Canada's Loblaw's 2023 ESG report emphasises sustainability

“Our leadership in ESG is rooted in our purpose to help Canadians Live Life Well®, with twin pillars of advancing social equity and fight climate change, creating positive change for our business and the communities that we serve. In this our 17th ESG report we reflect on the achievements made in 2023.” – Sandra Kessler, Vice President ESG Integration & Reporting.

Key achievements for 2023 include:

Addressing Food Waste and Insecurity:

Diverted over 78,000 metric tonnes of food from landfills through food rescue initiatives and increased donations, including nearly 47 million pounds of food donated to food charities through the Feed More FamiliesTM program.

Fighting Climate Change:

Reduced carbon emissions by 11% relative to a 2020 baseline and invested nearly $44 million in 490 carbon reduction initiatives.

Promoting a Cleaner Environment:

Successfully converted almost two-thirds of control brand plastic packaging as part of the goal to make it all 100% recyclable or reusable by 2025.

Nurturing Future Generations:

Over 990,000 children fed through the President’s Choice Children’s Charity, the nation’s largest charitable direct-to-school food program.

Improving Access to Care:

Operated 70 pharmacy care clinics across Canada, filled 169.2 million prescriptions and administered 2.1 million flu shots, while also donating 14 million period products through partnerships with Proctor & Gamble and Kimberly-Clark.

Supporting Health Equity for Women:

The Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health contributed more than $11 million in support to over 370 women’s health organizations across Canada working to improve women’s access to mental health care and support programs.

Making Meaningful Contributions:

Raised and donated a record $180 million for research initiatives, charities, and non-profits across Canada including the Salvation Army, World Wildlife Fund Canada and Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Response, among others.

Representation:

Increased representation of women in executive roles to 46% and increased our proportion of women in management roles to 39% on track to achieve our goal of 40% by the end of 2024.

Increased representation of visible minorities in management roles to 32% and our Executives to 28%, achieving our 2024 goal of 30% and 25% representation, respectively.

Ensuring Diversity and Inclusion:

Trained over 166,000 colleagues or employees on fundamental DEI topics in addition to over 3 million training courses completed through virtual and/or in-person classes and self-paced learning.

Partner Quotes:

“For almost 40 years, Loblaw has been one of Second Harvest's most important partners. Their impact extends well beyond providing funding to support our operations. Every single year, Loblaw donates more food than the year before, enrolls more stores on to the Second Harvest Food Rescue App, prevents more greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere and feeds many more families in the process. Thanks to Loblaw, millions of Canadians and the planet we call home have a brighter, healthier future.” - Lori Nikkel, CEO, Second Harvest.

“Food Banks Canada is grateful for our long-term partnership with Loblaw and the support that we have received, especially at such a critical time when food bank usage continues to rise across the country,” shared Kirstin Beardsley, Chief Executive Officer, Food Banks Canada. “Thanks to their 2023 contributions we were able to provide over 19 million meals to communities from coast to coast to coast. Funds raised through their two annual campaigns and millions of pounds of rescued surplus food have been a lifeline for so many in need. Loblaw’s strong support of northern communities through our Emergency Food Access Grant, allowed us to reach even more vulnerable families and individuals by providing critical funds to fill food bank shelves, and provide essential groceries staples like, meat, dairy, eggs, and vegetables to those who need them most. Thank you, Loblaw, for the significant contributions which have made a such a positive impact across Canadian communities. It is through the company’s unwavering support that we can continue working towards our vision of a Canada where no one goes hungry, we are truly proud to partner with them and thankful for their dedication and commitment.” - Kirstin Beardsley - CEO, Food Banks Canada.

“Loblaw, with their employees and customers, is making a critical contribution to communities, nature and wildlife in Canada at a time when it’s needed most. As populations of at-risk wildlife continue to decline and the threat of climate change continues to rise, Loblaw is helping WWF-Canada achieve our bold 10-year plan to Regenerate Canada, creating a better future for the planet.” – Megan Leslie, President and CEO, World Wildlife Fund Canada.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)