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What can supermarkets do to cut their emissions, reshape their social impact and scale their impact? Inspired by some tangible examples from Irish retailers SuperValu and Centra shared at the AIB Sustainability Conference "It's Time to Act", we prepared a snapshot of some key actions grocery retailers from across the world can take in their journey to impact. For some more specific stories from SuperValu and Centra, take a look at the Musgrave sustainability reports.
🌐 Holistic Sustainability Strategy:
Develop a holistic sustainability strategy with pillars focusing on environmental responsibility, engagement with stakeholders such as those in the value chain, workers, customers and communities, and governance.
Align business practices with global initiatives and Net Zero standards to ensure a unified industry approach.
🌱 Carbon Reduction:
Do some research to understand your individual store(s) needs and then implement tailored energy-efficient practices.
Invest in renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, to reduce carbon footprint.
Set and track achievable carbon reduction targets, aligning with global sustainability standards.
🤝 Investment and Collaboration:
Foster collaboration with stakeholders, suppliers, and sustainability funds to pool resources for impactful initiatives.
Allocate investments for store-level sustainability projects, such as infrastructure upgrades, LED lighting, and energy-efficient technologies.
🔄 Engage with your Communities and Producers:
Sponsor local community programmes and initiatives that aim to positive impact emissions, biodiversity, and waste.
Embrace responsible sourcing by supporting local producers and participating in programmes that promote sustainable farm-to-fork.
💡 Industry Leadership and Collaboration:
Take a leadership role in addressing industry challenges such as climate change, plastic packaging, and ethical trade.
Collaborate with industry partners, suppliers, and producers to drive collective efforts for emissions reduction, biodiversity preservation, and circular economy practices.
By adopting these kinds of actions, grocery retailers can rethink Business as Usual and play an active role in driving a more sustainable future. If you're interested in how Colectivo can help you in this process, reach out to us at hello@colectivo.ie and follow us on LinkedIn for more information! https://www.linkedin.com/company/colectivo-impact/