GRAND RAPIDS – Meijer is looking to outpace science-based climate targets by making a big sustainability pledge. The retailer announced an ambitious goal to reduce absolute carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2025.
“At Meijer, we believe in taking responsibility for the well-being of the world around us,” Meijer President and CEO Rick Keyes said. “We are reducing carbon emissions not only because it makes good business sense, but because it aligns with our values and mission of enriching lives in the communities we serve.”
According to a recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, greenhouse gas emissions would need to be cut in half by 2030. Meijer has already managed to reduce emissions by 17% since 2014, even while opening 52 new stores and additional distribution center facilities. This is equal to a 30% reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per square foot.
However Meijer is committed to cutting emissions faster than what science suggests is necessary and plans to reduce absolute carbon emissions in half in three years. To meet this commitment, Meijer will build on existing energy and fleet efficiency programs by adding more renewable energy procurement and piloting new innovative technologies, such as energy-saving geothermal projects for refrigeration next year.
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