Here at Nugget Markets, we are committed to being a leader in our industry, which includes being dedicated to our sustainability initiatives! Following the implementation of our Sustainability program in 2015, we continue to increase our focus on the 3 Pillars of Sustainability: Social Responsibility, Environmental Stewardship and Economic Vitality. Focusing on sustainability has supported our company goal of Constant Improvement. In 2015, we saw the largest strides in our waste reduction and resource consumption. By focusing our efforts on recycling, we saw an immediate 50% decrease in consumption. By focusing our efforts on conserving water, we saw an immediate 10% decrease in consumption. And by focusing our efforts on conserving energy, we saw an immediate 20% decrease in consumption.
Since 2015, we have grown from 11 stores to 16, and nearly doubled the capacity of our Distribution Center. With this expansion, we expected an increase in our waste, water and energy consumption, but thanks to our commitment to being a sustainable retailer, we limited those increases to just a few percentage points. We recognize that “just a few percentage points” is still quite a lot of waste for a business of our size, which is why we are always looking for ways to improve. Check out some quick stats below or download our 2019 Sustainability Report to learn more.
Diversion: Thanks to our associate’s waste-conscious mindset and an extensive recycling program, we divert twice the amount of material to be recycled than we throw away! Here’s how we accomplish this feat:
Using compactors at store-level to make use of space as well as decrease the number of times the container must be serviced.
Engaging in best practices company-wide that streamline our trash, recycling and organics waste streams.
Backhauling soft plastic and cardboard to ensure all material gets recycled.
Developing a company-wide Food Recovery Program that ensures all unsaleable but still edible food is donated to our local food banks working in the communities where our stores reside.
Providing every new associate with a reusable water bottle when they start working for us.
Water: Thanks to our associates’ water-conscious mindset and the use of water-saving technology, we continue to decrease our water consumption! Here’s how we accomplish this feat:
Installing low-flow aerators at our hand-washing sinks. In the first year of using these, our water usage at hand sinks decreased by 75%!
Understanding that leaky pipes contribute to massive water loss! Just 1 drip per second = 150 gallons of water lost per month. We ask associates to immediately report all leaks.
Energy: Thanks to our associates’ energy-conscious mindset and the use of energy-saving technology, we continue to decrease our energy consumption! Here’s how we accomplish this feat:
Retrofitting our stores from compact fluorescent lightbulbs to light emitting diode (LED) lightbulbs. In the first year of using these, our energy usage decreased by 21%!
Understanding that every bit counts! We ask associates to turn off all lights in walk-in coolers, freezers and offices when the rooms are not in use.
Replacing all old technology as it wears out with the most energy-efficient model, such as but not limited to waterless urinals, low-flow toilets and Energy Star fryers.
