PHOENIX, June 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sprouts Farmers Market, one of the largest and fastest growing specialty retailers of fresh, natural and organic food in the United States, today published its 2022 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report highlighting the healthy grocer’s commitment to taking good care of the planet, people and local communities. The company’s work focuses on offering sustainably and responsibly sourced products, eliminating waste and fighting hunger, reducing its carbon footprint, and plastics reduction.
“I’m proud to share the strong progress we made in our ESG initiatives over the past year. Our success is rooted in our philosophy of ‘doing well by doing good’ which underscores the importance of operating our business in a way that demonstrates care for our team members, customers, communities, vendor partners, and the planet,” said Brandon Lombardi, chief sustainability officer of Sprouts Farmers Market.
Highlights from the 2022 report include:
Sustainable & Responsible Sourcing
- $3.2 billion in sales of products with a social or environmental attribute
- 26% of products sold were organic and plant-based alternatives sales grew 21%
- Over $200 million in sales of products from minority- and women-owned businesses
Climate
- Completed scope 3 carbon emissions inventory.
- 51k MT CO2e averted through food waste recovery efforts.
Waste
- 32 million pounds of food donated, equating to 27 million meals, 45% of which was healthy produce.
- 87% food waste recovery rate and 69% total landfill diversion rate
Packaging and Plastics
- Committed to 100% reusable bags at checkout by the end of 2023.
- 2.5 million meat trays transitioned from polystyrene to recyclable PET trays.
Team Members
- 24% of team members promoted and 1,600 new jobs created through new store openings.
- 77% of promotions were female and/or racially/ethnically diverse team members.
Community
- The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation awarded $3.2 million to local school garden and nutrition education programs.
- Organizations supported by the Foundation provided 12 million hours of nutrition education programing to over 3 million students.
Learn more about Sprouts’ sustainability efforts at sprouts.com/sustainability
About Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc.
True to its farm-stand heritage, Sprouts offers a unique grocery experience featuring an open layout with fresh produce at the heart of the store. Sprouts inspires wellness naturally with a carefully curated assortment of better-for-you products paired with purpose-driven people. The healthy grocer continues to bring the latest in wholesome, innovative products made with lifestyle-friendly ingredients such as organic, plant-based, and gluten-free. Headquartered in Phoenix, and one of the largest and fastest growing specialty retailers of fresh, natural, and organic food in the United States, Sprouts employs approximately 31,000 team members and operates more than 380 stores in 23 states nationwide. To learn more about Sprouts, and the good it brings communities, visit about.sprouts.com.
Contact: 480.263.0441, media@sprouts.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3e0dd2f8-0f27-4708-868b-fb9aeb5874f8
