Corporate Responsibility

Pleasanton, Calif. - Safeway has released its sixth annual sustainability report, informed by the Global Reporting Initiative G3 Guidelines. The online report, titled "Heart of Safeway," includes 2013 performance highlights such as hiring 1,833 military veterans and scoring 100% in the Human Rights Campaign Buyer's Guide and Corporate Equality Index

Other highlights include:

The nonprofit charity arm of Stater Bros. Markets has promoted Nancy Negrette to executive director.
 
In her new position, Negrette will work with Stater Bros. Charities CEO Sally Atkinson to oversee the nonprofit’s efforts in the areas the company’s employees work.
 

Mars has named Debra A. Sandler as its chief health and wellbeing officer and elevated Tracey Massey to the role Sandler previously held as the acting president of Mars Chocolate, North America.

The creation of the chief health and wellbeing officer role is a reflection of the strategic priority that the company is placing on issues such as global food security, safety and quality, as well as on improving the nutritional value of its portfolio.

Rockland, Mass. – Tedeschi Food Shops is promoting Greg Donoghue to COO. Donoghue succeeds Robert Tedeschi Jr., who retired in June after nearly 39 years of service. In his role, Greg will oversee all operations and facilitates collaboration and project management oversight for all departmental interaction with stores.

With the official start of summer underway, one-third of small to medium-size business owners (SMBs) say they will not be able to take a vacation this year, according to the latest Small Business Index conducted by Office Depot.

Those who are able to get away this year can do so because they have reliable staff to cover for them while they are away from the office (35%) and have technology that keeps them connected no matter where they are (32%).

Brooklyn, N.Y. - In partnership with its largest rug supplier, Raj Overseas, West Elm has established a fair trade certified factory for handcrafted rugs in India. Fair trade certification ensures that the rugs are made in safe working conditions and that workers are justly compensated, delivering a premium back to the worker to invest in causes of their choice.

Sears Holdings has named Kristin M. Coleman as SVP, general counsel and corporate secretary. Coleman most recently served as Brunswick Corporation's VP, general counsel and corporate secretary.

A lot of retailers hold contests, but few discover winners as worthy of recognition as the difference-makers who participated in specialty retailer Christopher & Banks inaugural Amazing Women contest.

The operator of 543 stores recently named the winners of its Amazing Women contest that was launched in April in conjunction with Mother’s Day. More than 1,700 nominations were received in the contest that sought to celebrate the women who raise, cheer on, care for and support future generations.

Ikea has partnered with Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization, to sponsor an in-store program that supports national children's hunger programs.

These programs include giving free meals and snacks to low income children, as well as giving out nutritious easy-to-prepare food for children to take home on weekends, in addition to other programs to meet the needs of hungry children.

New York -- Target Corp. on Wednesday requested that customers no longer carry guns in its stores.

The retailer found itself embroiled in controversy when gun-rights activists in Texas and several other states chose Target stores to demonstrate their belief in the right to openly bear arms. In response, the chain came under heavy fire from groups such as "Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense" and others who expressed concern about firearms being carried into an environment where the shoppers are often accompanied by children.