Wal-Mart is pretty hot on sustainability initiatives, but its UK subsidiary, ASDA, is really focused:
ASDA CELEBRATES DOUBLE AWARDS SUCCESS
Supermarket Wins Two Prestigious
Environmental Awards In One Week
ASDA is today celebrating what was another golden night for the company after scooping the ‘Most Environmentally Friendly Retailer’ award at this year’s prestigious People in Retail Awards held in London last night [3rd October 2007].
The news comes less than week after ASDA was named ‘Multiple Environmental Retailer of the Year’ at the Retail Industry Awards, proving that the supermarket really is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to sustainable retailing.
ASDA won its latest accolade for its common-sense approach and commitment to the environment, beating off strong competition from the likes of Tesco, B&Q and Dixons.
As well as highlighting ASDA’s commitment to reducing waste, eliminating packaging and saving energy, the award-winning entry impressed judges with its highly successful community and colleague-based initiatives, including its ‘Get Involved’ project and Green Diary for colleagues.
Chief Executive Andy Bond said, “To win two awards in just one week is a tremendous result. They are certainly a testament to our hard work and innovation”.
ASDA’s heritage of green retailing dates back to the 1980s when Archie Norman coined the phrase, ‘We hate waste of any kind’. Since then ASDA has built on this principle to lead the field when it comes to sustainable retailing.
Among ASDA’s “green” initiatives:
— Reducing waste
It is committed to sending zero waste to landfill by 2010
— Eliminating packaging
It is committed to reducing its own brand food packaging weight and carrier bag usage by 25% by the end of 2008.
— Saving energy
It is committed to reduce the CO2 emissions from stores and depots by 20% by 2012.
ASDA has a specialist environment team that is continually looking at innovative ways to reduce its impact on the environment.
The team covers areas as diverse as packaging, recycling, waste management, energy and water use, through to transport and store development
Bully for them! However, we’ve been doing a lot of consumer research in this area and can say that many consumers are skeptical that all this stuff isn’t just another way to increase profits.
From our perspective here at the Pundit, where we seem to get a notice of a British multiple getting a “green”-related award every day, most presented at a lavish hotel banquet, we wonder if someone shouldn’t do a carbon footprint study of all these awards ceremonies!
Seriously, congratulations to ASDA on being recognized for its initiatives.
