Sustainability

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — In honor of Earth Day, Sears Holdings is currently offering several discounts and product promotions designed to help customers improve their environmental performance. These include up to 25% off all Energy Star qualified appliances at Sears plus up to 25% off all dryers plus extra 5% off all appliances with your Sears card through April 19.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores’ efforts to reduce waste and boost recycling added $231 million to its bottom line last year, company CFO Charles Holley said at the chain’s 2012 Global Sustainability Milestone Meeting.

Other speakers at the event, which was web cast live, included Mike Duke, president and CEO, Walmart; Doug McMillon, president and CEO, Walmart International; and Bill Simon, president and CEO, Walmart U.S.
 

Buffalo Grove, Ill. -- Siemens Building Technologies Division announced that Michaels Stores recently rolled out a series of Siemens advanced extensions to the Site Controls’ energy management system (EMS). The extensions will provide Michaels a cash-on-cash payback of 20 months, and an ROI exceeding 90%. In addition, the investment will drive further reductions in Michaels’ carbon footprint, the environmental equivalent of 5,600 cars from the road each year.

Energy efficiency is one of the key benefits of using LED lighting. But there are plenty of other reasons to incorporate LEDs into retail stores, Sally Lee, applications marketing manager for Osram Sylvania, told attendees at the session, “Spotlight on LED: Getting the Dirt on Rare Earth Minerals.”

Eden Prairie, Minn. -- Supervalu is moving ahead with its sustainability efforts by increasing the number of stores that will divert 90% or more of their waste from local landfills by the end of the current fiscal year.

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu has made three new executive appointments following the departure of Sue Klug, president of its Albertsons Southern California division.

Dan Sanders has been tapped to head Albertsons Southern California, Keith Wyche will lead Acme and Brian Audette has been named president at Cub Foods.

Retail facades and storefronts have come under increased scrutiny in recent years for the important role they play in brand identity. Chain Store Age talked with Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope’s Kent Baumann about trends in building envelope solutions and how the industry is evolving.

NEW YORK — Macy's will soon have a Brazilian feel when the company debuts "O Mercado, the Market at Macy's" on April 22 in about 300 stores and online at Macys.com. The company describes O Mercado as a curated shop of Brazilian products, and it is the next installation of the retailer's "Brasil: A Magical Journey" campaign, which will officially kick off on May 16.