Commercial, Energy Efficiency - July 16, 2019
Rite Aid highlights energy efficiency in first CSR report
Rite Aid announced it has installed LED lighting in nearly 20% of their stores and plans to add another 200 per year going forward. These installations have decreased annual electric consumption by 18 million kWh. All stores have already been upgraded to high-efficiency fluorescent lighting.
This result was part of Rite Aid's inaugural corporate social responsibility report. The framework for the report was based on guidance from the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) as well as feedback from key internal and external stakeholders.
“As a retail healthcare company that operates in many communities throughout the country and engages with millions of patients and customers through our various lines of business, we believe we’re in a unique position to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our customers, associates, and neighbors,” said John Standley, CEO, Rite Aid. “Now more than ever, we are dedicated to integrating sustainable Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiatives into our operations and expanding the scope of these initiatives.”
A total of 95% of Rite Aid stores currently utilize an Energy Management System (EMS) to help reduce energy consumption by automatically controlling the lighting and HVAC equipment. The company has recently contracted with an EMS management company to better manage EMS and implement energy efficiency projects.
Rite Aid recently completed a redesign of its Thrifty Ice Cream Plant in El Monte, California, which included upgrades to a safer, low-pressure ammonia refrigeration system, lighting and HVAC systems. The report said, “These best practices have resulted in an annual decrease of eight million kWh. This equates to approximately seven million pounds of CO2e removed from the atmosphere.”
Rite Aid currently has 51,000 associates and 2,366 retail locations in 18 states, as well as a full-service pharmacy benefit management company.
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