Company

Company
Sustainability

Sustainability

From concentrated laundry detergents to chemical-free cleaners, “green” products are popping up all over Hy-Vee’s shelves. And behind the scenes, in ways you may never see, Hy-Vee is taking additional steps to make its stores and operations more earth-friendly.

Our sustainability mission statement
Hy-Vee is committed to doing business in a manner that promotes the well-being of our customers, employees, communities and the global environment.

What Hy-Vee is doing

Hy-Vee’s ongoing efforts to reduce our environmental footprint cover a broad range of topics. These include:

1. Energy and resource conservation
Hy-Vee has identified conserving energy and natural resources as one of our primary sustainability priorities. This includes:

Efforts continue on reducing our energy consumption through evaluation of energy use data and through building design and operational changes. This effort includes working with other food retailers to characterize and compare carbon footprints.
Working toward Energy Star Certification of a number of our stores Energy Star is an EPA program aimed at identifying energy-efficient products and practices.
Working to improve the fuel efficiency of our trucking fleet through operational and equipment changes. These changes include the use of fuel additives, alternate vehicle routing, and new engine, tire and trailer designs.
We are continuing efforts to reduce water use in our stores and food and ice production facilities through changes to building design, equipment upgrades and operational changes.

2. Waste reduction and recycling
Another of Hy-Vee’s sustainability priorities is reducing waste and increasing recycling rates. This includes:

The evaluation of various methods for removing food waste from land disposal. Methods under evaluation include composting and aerobic and anaerobic digestion.
Continuing work to increase our recycling rates for common store recyclables, including cardboard, plastic, paper and cooking grease.
Continuing to convert stores increasingly to the use of pre-trimmed produce and pre-packaged meat (reducing both waste and transportation costs)
Our 2007 recycling efforts yielded an estimated 60 million pounds of cardboard, 1 million pounds of plastic, 2 million pounds of wood and plastic pallets, 75,000 pounds of tin cans, 24,000 pounds of paper, 10,000 gallons of used oil.
Other materials that are recycled include computer print cartridges, waste ink and solvent, electric lights and totes from our grocery, pharmacy, and general merchandise operations
We are also working to increase the volume of food given to food banks and other charitable organization

3. Store building and design
We are also committed to constructing our new and remodeled stores in an environmentally responsible manner. This includes:

Increased use of natural light, use of high-efficiency store and parking lot lighting, and overnight light dimming
Use of Low-E tinted windows, which allow heat into the store in the winter and keep it out in the summer
Use of high-efficiency heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems
Use of native landscaping and motion-activated toilets and faucets to save water
Use of concrete or terrazzo floors to reduce cleaning chemical usage
Use of recycled steel
We are also working to construct “LEED Certified” stores in Madison, Wisconsin and Des Moines, Iowa. LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, with construction of the Madison store scheduled for fall 2008. Learn more about Hy-Vee's new Madison location.

4. Products, product sourcing and packaging
Our efforts to increase the number of green products, and to source and package our products in more environmentally friendly ways, include:

Work to reduce packaging on both branded and private label products
Expanding extensive selection of natural, organic and locally sourced products
Use of reusable totes for “Blue Ribbon” beef and other products
Evaluation of recyclable trays and other recyclable food service items
Expanding the selection and promotion of reusable shopping bags

Things you can do

Hy-Vee is working to make it easier for customers to join their eco-friendly efforts. Examples include:

Go green with a reusable bag
Reduce waste by toting your groceries home in a reusable bag, available at your local Hy-Vee. According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. Now you can help stop the waste with this earth-friendly solution. Bags come in a variety of styles and colors. We also offer a reusable bag lined with a special insulation that will keep food cold during transport.

Purchase green products
In addition to those reusable shopping bags, selecting green products is another way of promoting a healthier environment. Products commonly available at your local Hy-Vee include:

Paper towels, tissue and toilet paper made from recycled fiber and cutlery made from recycled plastic,
Environmentally friendly cleaning products and supplies,
Concentrated laundry detergents and fabric softener,
Compact fluorescent lights,
Surge protectors that allow you to turn off electronic devices at the source,
Rechargeable batteries,
Water filters and refillable water containers,
Furnace filters that help to keep your furnace operating efficiently,
Personal care products made from natural and organic sources,
A variety of local produce and products, and
Plants and trees for your home and garden

Recycle plastic bags
Hy-Vee also provides plastic bag recycling containers at most, if not all, store locations. Bring your unwanted plastic bags back to Hy-Vee and place them in one of these containers and we’ll make sure your plastic bags are recycled appropriately. Some of our stores also provide for recycling of certain materials. For more information, consult your local Hy-Vee store.