Stay up-to-date on the latest food retail news and trends
Subscribe to free eNewsletters from Supermarket News
Sponsored By
Safeway Shares its Annual Sustainability Report
Grocery Headquarters Staff
January 1, 2018
3 Min Read
Safeway released its sixth annual sustainability report, informed by the Global Reporting Initiative G3 Guidelines. The online report, titled "Heart of Safeway," highlights progress Safeway made in the areas of environmental sustainability, community impact and responsible business practices. The report contains updates such as Safeway's significant progress toward its industry-leading goal to responsibly source all of its fresh and frozen seafood by the end of 2015. A snapshot report of the Company's 2013 performance highlights is available today as well. The report spotlights stories of lives positively impacted by Safeway – from employees and nonprofit partners to local farmers and producers – and suggests ways in which Safeway's customers can adopt more sustainable, healthy habits. "The Heart of Safeway is made up of people we proudly employ, the variety of products we offer customers, the communities in which we live and work, and the planet that we aim to protect," said Larree Renda, Executive Vice President and Chair of the companywide Sustainability Executive Task Force. "Safeway is very proud of the strides we made in 2013 in an effort to continually create better lives, vibrant neighborhoods, and a healthier planet." Safeway's 2013 performance highlights include:
People. Employees are the Heart of Safeway. From wellness services to providing new skills and career opportunities through leadership training, employee well-being is a top priority for the company. In 2013, Safeway:
Hired 1,833 military veterans and continued to support leadership development training for our employee veterans through Junior Military Officer and Non-Commissioned Military Officer programs
Scored 100% in the Human Rights Campaign Buyer's Guide and Corporate Equality Index
Helped 65% of employees and health plan participants enrolled in the company's Healthy Measures program to improve their cholesterol level from the previous year
Products. Because many customers want to make choices that are healthier for them and the planet, Safeway has a growing selection of wholesome and natural products, locally grown produce and sustainable seafood. In 2013, Safeway:
Achieved No. 2 ranking on Greenpeace's sustainable seafood retail scorecard
Continued to make substantial progress in sourcing seafood sustainably, surpassing the 51% milestone toward having all fresh and frozen seafood responsibly caught or farmed by the end of 2015
Announced a sustainable sourcing policy for palm oil and a goal to source 1 million pounds of sustainable palm oil in 2014
Community. Safeway is committed to improving the communities we serve. Through fundraising, food donations, volunteer efforts, and other charitable activities, Safeway stores provide localized support in their neighborhoods. In 2013, Safeway:
Donated nearly 72 million pounds of food to support hunger relief
Employees volunteered over 1 million hours with nonprofit organizations
Raised and contributed over $41.2 million to charitable causes through The Safeway Foundation
Planet. Safeway always considers its environmental impact and actively seeks new ways to minimize its footprint. The company also encourages employees and customers to do the same. In 2013, Safeway:
Progressed toward its 2015 goal to eliminate 1 billion plastic and paper bags in its stores, announcing that it already eliminated over 300 million bags since 2011
Set a goal to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2020 versus a 2010 baseline
Saved over 75 million gallons of water across its stores
