MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Best Buy, the leading technology products and services provider, today announced it aims to substantially increase its investment in a healthier planet by cutting its carbon footprint 60 percent through accelerated efforts to reduce emissions.
Best Buy surpassed last year its previous goal of a 45 percent reduction, four years ahead of schedule. The accelerated 60 percent target represents a planned carbon reduction that is equivalent to removing 32,000 cars from the road for an entire year.1
Today’s announcement coincides with a presentation by Best Buy Chief Sustainability Officer Laura Bishop at the annual BSR Conference, where she connected recent natural disasters to the company’s plans for fast-tracking operational improvements and renewable sourcing.
“The majority of Americans – and certainly our own employees and customers – are worried about the environment, especially after recent devastating events on the U.S. mainland, and in Puerto Rico and Mexico,” Bishop said. “We’re moving even faster now to address this issue as a company and as a resource for customers who choose to be more environmentally responsible themselves.”
Sustainability is a nearly decade-old priority for Best Buy. Just this week, the company earned a high-ranking A- CDP score for its climate management strategies and carbon emissions reduction.
The new goal would reduce emissions 60 percent by 2020 through accelerated progress on sustainable practices, even as the company continues to provide customers sustainable options through a combination of efforts such as:
- Best Buy will continue to embrace technology to drive energy-efficient operations. Technologies such as LED lighting and updated heating and cooling systems are expected to further reduce carbon emissions to 40 percent. Importantly, the company also will place significantly more focus on securing offsite renewable energy sources and the purchase of certified Renewable Energy Credits, offsetting another 20 percent of its carbon footprint.
- In 2016, Best Buy introduced a new Geekmobile fleet comprised of more than 1,200 Toyota Prius c hybrids. In just one year, the fleet saved more than 140,000 gallons of gas, which is the carbon equivalent of taking 263 cars off the road for a year. Best Buy recently added another 300 vehicles to the Prius c line-up for its team of in-home advisors, and the company will continue to pursue even more efficient vehicle options as they become available.
- Since 2009, customers have benefitted from an e-waste recycling program that enabled them to responsibly dispose of more than 1.5 billion pounds of consumer electronics and appliances at Best Buy. A broadening selection of energy-efficient appliances and smart home products will further help customers easily achieve their own energy savings.
For more information about Best Buy’s its sustainability program, visit https://corporate.bestbuy.com/sustainability/.
1Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Greenhouse Gases Equivalencies Calculator
