Williams-Sonoma expands sustainability efforts with tree initiative
A leading specialty home furnishings retailer is doubling a commitment to ensure the Earth stays “green.”
Williams-Sonoma Inc. is pledging to plant 6 million trees by 2023 in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation. This new goal doubles Williams-Sonoma’s original commitment made by its Pottery Barn brand in January 2021 to plant 3 million trees within the same timeframe.
To date, Pottery Barn has planted over 1.5 million trees as part of the brand’s tree planting program with the Arbor Day Foundation, which plants one tree following the purchase of every indoor wood furniture item. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, the estimated impact of the 1.5 million trees Pottery Barn has planted to date includes the absorption of 1.1 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere, the removal of 68,000 tons of pollutants from the air, and the filtration of 1.5 million gallons of water.
As part of the new goal, all of Williams-Sonoma’s home-furnishing brands -Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, West Elm, Rejuvenation and Williams Sonoma Home - have also signed on for the one-for-one purchasing program, replicating Pottery Barn’s model where the purchase of each piece of indoor wood furniture results in the planting of a tree.
Throughout the month of April 2022, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, West Elm, and Williams Sonoma Home will also be accepting donations on behalf of the Arbor Day Foundation, and each dollar collected will plant a tree.
Williams-Sonoma plants trees – and more
The tree planting program is one part of Williams-Sonoma’s larger sustainability strategy, which includes commitments to responsibly harvested wood. On Earth Day (April 22) 2021, the retailer set new climate goals, which include becoming 100% carbon-neutral in scope 1 and 2 emissions (caused directly by fuel combustion and indirectly by purchasing power) by 2025.
By 2030, Williams-Sonoma is committing to a 50% absolute reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions and 14% absolute reduction in Scope 3 emissions from materials, production, transportation, and product use. To reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions, the company will focus on efficiency, retrofitting its systems and upgrading to more energy-efficient equipment across its offices, stores and distribution centers, to reduce the energy used to power its operations.
Additionally, it will install solar where appropriate, purchase green power when possible, and support new renewable energy projects through power purchase agreements (PPAs). To lower scope 3 emissions in its value chain, the company will develop a preferred materials strategy and switch to lower-impact options, like recycled polyester, as well as work with key suppliers to set reduction and renewable strategies and roadmaps. Williams-Sonoma will also increase more efficient delivery for direct-to-consumer sales, in an effort to ensure customers receive its product in the lowest-impact way.
“Our teams are dedicated to improving the quality of life at home for our customers,” said Laura Alber, president and CEO of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. “We are proud of the progress Pottery Barn has made by planting over 1.5 million trees to date. By including all of our home-furnishings brands in our tree planting program, we are creating additional opportunities for our company and our customers to make a difference.”
The contribution of Williams-Sonoma, Inc.’s six million trees will also be counted toward non-profit lt.org’s initiative to conserve, restore and grow one trillion trees by 2030. To learn more about the initiative, click here.