BOISE, Idaho — Albertsons Cos. has committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and will set an emissions reduction target that supports the goals of the United Nations’ Paris Agreement to reduce carbon emissions, the company said.

“We are passionate about making a meaningful difference in our neighborhoods and planet and are committed to continuing to reduce our climate impacts,” Albertsons president and CEO Vivek Sankaran said. “The SBTi framework will guide us in doing our part to minimize our impact within our own operations and beyond. We look forward to working with our supply chain partners to address this important issue.”

Albertsons Cos. said it will evaluate energy use and procurement, refrigerants, transportation, and its supply chain to submit an emissions reduction goal to SBTi for approval. The Science Based Targets initiative is a partnership between CDP, UN Global Compact, WRI, and WWF that helps companies take meaningful climate action through its science-based framework. The framework requires all emissions reduction goals to support the Paris Agreement’s objective to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.

Efforts currently underway to measure and reduce emissions at Albertsons Cos include:

• Emissions Reporting: Emissions are third-party verified and reported annually to The Climate Registry (TCR) and CDP. TCR awarded Albertsons Cos. Climate Registered™ Gold status for leadership in reporting verified emissions.
• Efficiency Projects: Albertsons Cos. implemented hundreds of energy efficiency projects in 2020 that are estimated to save more than 2 million metric tons of CO2e annually. Albertsons Cos.’ Southwest Division was recognized for Sustained Excellence in the Salt River Project’s 2020 Champions of Energy Efficiency awards.
• Sourcing Renewable Energy: Albertsons Cos. is one of the U.S. EPA’s top 30 retail partners for their Green Power Partnership program. Albertsons Cos. recently expanded its sourcing of renewable energy to more than 70 locations in Virginia and Arizona.

Albertsons Cos. said these goals will continue to drive innovation within and beyond the company to reduce its climate impact. More information about Albertsons Cos. efforts can be found here.