Empire Company Limited & Sobeys Inc.
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2023-05-07 to 2024-05-04)
Reporting Period: 2023-05-07 to 2024-05-04
Environmental Metrics
Total Carbon Emissions:18,281,310 tCO2e/year
Scope 1 Emissions:336,560 tCO2e/year
Scope 2 Emissions:215,360 tCO2e/year
Scope 3 Emissions:17,729,750 tCO2e/year
Carbon Intensity:Scope 1 & 2 Intensity (kgCO2e/sq ft): 23.2 in 2023
ESG Focus Areas
- Climate Action
- Plastics & Packaging
- Food Waste
- Ethical & Sustainable Sourcing
- Vitality
Environmental Achievements
- Reduced combined Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 27% since 2019 baseline
- Completed over 500 carbon reduction projects
- Surpassed food rescue goal to donate 30 million meals annually
- Completed the removal of five banned single-use plastic items
Social Achievements
- Renewed Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and People Strategies
- Published first standalone report addressing forced labour and child labour risks in the supply chain
- Donated ~$23 million to support healthy bodies and minds in communities
Governance Achievements
- Established a new Sustainable Business Council in 2024
- Continued to use DE&I KPIs to build broad leadership accountability for DE&I
- Undertook a comprehensive climate risk analysis following TCFD recommendations
Climate Goals & Targets
Long-term Goals:
- Achieve net-zero by 2040 for Scope 1 and 2 emissions
- Achieve net-zero by 2050 for Scope 3 emissions
Medium-term Goals:
- Reduce absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions by a minimum of 55% by 2030 from a 2019 base year
- Reduce absolute Scope 3 GHG emissions from use of sold products by 28% by 2030
- 64% of suppliers by spend will set science-based reduction targets on their Scope 1 and 2 emissions by the end of calendar 2027
Short-term Goals:
- Reduce food waste by 50% by 2025
- Source 100% physical trace certified sustainable palm oil for Own Brands products by December 31, 2025
Environmental Challenges
- Supply chain disruptions
- Climate change impacts
- Economic headwinds
- Geopolitical instability
- Sourcing cleaner energy technologies
Mitigation Strategies
- Developed alternative sourcing strategies
- Integrated adaptation and mitigation strategies into daily operations
- Collaborated with supplier partners through CDP Supply Chain program
- Investing in refrigeration systems, reducing energy consumption, and exploring power purchase agreements for renewable energy
- Planning ahead to address challenges around sourcing cleaner energy technologies
Supply Chain Management
Responsible Procurement
- Ethical and Sustainable Sourcing Policy
- Supplier Minimum Quality Standards
- SMETA reports (for at-risk categories)
- CDP Supply Chain program
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Extreme weather
Transition Risks
- Regulatory changes
- Market shifts
Opportunities
- Development of energy-efficient products
- Expansion of renewable energy sources
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: IFRS S1 & S2, SASB Food Retailers & Distributors Standard and Drug Retailers Standard, TCFD
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Own Brands products with sustainable packaging
- Plant-based products
- Sustainably sourced seafood
Awards & Recognition
- Canada’s Top Food Rescue Partner (Second Harvest)
- Canada’s Top 100 Employers for 2024