Newsweek’s Greenest Retailers in the US (2012)

Each year Newsweek compiles lists of all things green. This list of retail stores operate sustainable businesses and disclose the details of their operations and environmental impact. To compile the list of the greenest retailers they compared the largest companies according to their environmental footprint, management (policies, initiatives, controversies), and transparency. To generate ratings and compile these lists they partnered with Trucost and Sustainalytics, two leading research companies. The methodology was developed in consultation with an advisory panel of experts in corporate sustainability. Here is Newsweek’s list of the top 15 retailers and their corresponding scores:

15. SUPERVALUE

NEWSWEEK Green Score: 57.3
Environmental Impact: 55.0
Environmental Management: 56.9
Transparency & Disclosure: 69.3

14. Safeway

NEWSWEEK Green Score: 58.0
Environmental Impact: 56.7
Environmental Management: 58.6
Transparency & Disclosure: 62.0

13. Costco Wholesale

NEWSWEEK Green Score: 58.1
Environmental Impact: 65.6
Environmental Management: 57.6
Transparency & Disclosure: 26.2

12. Kroger

NEWSWEEK Green Score: 58.2
Environmental Impact: 55.6
Environmental Management: 59.3
Transparency & Disclosure: 64.4

11. Lowe’s

NEWSWEEK Green Score: 59.2
Environmental Impact: 66.1
Environmental Management: 56.8
Transparency & Disclosure: 38.5

10. Whole Foods Market

NEWSWEEK Green Score: 61.2
Environmental Impact: 56.4
Environmental Management: 64.3
Transparency & Disclosure: 68.5

9. Sears Holdings

NEWSWEEK Green Score: 61.7
Environmental Impact: 64.3
Environmental Management: 58.0
Transparency & Disclosure: 66.6

8. J. C. Penney

NEWSWEEK Green Score: 61.7
Environmental Impact: 63.8
Environmental Management: 62.2
Transparency & Disclosure: 49.9

7. Target

NEWSWEEK Green Score: 63.2
Environmental Impact: 65.2
Environmental Management: 58.6
Transparency & Disclosure: 74.9

6. Kohl’s

NEWSWEEK Green Score: 64.3
Environmental Impact: 66.5
Environmental Management: 60.7
Transparency & Disclosure: 70.4

5. Wal-Mart

NEWSWEEK Green Score: 68.0
Environmental Impact: 64.5
Environmental Management: 69.8
Transparency & Disclosure: 75.8

4. Home Depot

NEWSWEEK Green Score: 68.7
Environmental Impact: 64.9
Environmental Management: 79.0
Transparency & Disclosure: 39.3

3. Best Buy

NEWSWEEK Green Score: 71.2
Environmental Impact: 71.2
Environmental Management: 75.3
Transparency & Disclosure: 52.7

2. Staples

NEWSWEEK Green Score: 74.4
Environmental Impact: 69.4
Environmental Management: 83.9
Transparency & Disclosure: 54.2

1. Office Depot

NEWSWEEK Green Score: 74.4
Environmental Impact: 66.3
Environmental Management: 80.6
Transparency & Disclosure: 83.4

Source: The Daily Beast

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