Special Report: Leading the Way to a Better Planet
Staples has set numerous goals for its environmental sustainability program, including reducing the use of packaging materials in the U.S. by 20 percent by 2020; recycling 100 million ink and toner cartridges each year across all operations by 2020; recycling 40 million pounds of e-waste each year globally by 2020; reducing waste to landfill by 25 percent globally by 2020; reducing the electrical intensity of its global operations by 25 percent by 2020; ensuring that 50 percent of its U.S. stores achieve Energy Star registration by 2020; and reducing global carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2020.
"We're proud of our ability to have a beneficial impact on the environment while meeting the needs of our customers," said Ron Sargent, chairman and CEO of Staples, in the company's 2011 Annual Report. "Our priorities include selling more sustainable products and services, offering easy recycling solutions, eliminating operational waste, maximizing energy efficiency, and becoming a sustainability leader in the global community."
Some highlights of Staples' recent sustainability efforts include the following:
- Staples has collected more than 71.5 million ink and toner cartridges and more than 21.5 million pounds of technology waste.
- At year's end, 16 percent (286) of Staples' active facilities had received Energy Star certification.
- At the end of 2011, Staples had 36 solar installations at its facilities and purchased more than 340 million kWh of green power.
- Staples used 53 all-electric trucks to make deliveries to customers in multiple markets across the country. The trucks meet all performance requirements, helping reduce fuel costs and air pollution.
- Staples has reduced electrical consumption by 12 percent and natural gas consumption by 19 percent in its Canadian brick-and-mortar stores since 2010 through the use of centralized lighting and temperature set point controls, a "Lights Out" educational campaign, and lamp replacements and improvements.
These three cross-channel retailers have realized that their environmental sustainability efforts not only have a positive impact on the environment, but also have a positive impact on their bottom line. Increased sales and cost savings teamed with a better planet truly makes it a win-win scenario.
