Corporate Responsibility

New York City -- Barnes & Noble revealed late Thursday that media conglomerate Liberty Media has acquired a stake in the bookseller for $204 million.

The move, while celebrated by Barnes & Noble, is thought to be a disappointment for investors, who wanted the John C. Malone-controlled Liberty Media to buy Barnes & Noble outright. Liberty’s current investments include Starz Entertainment, home shopping channel QVC and the Atlanta Braves baseball team.

Jackson, Miss. -- Altar’d State, retailer of apparel and accessories, as well as home goods, personal care products, and books and music, opened a new store at the Renaissance at Colony Park, in Jackson, Miss., on Aug. 13.

Located across from P.F. Chang’s, between Talbots and Cellular South, Altar’d State makes it a practice to support charitable causes in each community it locates in. 

Salisbury, N.C. -- Grocery chain Food Lion said Tuesday that two of its stores have earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2011 Gold-Level GreenChill Store Certification Award, one of the agency's highest honors for refrigeration.

The stores are located in Conyers, Ga., and in Columbia, S.C.

Food Lion became a founding partner with the EPA's GreenChill program in 2007. Since that time, the grocer joined other food retailers to reduce refrigerant emissions and decrease impact on the ozone layer and climate change. Food Lion has won GreenChill's Distinguished Partner Award and its Superior Environmental Achievement Award in the past.

"Our company is committed to going beyond simply reducing refrigerants," said Susan Sollenberger, director of energy, maintenance and equipment purchasing at Delhaize America South. "In addition to reducing emissions through the EPA's GreenChill partnership, we contin

Albuquerque, N.M. -- Kroger Co. said Tuesday that its Smith's Food & Drug Stores division has completed the installation of photovoltaic energy panels at two Albuquerque, N.M. stores.

The solar energy output from these two store systems is 320,000 kWh, eliminating the need for that amount of energy from fossil fuel sources. It is estimated this energy savings would heat and cool 30 homes in New Mexico for one year; is the equivalent of planting 57 acres of trees; or removing 40 cars from the road.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Kroger announced that two of its Smith's stores in Albuquerque, N.M., have installed photovoltaic energy panels.

The solar energy system on the roof of each Smith's store consists of 442 panels, each containing cells that convert sunlight into direct current electricity, Kroger said. Smith's was selected to be among the first Kroger division stores to install photovoltaic panels.

New York City -- Barneys New York said Monday it is teaming up with pop singer Lady Gaga on a holiday campaign and Christmas window display to be called Gaga’s Workshop.

The luxury department store retailer said that, in addition to the Gaga-themed window display, it will devote an entire floor of its Madison Avenue flagship to Gaga’s Workshop. The campaign will also feature limited-edition gift items and specially themed holiday shopping bags and packaging.

SALISBURY, N.C. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded two Food Lion stores its 2011 gold-level GreenChill store certification award.

The stores are located in Conyers, Ga., and Columbia, S.C. Food Lion became a founding partner with the EPA's GreenChill program in 2007.

LOS ANGELES — Kroger banners Ralphs and Food 4 Less have both announced fundraising campaigns to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure affiliates in California. 

Customers and associates at both stores can support their local Susan G. Komen for the Cure affiliate by donating their spare change in collection canisters located at the checkstands in their neighborhood Ralphs of Food 4 Less Supermarket.The Komen fundraising camSupaign will run through Nov. 5, 2011.