Office Depot honored for green initiatives

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. Office Depot’s green efforts have been recognized and awarded.

The office supplies store chain received the Environmental Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Transport Partnership, the company said Thursday.

Office Depot was recognized for its leadership in conserving energy and lowering greenhouse gas emissions from the company's transportation and freight activities. In the last year, Office Depot reduced its greenhouse gas emissions from the transport of products to customers and to Office Depot stores by 9.4%. Office Depot achieved this reduction in emissions output through a number of initiatives rolled out in 2006.

In order to join the SmartWay program, companies in the fields of shipping, logistics and freight carriers commit to a three-year program, tailored to each sector, which reduce the amount of emissions and wasted fuel.

In its shipping category, Office Depot became the first SmartWay shipper to calculate its entire transportation emissions footprint, including the emissions from all of its contract carriers. The company said it plans to annually track and improve this emissions trajectory.

"Our partnership with SmartWay Transport demonstrates that companies do have the opportunity to implement initiatives that are both environmentally and financially beneficial," said Mark Cartwright, vp of transportation for Office Depot. "Through our introduction of a wide range of environmental initiatives, including our fuel-efficient delivery fleet, Office Depot has secured a leadership role in the industry."