Sustainability

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.

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.

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, Col.  -- Walgreens has expanded its renewable energy initiative to Colorado. Clean-energy provider SolarCity announced it will implement solar systems at 22 Walgreens stores across 14 different cities in Colorado in the coming months, with the first installation completed in Aurora.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Regency Centers announced Thursday that, through its 2012 “greengenuity” program, it increased annual energy savings by 75%, achieved LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for three projects, and tripled the amount of construction and demolition material recycled during the year.
 

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.

Best Buy, Costco, Petco and four other retailers were among a group of 145 companies identified as the World’s Most Ethical companies by Ethisphere.