Sustainability

Target is expanding its sustainable products offering with a new collection called “Made to Matter — Handpicked by Target.”

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart, a pioneer in the use of LED lighting in its freezer cases and parking lots, is now extending its use of LEDs to the sales floor. The retailer plans to install energy-efficient LED ceiling lighting from GE in its new supercenters in the United States, along with stores in Asia, Latin America, and the United Kingdom.

First it was signage and then came the freezer case and parking lots. Now Walmart and GE are moving forward with their biggest lighting initiative to date.

The companies announced plans to use GE LED lights in ceiling fixtures in hundreds of stores throughout the U.S., Asia, Latin Amerian and the United Kingdom. The new fixtures use 40% less energy than traditional overhead lighting systems and move Walmart forward on its goal of reducing energy required to power its buildings globally by 20% by 2020. It is Walmart’s largest purchase of GE LED lighting to date.

Niwot, Colo. -- Crocs Inc. has opened its first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified store, in Syracuse, N.Y. As detailed in Crocs’ new 2013 sustainability report, the store is certified at the LEED Silver level and features a high-efficiency LED lighting system and low-VOC and sustainable building materials.

BJ's Charitable Foundation has donated 70 grants totaling $431,000 to several nonprofit organizations whose goals are to help improve the lives of local residents in the areas surrounding BJ's Wholesale Clubs.

The funds will go toward healthcare, education, hunger prevention and self-sufficiency.

Atlanta -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named The Home Depot as a 2014 Energy Star Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence for its outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through promotion of energy-efficient products. The Home Depot, an Energy Star partner since 2001, will be honored for its leadership in its long-term commitment to energy efficiency through promotion of energy-efficient products that earn the Energy Star, the government-backed symbol of energy efficiency.

Best Buy, Staples, Home Depot, 3M and Colgate-Palmolive were among the many retailer and CPG companies to be recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy as recipients of the 2014 Energy Star Partner of the Year Award.

A total of 127 companies were received the Energy Star Partner of the Year distinction and were selected from a total of 16,000 Energy Start partners overall in the areas of manufacturing, retailing, public schools, hospitals, real estate companies and home builders.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized Sears Holdings with a 2014 Energy Star Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award. Sears Holdings, an Energy Star partner since 1998, will be honored for its long-term commitment to energy efficiency.

The company's related accomplishments in 2013 included: