Weis Markets Releases Sustainability Report
Weis Markets newly released "2018 Sustainability Report: Rooted in Success; Growing Our Future" shows that the company continues to make progress to reduce its environmental impact.
This year marks the 10th year of the grocer's sustainability program, and it has reached its goal of reducing carbon emissions by 20 percent since 2008. This reduction in greenhouse gas emissions comes in spite of a 2.6 percent increase from 2017 that the report attributes in part to a 39 percent increase in stores and expansion of its warehouse and distribution network.
“Our sustainability program continues to make steady progress, focusing on five key areas: reducing our climate impact; the green design and improvement of our stores, facilities, and logistics; protecting our resources; working with local farmers and food processors; and being socially responsible,” said Weis Markets' Chairman and CEO Jonathan Weis. “We achieved these results thanks to the hard work of our sustainability team and the many associates who help implement our program throughout our store base, distribution center and support facilities.”
Other accomplishments noted in the report include:
- Increasing food donations to more than 860 tons through the company’s expanding partnership with Feeding America.
- Being recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) GreenChill program, which encourages reducing refrigerant usage to address environmental impacts on the ozone layer and climate.
- Converting 34 stores from fluorescent to LED lighting. The company plans to covert 26 more stores in 2019.
- Diverting 39,341 tons of waste from landfills with an increased focus on its recycling rate.
- Working with National Gypsum Company, a local building products manufacturer, to recycle 28,180 tons of cardboard.
Sunbury, Pa.-based Weis Markets operates 200 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, West Virginia and Virginia. The company is No. 26 on Progressive Grocer’s 2019 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.
