Sustainability Approach

We are focused on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors that matter most to our stakeholders—ensuring we have the right approach on materiality, strategy and governance to keep making strides in our sustainability journey. Along the way, we’re committed to being upfront about our goals, progress, success stories and areas where we have more work to do.

We listen to our stakeholders and scan for ESG risks and opportunities

We determine material ESG factors including areas in which we can make a big impact

We shape and implement our sustainability strategy and governance to manage ESG factors and advance business strategy

We share our progress through our Sustainable Business Report and other ESG disclosures

Engaging Our Stakeholders

Effective and meaningful engagement with our diverse stakeholder community is a vital part of how we do business and identify ESG-related risks and opportunities. We define stakeholders as groups and individuals who are impacted by our operations and corporate strategy and who, in turn, impact our business success. Listening to, sharing with and learning from them is essential to our progress.

Key Stakeholder

How We Engage

Key Stakeholder

Teammates

Teammates (across corporate and franchise sites, in operations and office-based)

Teammates

How We Engage

  • Intranet and closed social media groups
  • Working committees on projects
  • Townhalls and leadership messages
  • Internal surveys (e.g. annual Employee Experience Survey)
  • Education and awareness sessions
  • Direct email communication

Key Stakeholder

Investor community

Investor Community

Investor community

How We Engage

  • Shareholders’ Annual General Meeting
  • Direct investor communication, including investor conferences, quarterly earnings calls and financial reports
  • Investor Relations inbox: investor.relations@empireco.ca

Key Stakeholder

Customers

Customers

Customers

How We Engage

  • OurPartTM
  • In-store experiences and customer service counters
  • National and regional banner-specific Customer Care phone and email services
  • National and regional surveys on sustainable development
  • Consumer focus groups
  • Receipt messaging
  • Customer satisfaction surveys
  • Social media

Key Stakeholder

Supplier partners

Supplier Partners

Supplier partners

How We Engage

  • Supplier onboarding process
  • Regular communication with category managers and sourcing teams
  • Supplier surveys

Key Stakeholder

Communities

Communities

Communities

How We Engage

  • In-store experiences
  • Store openings
  • Partnerships with local organizations
  • Community Action Fund
  • Social media

Key Stakeholder

NGOs

NGOs

NGOs

How We Engage

  • Direct meetings and emails with leads across all three pillars
  • Industry associations and meetings
  • Partnerships
  • Social media

Key Stakeholder

Goverment

Government

Goverment

How We Engage

  • Industry consultations
  • Government relations partners
  • Direct engagement with elected officials, policymakers and civil servants
Business success strategy Influence business success strategy.

Materiality Assessment

In fiscal 2023 we conducted a refreshed materiality assessment to update our understanding of the ESG issues that are most important to our stakeholders and influence our business success. To inform our refreshed assessment we drew on: peer benchmarking; matrix mapping of peers, suppliers and relevant organizations; business leader and consumer insights; and reviews of relevant legislation and internal documentation.

Based on this work we found that several existing factors have become increasingly important to our stakeholders, including: climate change, customer experience and engagement, and cybersecurity and data privacy. While plastics and packaging decreased slightly in importance, it nonetheless remains a priority for stakeholders and for us. We also found several new topics are of growing importance to our stakeholders, including: human rights; animal welfare; employee pay; nature, biodiversity and water; and local sourcing.

This evolving matrix will inform our forward-looking work and reporting over the next three years, including an updated sustainability strategy to be launched in fiscal 2024. For this year’s Sustainable Business Report, we continue to share our progress against these evolving ESG issues under our current sustainability strategy pillars of People, Planet and Products.

In this image, three green frames are hanging on the wall. In this image, three green frames are hanging on the wall.

Evolving Progress on Climate Action, Our Sustainability Strategy and Disclosures

In fiscal 2023 we continued to make progress on our sustainability journey:

Climate Action Plan

We are taking bold action to tackle climate change, committing to science-based targets (SBTs) to achieve net-zero by 2040 for our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, and net-zero by 2050 for our Scope 3 emissions.

To achieve our long-term targets, we have set near-term targets to drive our progress (compared to a 2019 base year):

  • We will reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by a minimum of 55% by 2030
  • To reduce Scope 3 emissions, we are targeting:
    • 64% of our suppliers by spend setting a science-based target for their Scope 1 and 2 emissions within five years (by 2027)
    • Reducing emissions from fuel sold by 28% by 2030

SBTs are internationally recognized and validated greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets that align with the Paris Agreement. We have received validation for our near-term Scope 1 and 2 targets through the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). In alignment with SBTi requirements, our targets address emissions from our operations, fleet and distribution (Scope 1 & 2), as well our extended value chain (Scope 3). Learn more about our Climate Action Plan.

Building Our Next Sustainable Business Strategy

We are finalizing strategies under key areas of our Sustainable Business Strategy to begin implementation in fiscal 2024. Our new strategies build on the strong foundation we have established over recent years, with an increased focus on integration with business purpose and strategy, and a growing number of measurable targets and action plans in key impact areas.

Enhanced Disclosures

In recent years we have continued to enhance disclosures in alignment with standards such as the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Food Retailers & Distributors Standard and Drug Retailers Standard. This year, we are sharing our first report aligned with the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and continue to look ahead to anticipated mandatory ESG disclosures in Canada. Read our new TCFD Report.