7-Eleven to reduce its environmental footprint

Dallas-based 7-Eleven Inc. said it is working with Conservation International (CI), a nonprofit organization headquartered in Arlington, Va., to set measurable corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals to reduce its environmental footprint.

7-Eleven’s CSR mission has three focus areas: planet, products and people. Using the year 2015 as a baseline, 7-Eleven said it will continue to reduce its carbon footprint and increase community engagement in the United States and Canada by concentrating on energy, packaging and philanthropy.

In the next 10 years, 7-Eleven said it hopes to reduce its energy footprint in stores and offices by 20 percent and its packaging footprint by 20 percent.

In the past seven years, 7-Eleven said it has decreased electricity use in store operations by an estimated 21 percent through projects that include the installation of LED lighting, energy management systems and high-efficiency HVAC units. 7-Eleven also joined CI’s Business and Sustainability Council, a forum for corporate leaders taking positive environmental actions in their businesses, to explore mutually beneficial ways to further reduce its environmental impact.

The retailer said it is designing "eco-friendly" packaging, including a recyclable stay-hot coffee cup, private brand beverage bottles made with recycled materials and hot foods packaging made with less material, to reduce waste. And starting in 2017, 7-Eleven will tie its corporate giving to its performance, giving back 1 percent of its operating net income annually with a focus on expanding participation in two of its most successful programs benefitting youth: Project A-Game and Operation Chill.