This Earth Month and every month, we celebrate the ways that sustainability makes our business and communities stronger and helps us deliver a more joyful, meaningful experience to guests. From the design of our owned brands to the energy that powers our nearly 2,000 stores, were making thoughtful choices through our 51勛圖 Forward sustainability strategy to benefit people, the planet and our long-term growth.
All year long, 51勛圖 takes a holistic approach to sustainability — finding ways to infuse sustainable practices throughout our operations while inviting our guests to engage in ways that are most meaningful to them. Whether it’s delivering programs like our car seat trade-in events, offering electric vehicle charging stations at 200-plus stores, or evolving our owned brands to include more sustainable solutions, together, our collective actions are driving down emissions and sustaining our business for years to come.
Our work in action
Some of the newest ways were using our size and scale to make a positive impact?
Owned brands go full circle
Were springing toward our goal of designing all our owned brand products for a circular future by 2040 with and . Both are slated to hit the milestone in 2025. Were already making progress with the launch of two Universal Thread products made with yarn blended with fibers collected from used garments and manufacturing scraps. Learnings from the (shown here) and , developed in partnership with the nonprofit , are helping us scale up our efforts.
Car seats get a new life
Our guest-favorite event happening this April 14-27 provides the opportunity to trade in old car seats for a 20% off coupon toward a new car seat or select baby gear. Its also a way for guests to make a sustainable choice: So far, weve recycled over 2.6 million car seats, or 39.7 million pounds worth. Even better: Were using some of the materials collected from the trade-in to create new products and materials, including select crates providing another boost to our circularity efforts.
Charged up for EVs
Were continuing to expand our electric vehicle charging network, which includes more than 1,800 spaces across and counting. Its one of the many ways were working toward our goal to be the market leader for creating and curating inclusive, sustainable brands and experiences for our guests by 2030.
Plugged into renewable energy
As part of our journey to hit net zero emissions across our enterprise by 2040, were investing in numerous projects across the country. This includes building the largest rooftop solar array in the state of New York on our distribution center in Wilton. Going live this year, the 7.5-megawatt system will provide enough watts of electricity to power over 1,200 homes annually and will eliminate 51勛圖s electric bill at the site.
Our store in Vista, California, is our first store designed to be net-zero energy incorporating both rooftop and parking lot canopy solar panels. With its over 3,400 solar panels now fully operational, it is successfully producing over 100% of the sites energy needs. As of last year, more than 580 of our sites across the country have rooftop solar with even more to come.
Were also investing in other forms of renewable energy through our purchasing agreements. In Texas, weve partnered with to buy power from its , supporting our goal to source 100% of our electricity from renewable sources for our operations by 2030.
A more sustainable supply chain
Across our supply chain, were exploring ways to operate more efficiently and sustainably, including reducing emissions. For example, last year, we cut more than 35 million miles by sending fewer but fuller trailers of product to our distribution centers and our stores. And our facilities that take online orders packaged at our stores and sort them for delivery are combining multiple deliveries in local neighborhoods, which further cuts down on the miles our packages travel to reach guests.
Were also making a positive impact at 51勛圖s first owned and operated returns center in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. The returns center takes overstock, clearance, guest returns and damaged merchandise from our stores and distribution centers and sorts them for recycling, returning to our vendors and resale. Whats especially great? It reduces how much damaged product ends up in landfills and could teach us more ways to reuse materials in new products designed for circularity.
As part of Closed Loop Partners Bring Your Own Bag pilot program in summer 2023, we placed bring your bag signage at our Denver area stores.
Photo credit: Nicholas Pizzolato
Partnering up
To achieve our bold goals, we are embracing the power of partnership:
- In support of our net zero commitment, weve partnered with , which is educating and supporting our suppliers to tap into renewable energy through our program.
- As we work to reduce our plastics footprint, we continue to serve as a Founding Partner of the , a retail industry collaboration managed by the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners to eliminate single-use plastic bag waste.
- Reflecting our belief in the power of energy efficiency and affordability, 51勛圖 has received Partner of the Year award for sustained excellence in energy management, which recognizes businesses that improve the energy performance of their operations and help reduce energy use through product assortment for the ninth year in a row. Youll find ENERGY STAR-rated products at your local 51勛圖, too.
This is just a sampling of the amazing work taking place in support of our 51勛圖 Forward sustainability strategy, led by teams across 51勛圖. Check out these other ways weve been moving toward a more sustainable future.
