The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. LLC has made progress in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Massachusetts, where it currently operates 131 stores.
In 2008, Stop & Shop committed to reducing its carbon footprint by 20 percent by 2015. The company made the announcement on April 4 at Stop & Shop’s LEED-certified store in Wayland, Mass.
The company also renewed its partnership with the Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM), as a member of the ELM Corporate Council, and recommitted to furthering the goals of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its Global Warming Solutions Act to reduce GHG emissions by 25 percent by 2020 and 85 percent by 2050.
“Stop & Shop is committed to responsible retailing knowing that what’s good for society is good for business too,” says Joe Kelley, president of Stop & Shop New England. “We continuously strive for ways in which we can make a positive impact in the communities we serve. Our partnership with ELM will help us continue to drive our sustainability efforts and help us contribute significantly to the state’s overall sustainability mission.”
Today, 54 stores across the banner including 16 in Massachusetts use 20 percent less energy than a typical grocery store and are LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) certified. New energy saving features include, but are not limited to, white roofing, skylights, LED lights, low air return in frozen isles, low flow bathrooms/prep areas, sensors, coolers/refrigerators and paint/cleaning supplies. Stop & Shop also uses energy efficient trucks for transport and is a member of EPA’s Smart Way program.
To put the company’s efforts in perspective, 73 homes in Massachusetts and nearly 500 homes across New England could be powered annually solely on Stop & Shop’s solar power installation efforts.
“Stop & Shop is a corporate leader and role model for the industry in terms of environmental stewardship,” says George Bachrach, president of the Environmental League of Massachusetts. “We formed the ELM Corporate Council because we believe the environment and the economy are inextricably linked. We can be both pro-growth and pro-environment if we take care to develop energy efficient buildings and transportation. Stop & Shop is living proof it is good business and good for the community.”
“Stop & Shop and ELM have been leaders in demonstrating that protecting the environment and strengthening the economy are not in conflict. We can do both, and the Wayland store is a tangible example,” says State Rep. Tom Conroy of Wayland (13th Middlesex District).
In addition, Phillip Griffiths, Under Secretary in the Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs, represented the Governor and offered his congratulations to Stop & Shop for their leadership in the fight against global warming.
For additional information on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Global Warming Solutions Act, visit the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection or the Environmental League of Massachusetts. And, for more around what’s being done in-store, visit www.stopandshop.com.
In feature photo at top: Jihad Rizkallah (center), VP of responsible retailing at Ahold USA, the parent company of Stop & Shop, explains Stop & Shop’s leading role in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts April 4. At its Wayland, Mass. store, that boasts many sustainable features like electric car chargers and more than 600 solar panels, Stop & Shop announced its commitment to a 20 percent reduction of its carbon footprint by 2015 through its ongoing partnership with the Environmental League of Massachusetts. (Photo: Business Wire)
