- On-line report outlines company's approach and provides targets across
Loblaw operations -
TORONTO, April 30 /CNW/ - Today Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw)
released its first-annual responsibility report at its 52nd Annual General
Meeting. The 2007 Loblaw Companies Limited Corporate Social Responsibility
Report: The Way We Do Business outlines the company's approach to social
responsibility and the values that support Loblaw's commitments and actions.
The report can be found as a PDF posted at loblaw.ca.
"The Loblaw team has inherited a strong legacy of social responsibility.
Meeting our obligations, in addition to those of creating value for our
shareholders, has been a long and proud tradition at Loblaw, with the core
pillars of responsibility embedded into our organization today," says
Galen G. Weston, Executive Chairman, Loblaw. "In the past year we embarked on
an ambitious turnaround with a simple, yet powerful objective - Making Loblaw
the Best Again. One area that remained constant was our commitment to social
responsibility. This first Loblaw report is an important early milestone in
the enduring and integrated way of doing business at Loblaw."
Loblaw's pillars of responsibility are driven by the company's mission to
be "Canada's best food, health and home retailer by exceeding customer
expectations through innovative products at great prices." The five pillars
are: Respect the Environment; Source with Integrity; Make a Positive
Difference in our Community; Reflect our Nation's Diversity; and Be a Great
Place to Work.
"This past year we worked steadily to set our strategy and confirm our
approach, we reviewed our current initiatives, mapped our stakeholders and
engaged with them, benchmarked ourselves against international CSR leaders and
discussed and debated our commitments. Most importantly, we were buoyed by the
work we already have underway and our commitment to do more," says
Daniel Tremblay, Senior Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility,
Loblaw. "Our pillars are being integrated into all of our business decisions,
and as a result, our customers, colleagues, vendors and the public will begin
to see our commitment more clearly through our actions."
Loblaw's ongoing commitment to social responsibility includes:
- The introduction of product lines offering consumers healthier eating
and environmentally responsible living options - the Too Good to be
True brand was introduced in 1991 and reintroduced in 2005 as
President's Choice Blue Menu, the President's Choice Organics line of
products was introduced in 2001 and the President's Choice Green
brand was introduced almost 20 years ago. Today these three brands
represent the leaders in their respective categories.
- The inception of President's Choice Children's Charity in 1989, which
today is one of the largest corporate charities in Canada, having
granted $8.8 million in 2007 to more than 1,000 families across
Canada.
- The support of local, regional and national community initiatives and
programs through giving and sponsorship; in 2007 this equated to
approximately $10 million.
- Being one of the first retailers to tackle the plastic grocery bag
challenge with the introduction of bagless stores and the
introduction of the President's Choice Green Reusable Shopping Bag -
Canada's Greenest Shopping Bag - made from post-consumer waste.
Among targets identified for 2008 include:
- Putting in place the systems required to track and divert one billion
plastic grocery bags from stores to landfill in 2009
- Opening of the company's second environmental flagship store
- Diverting 70 per cent of store waste from landfill and setting the
stage to reduce packaging across all control brand products
- Reducing electricity use and implementing two renewable energy pilots
- Reducing fleet fuel consumption and carbon remissions as a result of
electricity use
- Working with industry partners to develop an industry-wide carbon
footprint measure that is based on Scope 1 and Scope 2 criteria set
by the Carbon Disclosure Project
- Giving $10 million to local and national initiatives which support
the communities in which Loblaw operates, as well as raising and
granting an additional $10 million through President's Choice
Children's Charity
- Training 52,000 colleagues and opening six new Learning Stores
- Rolling-out a Colleague Discount initiative
In the development of Loblaw's social responsibility roadmap, Canadian
Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR), a national not-for-profit member
organization of businesses committed to implementing corporate social
responsibility in Canada, assisted the company in assessing current practices
and identifying gaps, as well as reviewing strategy and providing input into
identified priorities.
"With this first report, Loblaw is building on its long history of
community involvement and environmental responsibility," says Adine Mees
president and CEO, CBSR. "From its launch of Canada's first national
retail-branded environmentally responsible product line through the impact
made as a result of its innovation in energy efficiency, Loblaw continues to
advance its leadership across all areas of corporate citizenship. We applaud
Loblaw for taking this voluntary step to report on its efforts, and our hope
is that it encourages others to follow suit."
ABOUT LOBLAW COMPANIES LIMITED
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Loblaw Companies Limited is Canada's largest food distributor and a
leading provider of general merchandise, drugstore and financial products and
services. Through its various operating banners, Loblaw is committed to
providing Canadians with a one-stop destination in meeting their food and
everyday household needs. This goal is pursued through a portfolio of store
formats across the country. It also offers one of Canada's strongest control
label programs, including the unique President's Choice(R) and no name(R)
brands. Loblaw is one of the largest private-sector employers in Canada,
employing over 140,000 full-time and part-time employees.
For further information: Danielle Rouleau, Loblaw Companies Limited,
(905) 459-2500 x3639, danielle.rouleau@loblaw.ca