Meijer reaches 2025 greenhouse gas reduction goal
Meijer has met one of its key sustainability goals ahead of schedule.
The Michigan-based grocer has surpassed its 2025 goal of cutting carbon emissions by 50% one year early. Meijer set a target to reduce its Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 50% compared to 2018 levels, and achieved a 57% reduction in 2023.
Meijer credited its clear plan, senior leader involvement, and the work of its team members as keys to reaching the emissions goal one year early.
"At Meijer, we understand that to be a good company, we must be a good neighbor and we achieve that by serving our communities in multiple ways, including protecting the planet," said Meijer president and CEO Rick Keyes. "Our commitment to reducing carbon emissions would not have been possible without the dedication of our team members, who remain committed to integrating sustainability efforts into our daily operations. Together, we are not only driving positive change within the company but we're also setting an example for the industry, reinforcing that sustainable practices and business success go hand in hand."
Meijer implemented three key actions that it says improved its operational efficiency and contributed to its carbon emissions reduction milestone:
- Renewable energy investments: Meijer has taken a significant step toward reducing its carbon footprint by investing in virtual power purchase agreements with renewable solar and wind energy.
- Energy efficiency prioritization: Meijer has converted lighting at its retail facilities to energy-efficient LED, activated advanced building controls for optimized energy management. The retailer also prioritizes lifecycle asset management to replace equipment with more efficient options, and implements and tests new advanced technology, such as geothermal refrigeration.
- Refrigerant management: For the last four years, Meijer has achieved the lowest corporate-wide refrigerant emissions rate among all EPA GreenChill Program partners nationwide.
[READ MORE: EPA names 2023 GreenChill Program honorees]
Meijer serves customers at more than 500 supercenters, grocery stores, neighborhood markets and express locations throughout the Midwest.
