Celebrating Milestones in the Fight Against Climate Change
and the Advancement of Social Equity
BRAMPTON, ON, May 3, 2024
/CNW/ - Loblaw Companies Limited (TSX: L) ("Loblaw") released its
2023 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report today. The
comprehensive document highlights a series of milestones and
achievements made over the past year, driven by the company's
purpose to help Canadians Live Life Well® by fighting climate
change and advancing social equity.
"Our leadership in ESG is rooted in our purpose to help
Canadians Live Life Well®, with twin pillars of advancing
social equity and fight climate change, creating positive change
for our business and the communities that we serve. In this our
17th ESG report we reflect on the achievements made in
2023." – Sandra Kessler, Vice
President ESG Integration & Reporting.
Key achievements for 2023 include:
Addressing Food Waste and Insecurity:
- Diverted over 78,000 metric tonnes of food from landfills
through food rescue initiatives and increased donations, including
nearly 47 million pounds of food donated to food charities through
the Feed More FamiliesTM program.
Fighting Climate Change:
- Reduced carbon emissions by 11% relative to a 2020 baseline and
invested nearly $44 million in 490
carbon reduction initiatives.
Promoting a Cleaner Environment:
- Successfully converted almost two-thirds of control brand
plastic packaging as part of the goal to make it all 100%
recyclable or reusable by 2025.
Nurturing Future Generations:
- Over 990,000 children fed through the President's Choice
Children's Charity, the nation's largest charitable
direct-to-school food program.
Improving Access to Care:
- Operated 70 pharmacy care clinics across Canada, filled 169.2 million prescriptions and
administered 2.1 million flu shots, while also donating 14 million
period products through partnerships with Proctor &
Gamble and Kimberly-Clark.
Supporting Health Equity for Women:
- The Shoppers Foundation for Women's Health contributed more
than $11 million in support to over
370 women's health organizations across Canada working to improve women's access to
mental health care and support programs.
Making Meaningful Contributions:
- Raised and donated a record $180
million for research initiatives, charities, and non-profits
across Canada including the
Salvation Army, World Wildlife Fund Canada and Disaster Relief and
Humanitarian Response, among others.
Representation:
- Increased representation of women in executive roles to 46% and
increased our proportion of women in management roles to 39% on
track to achieve our goal of 40% by the end of 2024.
- Increased representation of visible minorities in management
roles to 32% and our Executives to 28%, achieving our 2024 goal of
30% and 25% representation, respectively.
Ensuring Diversity and Inclusion:
- Trained over 166,000 colleagues or employees on fundamental DEI
topics in addition to over 3 million training courses completed
through virtual and/or in-person classes and self-paced
learning.
Partner Quotes:
"For almost 40 years, Loblaw has been one of Second Harvest's
most important partners. Their impact extends well beyond providing
funding to support our operations. Every single year, Loblaw
donates more food than the year before, enrolls more stores on to
the Second Harvest Food Rescue App, prevents more greenhouse gases
from entering the atmosphere and feeds many more
families in the process. Thanks to Loblaw, millions of Canadians
and the planet we call home have a brighter, healthier future." -
Lori Nikkel, CEO, Second Harvest
"Food Banks Canada is grateful for our long-term partnership
with Loblaw and the support that we have received, especially at
such a critical time when food bank usage continues to rise across
the country," shared Kirstin
Beardsley, Chief Executive Officer, Food Banks Canada.
"Thanks to their 2023 contributions we were able to provide over 19
million meals to communities from coast to coast to coast. Funds
raised through their two annual campaigns and millions of pounds of
rescued surplus food have been a lifeline for so many in
need. Loblaw's strong support of northern communities through
our Emergency Food Access Grant, allowed us to reach even more
vulnerable families and individuals by providing critical funds to
fill food bank shelves, and provide essential groceries staples
like, meat, dairy, eggs, and vegetables to those who need them
most. Thank you, Loblaw, for the significant contributions
which have made a such a positive impact across Canadian
communities. It is through the company's unwavering support that we
can continue working towards our vision of a Canada where no one goes hungry, we are truly
proud to partner with them and thankful for their dedication and
commitment." - Kirstin
Beardsley - CEO, Food Banks Canada
"Loblaw, with their employees and customers, is making a
critical contribution to communities, nature and wildlife in
Canada at a time when it's needed
most. As populations of at-risk wildlife continue to decline
and the threat of climate change continues to rise, Loblaw is
helping WWF-Canada achieve our bold 10-year plan to Regenerate
Canada, creating a better future for the planet." – Megan Leslie, President and CEO, World Wildlife
Fund Canada
To learn more about these initiatives and others like them,
please visit https://www.loblaw.ca/en/responsibility/ and download
a copy of the Loblaw Companies 2023 Environmental, Social and
Governance Report.
About Loblaw Companies
Limited
Loblaw is Canada's food and
pharmacy leader, and the nation's largest retailer. Loblaw provides
Canadians with grocery, pharmacy, health and beauty, apparel,
general merchandise, financial services and wireless mobile
products and services. With more than 2,400 corporate franchised
and Associate-owned locations, Loblaw, its franchisees and
Associate-owners employ more than 221,000 full- and part-time
employees, making it one of Canada's largest private sector employers.
Loblaw's purpose – Live Life Well®– puts first the needs and
well-being of Canadians who make one billion transactions annually
in the company's stores. Loblaw is positioned to meet and exceed
those needs in many ways: convenient locations; more than 1,050
grocery stores that span the value spectrum from discount to
specialty; full-service pharmacies at nearly 1,400 Shoppers Drug
Mart® and Pharmaprix® locations and close to 500 Loblaw locations;
PC Financial® services; Joe Fresh® fashion and family apparel; and
four of Canada's top-consumer
brands in Life Brand®, Farmer's MarketTM, no name® and President's
Choice®.
SOURCE Loblaw Companies Limited