Albertsons goes all in on sustainability

Albertsons last week released its 2018 Sustainability Update, highlighting its efforts in waste reduction, expansion of organic products, seafood sustainability and cleaner transportation.

“Our employee promise is to Make Every Day a Better Day,” said Albertsons President and CEO Jim Donald. “That means being a good community partner and a committed steward of the environment. We take that obligation seriously because our company is growing and innovating at lightning speed. And when we move forward, we leave a trail behind.”

As part of that initiative, the company announced it is purchasing 10 all-electric Tesla tractors for its Southern California fleet, part of its ongoing efforts to decrease carbon emissions and run a cleaner transportation program. The trucks will be able to travel as far as 300 to upwards of 500 miles on a single charge, even with a fully loaded trailer, and use less than 2 kilowatt hours of energy per mile.

Albertsons’ O Organics is now one of the nation's largest private-label USDA-certified organic brands, according to the company.

“Advancing supply chain efficiency and sustainability is an important goal for our company,” said Tom Nartker, vice president of transportation. “We’re excited to pilot this expansion of our transportation program with trucks that help us limit our overall carbon footprint.”

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The electric semis expand Albertsons Companies’ commitment to running a safe, sustainable fleet to service its 2,300 stores across the country. As a partner and supporter of the Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay transportation program, the company actively promotes SmartWay certification to improve freight efficiency and environmental performance. The company’s entire 1,400 truck fleet nationwide is SmartWay certified, as are 92 percent of trucks operated by third-party carriers.

Albertsons’ Sustainability Update further highlights progress across four platforms of sustainability: product, community, planet and people. Included among the retailer’s progress and accomplishments:

• Surpassed $1 billion in sales for the O Organics line of USDA-certified organic products. O Organics is now one of the nation's largest private-label USDA-certified organic brands, according to the company.
• Won the 2017 Environmental Protection Agency Safer (EPA) Choice Partner of the Year Award for promoting safer products such as Open Nature household cleaning supplies.
• Trained 3,000 pharmacists to administer NARCAN Nasal Spray, a life-saving drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.
• Donated more than $250 million in food donations to local food banks.
• Raised and distributed $44.6 million to support causes that impact customers’ lives, including wildfire and hurricane disaster relief, veterans’ charities, childhood hunger and cancer research and treatment.
• Named an EPA Green Power Partner for the fourth consecutive year for procuring and using renewable energy.

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“Reducing our carbon footprint and taking a leadership position on safe environmental practices is a top priority,” said Donald. “The EPA has taken notice of our sustainability efforts, naming Albertsons Companies a Green Power Partner and Safer Choice Partner of the Year for multiple years. We’re committed to operating zero waste manufacturing facilities, which means that 90% of waste is diverted from landfills.”