Manomet, a grocery sustainability certification program, has certified 175 Giant Eagle stores as achieving Grocery Stewardship Certification (GSC). The certification recognizes the company’s commitment to incorporating operational sustainability best practices in stores, reducing its environmental impact and saving resources.
Giant Eagle operates supermarkets in western Pennsylvania, North Central Ohio, northern West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana. The company says it has been working toward chain-wide GSC since 2015. During this time, each supermarket location has identified a designated sustainability coach and completed the workbook-based program designed to foster continuous improvement and increase accountability.
“Giant Eagle has long been dedicated to conserving natural resources through the implementation of environmentally-minded business practices and specialized training methods,” said Giant Eagle spokesperson Dan Donovan. “The Grocery Stewardship Certification has provided us a unique opportunity to further engage our team members in the company-wide investment in sustainability.”
As a result of its focus on sustainability, Giant Eagle annually saves:
• Nearly 6,000 tons of waste from going to landfills;
• More than 45 million gallons of water from being used; and
• Approximately 260,000 tons of greenhouse gas from being released.
Giant Eagle says its commitment to sustainability extends to all parts of its operations. In recent years, the supermarket chain has been recognized by the EPA’s GreenChill, Energy Star and the Green Power Partnership programs. It also received the 2014 Clean Fuels of Ohio Certificated Three-Star Green Fleets Award and Certificate of Commendation from an Ohio senator for environmentally friendly contributions.
“Giant Eagle has set a strong example for other food retailers with their work on sustainability,” said Peter Cooke, program manager for the GSC. “They are the first chain to successfully certify all of their participating investment they have put into the GSC, and other sustainability initiatives will help them operate more efficiently, save money and resources and ensure a better future for their employees, customers and communities. We are proud to have them in our program and look forward to working with them on their sustainability initiatives in coming years.”
