Empire Company Limited and Sobeys Inc. 2022 Sustainable Business Report
Partners in Progress
At Empire, we are committed to doing OurPart™ to tackle the shared challenges facing our communities, our country and our world–with a strong focus on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors that matter most to our stakeholders. We believe real progress comes when everyone gets the support they need to do good things and achieve shared goals.
That’s why our sustainability journey is all about partnerships and the progress we make together. We are committed to investing in our teams and stores, and working with our customers, investors, supplier partners and communities, so that together we can nurture People and Planet with Products that are sustainable and responsibly sourced.
Leader Messages
“We are now more committed than ever to creating a sustainable business and industry. Through our Climate Action Plan, we’re holding ourselves accountable to achieve these goals … [and] we’re holding our supplier partners accountable too.”
Listen to Podcast
Listen to Michael Medline, President & CEO, and Mohit Grover, SVP Innovation, Sustainability & Strategy, in conversation with Michael LeBlanc from the Retail Council of Canada
People
We’re focused on growing and empowering a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce to enable our customers and communities to thrive.
Planet
We’re reducing our impacts and taking action on climate change to do OurPart™ to protect our planet for future generations.
Products
We’re doing OurPart™ by delivering sustainable and ethical product choices for our customers.
Sobeys and Second Harvest are teaming up in the fight against food loss.
Watch the full video to see how our store teams are rescuing surplus food while providing Canadian families in need with fresh, healthy food.
Fiscal 2022 Sustainable Business Report Highlights
Planet
We’re reducing our impacts and taking action on climate change to do OurPart™ to protect our planet for future generations.
Near-term science-based targets set, pursuing validation through the Science Based Targets initiative
Target set to achieve net-zero in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2040
Target set to achieve net-zero in Scope 3 emissions by 2050
$13M
$13M donated in partnership with Earth Day Canada since 2008
22%
22% reduction in food waste in our stores since 2016
$13M
$13M donated in partnership with Earth Day Canada since 2008
Products
We’re doing OurPart™ by delivering sustainable and ethical product choices for our customers.
95%+
95%+ of Own Brands seafood is sustainably sourced.
350+
350+ women entrepreneurs supported*
*Excludes produce and SKUs listed in Quebec only
5M
5M litres of water saved thanks to Infarm purchases
43
43 new urban bee-keeping sites added in partnership with Alvéole
43
43 new urban bee-keeping sites added in partnership with Alvéole
People
We’re focused on growing and empowering a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce to enable our customers and communities to thrive.
81%
81% of corporate retail teammates completing training to prevent racial consumer profiling
37%
37% representation of women at the senior leadership level, a 9.1% increase over last year
~$19M
~$19M donated to support healthy bodies and minds in our communities ($6M in corporate donations and $13M raised)
Empire is a proudly Canadian company, with 115 years of experience in the food retail business.
As a family nurturing families, we want to ensure Canadians are taken care of today, tomorrow and in the future. By doing OurPart™ for the environment, we hope to inspire our customers to do theirs. Every step we take together—big or small—can make a difference.
