag with a Giving Tag Program.
Jacksonville, Fla.-based Southeastern Grocers is an omnichannel retailer serving customers in brick-and-mortar grocery stores and liquor stores, as well as online with convenient grocery delivery and curbside pickup throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. The company was No. 44 on The PG 100, PG’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
