Corporate Responsibility

Los Angeles -- Construction has begun on Nadel Architects-designed Juanita Tate Marketplace, a 77,096-sq.-ft. outdoor retail center in South Los Angeles. Owned by Regency Centers, the $21 million development will bring a full-service grocery and retail center to the highly underserved surrounding community.

The center is being designed by Nadel Architects.

Lowe’s has launched a dedicated fleet of natural gas-powered trucks at its regional distribution center in Mount Vernon, Texas. Lowe's dedicated fleet at Mount Vernon is among the first serving a major retail distribution center in North America to run solely on natural gas.

With the transition from a diesel-fueled fleet to trucks powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), Lowe's expects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions nearly 20% and control fuel costs as it transports up to 68 truckloads each day to stores in Texas, La. and Okla.

Benicia, Calif. — Cycle Gear has announced the opening of its first New York State store in Hicksville. With this new location, Cycle Gear has stores in 31 states. Company officials said this is the first of many planned stores in New York.

Employee-owned and enthusiast-driven, Cycle Gear is an active member of the riding community, sponsoring local events and working with new and experienced riders to help them find just the right gear.

Seattle – Close to two million customers and employees have signed Starbucks Coffee Company’s “Come Together” petition that seeks to break the current deadlock in Washington. The petition urges the nation’s elected leaders to reopen the federal government, pay debts on time and pass a bi-partisan and comprehensive long-term budget deal by the end of the year has close to two million signatures.

Rogers, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores is focused on near-term execution to grow its same-store U.S. sales, improve returns in Walmart International and leverage expenses for the full year, company president and CEO Mike Duke said Tuesday at the company’s 20th annual meeting for the investment community.
    

Dhaka, Bangladesh – Another deadly fire has reportedly hit a garment factory in Bangladesh. According to Bloomberg, an Oct. 8 blaze at a garment factory near the Bangladesh capital city of Dhaka killed 10 workers and injured more than 50.

Lumber Liquidators spokesman Clint Roberts responded to sister publication HCN's requests for comment regarding the ongoing federal investigation into its sourcing practices. Multiple reports have suggested that the investigation is linked to the Environmental Investigation Agency, which claims the retailer is purchasing wood illegally in protected forests in Far East Russia.

Los Angeles -- Rite Aid Corp. has been ordered to pay more than $12 million to settle a civil environmental protection lawsuit filed in California claiming about 600 of its stores illegally dumped pesticides, bleach and other toxics, the Associated Press reported.

The lawsuit was filed last month by the district attorneys of Los Angeles, San Joaquin and Riverside counties, with a total of 52 California district attorneys joining the civil action.

Atlanta - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized The Home Depot with a 2013 WaterSense Retail Partner of the Year award. The Home Depot was honored during the WaterSmart Innovations Conference for its commitment to water efficiency and outstanding efforts to support the WaterSense program during 2012.