Albertsons releases 2023 ESG report, citing progress on several fronts
"Our latest report further solidifies our long-standing commitment to support the thousands of communities we serve and the planet we share. In 2022, we made meaningful progress against our commitments, further aligning what we do with who we are as a company. We will continue to challenge ourselves to lead positive change as we build upon this momentum to create better lives, vibrant neighborhoods and a healthier planet,” Vivek Sankaran, CEO of Albertsons said in a press release.
Focusing on planet, people, product, and community
Last April, Albertsons released its ESG framework, Recipe for Change, with the goal of reducing emissions from its own operations by 47% and downstream emissions from sold goods by 27%, engaging its suppliers to set science-based targets by 2026, and ultimately achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.
To achieve this goal, Albertsons planned to upgrade its refrigeration systems to reduce scope 1 emissions, optimize energy demand and increase use of renewable energy to reduce scope 2 emissions, and work with suppliers to reduce carbon emissions from products customers use and buy. In this year's report, Albertsons cited a 21% reduction in its carbon footprint since 2019, crediting several energy-efficient programs.
As part of its overall ESG strategy, Albertsons has focused on four key pillars, which it provided an update on in its 2023 report. These include:
- Planet: Albertsons cut its carbon emissions through a combination of completing 1,100 energy efficiency programs and recycling efforts, including installing LED lighting retrofits and new refrigerator doors. The company has also recycled more than 850m pounds of cardboard and 27m pounds of plastic film and bags in 2022.
- People: Albertsons trained over 15,000 leaders through “Leading with Inclusion” workshops designed to create a more inclusive company, while the company launched a company-wide inclusion index and its eighth associate resource group DiverseABILITY.
- Product: Albertsons diverted more than 321m pounds of food and trimming from landfills through upcycling and composting and achieved its goal of providing standardized recycling communications on more than 7,000 Own Brands products. Additionally, it used AI-based technology across its store to create the correct amount and assortment of products to reduce food waste.
- Community: Lastly, in the community pillar, Albertsons updated its online service to enable SNAP customers to purchase groceries online and raised $40m to provide 188m meals through its Nourishing Neighbors program.
“In the year ahead, we plan to expand our engagement for Recipe for Change, including partnering with our vendors to drive industry change and increasing customer involvement in achieving our goals. By bringing others along on our journey, we can make change a reality,” Suzanne Long, chief sustainability and transformation officer at Albertsons, shared in a press release.
