Earth Day Spotlight on New Retail Sustainability Efforts

Ahold Delhaize USA Plans to Reach Net Zero

All Ahold Delhaize companies – in the U.S. and globally – have committed to net-zero carbon emissions across own operations by 2040 (scope 1 and 2) and to becoming net-zero businesses across the entire supply chain, products and services no later than 2050 (scope 3). Ahold Delhaize has joined the Business Ambition for 1.5°C in partnership with the Science Based Targets initiative and the U.N.-led campaign “Race to Zero.”

More broadly, this past year, Ahold Delhaize USA companies unveiled new health and sustainability goals as part of a detailed purpose-driven strategy to enable customers to make healthier choices, create greater product transparency, eliminate waste and take bold climate action, all in support of developing a more sustainable food supply chain. The net-zero commitment builds upon the climate action commitments announced earlier this year.

For Ahold Delhaize USA companies, moving to net zero is part of the company's overall commitment to make a local impact with a greater purpose. By taking a leadership position in the drive toward net zero, Ahold Delhaize USA can make a vast difference for the future of our world and the local communities its brands serve.

On Earth Day, Best Buy customers can see their collective impact like never before

Best Buy set a goal to help customers reduce their own carbon emissions 20% by 2030 through the use of ENERGY STAR certified products. So far, Best Buy has sold more than 56 million ENERGY STAR certified products. That’s the equivalent of removing 3 million cars off roads for an entire year.

This Earth Day, Best Buy is releasing a new ENERGY STAR tracker on BestBuy.com that shows the estimated collective environmental and financial impact from sales of products in easy-to-understand terms. For instance, the amount of water it estimates customers will save this year from ENERGY STAR certified products could fill more than 25 million bathtubs!

ENERGY STAR certified products use less energy and water, while helping reduce energy bills. Selling these products is part of Best Buy’s commitment to helping customers reduce their environmental footprint and save money.

Carter’s® baby & kid clothing recycling program

This spring, TerraCycle® and Carter’s are joining forces to make recycling your little’s most-loved, lived-in clothes super simple. Any non-donatable baby & kid clothing brands are welcome (Psst… no shoes or accessories at this time.) PLUS Carter’s Rewarding Moments® members can earn points* for recycling with the store.

Ikea Making a “World of Difference”

Nordstrom Celebrates Earth Day: Progressing Toward Environmental Sustainability Goals

Nordstrom is committed to leaving the world better than we found it. To celebrate Earth Day, Nordstrom shared it has made progress toward its 2025 Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Sustainability goals. It is contributing $250,000 in corporate grants to help slow and prevent climate change, contributing $1 million to support industry innovation for textile recycling, taking back 100 tons of beauty packaging to ensure it is recycled, reducing single-use plastic in its value chain by 50%, and ensuring 15% of its product assortment qualifies for Sustainable Style. Learn more here.

The Home Depot Promotes Circular Economy so in 2022 Every Day is Earth Day!

With every truckload of new merchandise, The Home Depot stores unwrap multiple pallets, each of which is held together with shrink-wrap. That shrink-wrap accumulates quickly. Rather than send it to the landfill, it’s put back on a truck and sent with pallets of returns to The Home Depot’s Distribution Centers. At the DCs, the shrink-wrap, also known as LDPE plastic, is consolidated, processed and sent to Trex where it’s converted into beautiful composite decking. Each year approximately 16,000,000 pounds of Home Depot plastics are reclaimed and used to make Trex decking. The Home Depot also consolidates EPS (Styrofoam) from appliance deliveries and recycles to our suppliers for reuse, creating new channels for Circular Economy initiatives.
 

This Earth Day these stories and others can be found on The Home Depot’s Eco Actions website, a helpful resource dedicated to environmental issues such as carbon emissions, responsible chemistry, circularity, sustainable forestry and water conservation.

TJX Launches Goals for Net Zero, Renewable Energy, Sustainable Packaging

Apparel and home fashions retailer The TJX Companies announced the launch of a series of new sustainability goals focused on climate change, renewable energy, waste and product packaging, including a goal to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in its operations by 2040.

In addition to its new net zero goal, by 2030, TJX is aiming to source 100% renewable energy in its operations, and for 100% of packaging for its in-house developed products to be reusable, recyclable, or contain sustainable materials. TJX also announced a target to divert 85% of its operational waste from landfill by 2027.
 

Tractor Supply Issues Stewards of Life Out Here Sustainability Report 

Tractor Supply Company released its 2021 Stewards of Life Out Here Sustainability Report, made available April 19, 2022, at corporate.tractorsupply.com/ESG. Inside the report, the Company announced a new water conservation goal to conserve 25 million gallons by 2025.

Earth Week at Tractor Supply wraps up with two days of volunteer events where the Store Support Center Team Members will support activities at two local farms in Middle Tennessee.

Additionally, the Company produced videos for their 46,000 Team Members and other stakeholders to come together and celebrate the important milestone. Tractor Supply leadership continues to highlight how critical the purpose-driven culture has been in accelerating these efforts for their needs-based business over the years.

As Tractor Supply continues to gain momentum as a needs-based relationship retailer, they have elevated their commitment to being Stewards of Life Out Here and these new goals are key milestones in their sustainable journey as another reflection of their core Mission and Values coming to life – and commitment to doing the right thing for customers and the communities Tractor Supply calls home – both now and in the future.

Abercrombie & Fitch Committed to Progress

A&F Co. is committed to social and environmental sustainability and has been a participant in the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) since 2019. In an effort to reduce its climate impact, A&F Co. has pledged that the energy used at its Global Home Office and Distribution Centers will come from 100% renewable resources beginning in 2023.
 

A&F Co. strives to source sustainable fibers for its products and sources 100% of its down from Responsible Down Standard (RDS) certified sources, five years ahead of its 2025 target date. The company is also working to source 25% recycled polyester, 100% wool through the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) and 50% Canopy supported viscose by 2025.

At its Global Home Office, A&F Co. has a goal to reduce waste by 50% by 2025. To help facilitate this, a food scrap kitchen composting project was launched in late 2021 in the café.  In 2021, three tons of food waste was diverted from landfill.

Visit A&F Co.’s Sustainability Page to read more about its continued commitment and progress in responsible sourcing, supply chain capacity building and environment.

RILA will continue to update this page to reflect the latest Earth Day news from the industry. If you are a RILA member who would like your company's news featured here, please reach out to Caroline Stec.

Tags

• Climate and Sustainability
• Ensuring a Safe, Sustainable Future
• Retail Works for All of Us
• Sustainability & Environment