Impact Awards 2022: SEG, Sustainability/Resource Conservation
Retailers, product suppliers and service providers across the private label industry work on a daily basis to provide consumers quality products that offer great value and enhance their lives. But many companies go above and beyond, and take steps daily to protect the environment, enhance diversity programs, implement unique workforce initiatives, support needed community programs and more.
To honor the work of companies across our industry, Store Brands’ 2022 Impact Awards features several leading organizations that throughout the year have taken steps to support their customers and communities beyond the walls of their stores or manufacturing facilities.
The following profiles showcase the work of companies in several important categories: Sustainability and Resource Conservation; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Ethical Sourcing and Supply Chain Transparency; Workforce Development and Employee Support; Community Service and Local Impact; Educational Support and Learning Advancement; Food Security, Safety and Nutritional Leadership; and Philanthropic Innovation and Corporate Giving Initiatives.
Company: Southeastern Grocers
Impact Award: Sustainability/Resource Conservation
Sustainability has evolved from a trend to an important way of doing business for retailers, and
companies including Southeastern Grocers (SEG) have taken steps to enhance their efforts with the goal of protecting the environment.
To continue building a sustainable future for years to come, SEG has aligned goals and objectives with six specific United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to address hunger, health, education, inequalities, responsible consumption and production, and ocean conservation.
In 2021, the company prioritized waste management by recycling nearly 50% more food than the year before, recycled 134 million pounds of cardboard to save more than 1.1 million trees and introduced digital receipts as an eco-friendly option for its customers to support the planet. Additionally, SEG transitioned 87 stores to energy efficient LED light bulbs and added three Tesla Supercharger stations to support electric vehicle transportation and reduce emissions.
The company also decreased the use of more than 2.3 million plastic bags while supporting more than 3,200 local nonprofits through its reusable Community Bag and Giving Tag program. To support the sustainable disposal of e-waste products, SEG deployed EcoATMs at 27 stores across the Southeast. Through this initiative, customers are able to sell their unwanted cell phones, tablets and MP3 players to be properly deconstructed and repurposed, resulting in 4,000 devices appropriately disposed of in 2021 alone.
As SEG moves forward, company officials said they are focused on continuing to put people first and constantly find ways to improve. As a large retailer with stores across several states, the company said it understands its responsibility to respect the planet and support local communities.