Kroger Commits to More Aggressive GHG Emissions Targets

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kroger (Credit: Pixabay)

The Kroger Co., America's largest grocery retailer, outlined an updated Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) action plan to support the company's comprehensive ESG strategy and published its annual ESG report. The report, "Nurturing Shared Values" and other resources can be found at the ESG Hub, ESG Strategy: Thriving Together.

Kroger says that it continues to make progress toward key goals and strengthen commitments in several areas, most notably in climate impact, packaging, human capital management, human rights, and animal welfare.

Climate Impact

Kroger formally committed to set a more aggressive greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target aligned with the requirements of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). The company's current 2030 goal is aligned with a well-below 2°C climate scenario; however, given the urgency for greater climate action, the goal will be strengthened to support a 1.5°C climate scenario. Kroger will also set a new Scope 3 goal for supply chain emissions reduction as part of its SBTi commitment. The company will share a detailed project roadmap for achieving the current GHG reduction goal by the end of the 2022 fiscal year.

Packaging 

Kroger completed an initial packaging baseline assessment to establish a plan to achieve its 2030 sustainable packaging goals, which include 100% recyclable, reusable and/or compostable Our Brands packaging by 2030. The baseline focused on grocery and fresh food products, as well as health, beauty, household supplies and cleaning items. Baseline findings show that 40% of in-scope Our Brands product packaging meets the company's definition of recyclable today when measured by weight.

In 2021, The Kroger Co. offered customers a way to recycle flexible plastic packaging in what the grocer says is the first program of its kind. The “Our Brands Recycling Program,” developed in partnership with TerraCycle, encourages customers to mail in flexible plastic Kroger-brands packaging. Once received, the collected packaging will be cleaned and melted into hard plastic that can be remolded to make new recycled products, the company says.

The company says it is an extension of its recently-launched Simple Truth Recycling Program, which up to now offered customers the opportunity to recycle the flexible packaging of products from Simple Truth, Kroger’s organic brand.

Environment + Energy Leader