Corporate Responsibility

Sustainability is often confused with “going green,” but while environmental improvement is part of the picture, sustainability is bigger than that. It’s a strategy for individuals and organizations to thrive for the long term. Operating sustainably ensures an efficient, resilient and innovative organization that not only does less harm to people and the environment, but also does more good and makes a profit in the process. Because as many have pointed out, a business that loses money won’t be around to do anything very long.

NEW YORK -- Whole Foods Market has partnered with Gotham Greens to build the nation’s first commercial- scale greenhouse farm integrated within a supermarket. The 20,000-sq.-ft. greenhouse, which is currently under construction on the roof of the forthcoming Whole Foods Market store in Gowanus, Brooklyn, is scheduled to open in late 2013.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart and leading grocery suppliers, including Campbell's Soup, ConAgra Foods, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, General Mills, Kraft Foods Group, Kellogg Company, Mondelez International, Nestle USA, PepsiCo and Unilever, have joined forces to engage millions of customers and Walmart associates this spring and bring much needed food and funding to nonprofit organizations that work to fight hunger.

New York -- Whole Foods Market announced that Gotham Greens will be its operating partner in the nation’s first commercial- scale greenhouse farm integrated within a supermarket. The 20,000-sq.-ft. greenhouse, which is currently under construction on the roof of the forthcoming Whole Foods Market store in Gowanus, Brooklyn, is scheduled to open in late 2013.

AURORA, Colo. — Walgreens announced Monday an expansion of its relationship with SolarCity, saying the new power systems would reduce more than 47.5 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions over the next two decades.

The Colorado-based firm will install solar power systems at 22 Walgreens stores in 14 cities in the state over the next few months.

MAITLAND, Fla. — Publix Super Markets is supporting the March of Dimees with a new fundraising campaign taking place April 6 through the 27.

The cutout campaign coincides with March for Babies, the March of Dimes signature event, which occurs on April 27 in most areas. Associates will sell the cutouts at the checkout and ask customers to sign their name or the name of a baby they love, creating an impressive in-store display.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Belk announced that the company, and its associates, customers and vendors contributed more than $19.3 million to local communities in the fiscal year ending Jan. 31. Of the total amount, Belk corporate dollars funded $6.2 million to more than 250 nonprofit organizations, with a focus on education, breast cancer research and awareness, and community strengthening.

ATLANTA — Newell Rubbermaid announced plans to open a new design center by early 2014 in Kalamazoo, Mich. This will enable Newell Rubbermaid to add depth in new design specialties, join a strong local presence of design-led companies including Herman Miller , Steelcase, Whirlpool, Stryker and Wolverine, as well as participate in a growing educational community that includes Western Michigan University.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. revealed in a Tuesday SEC filing that it will most likely incur a loss from bribery probes into its operations in Mexico and other countries.

According to the filing, Wal-Mart said it expects to incur costs beyond the $157 million it spent on the probes in 2013, but didn’t elaborate on the amount or the size of the potential loss.

Minneapolis -- Supervalu announced plans to eliminate about 1,100 positions nationwide, or about 3% of its national workforce. The reductions include both current positions and open jobs that will not be filled.

The news comes less than a week after Supervalu completed the sale of five of its grocery banners, including Albertson’s and Shaws/Star Markets. The company said the sale of the five chains means that the remaining business will need "significantly fewer" corporate and store support roles and functions.