Kohl's Dept Stores Achieves Net Zero Emissions Goal

Kohl’s Department Stores (NYSE: KSS) achieved its 2010 goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions, according to the company’s first annual Sustainability Report.

Energy management and green power purchases allowed Kohl’s to reach the goal, which was announced in December 2009.

Kohl’s ranks first in retail and second overall on the US EPA’s quarterly rankings of top green power purchasers with more than 1.4 billion kWh purchased in wind, solar, biomass and small hydro – enough to account for 100% of Kohl’s purchased electricity use.

Kohl’s also ranks 12th on EPA’s quarterly rankings for on-site generation through its solar program. Solar systems at 100 Kohl’s stores produce 15,689,000 kWh annually.

And over 50% of its stores (600 stores) earned the EPA’s Energy Star® label for energy efficiency.

Kohl’s has five primary environmental strategies: energy efficiency; waste reduction; green building design and operations; emissions reduction; and stakeholder engagement.
Highlights from the report include:

• Waste Reduction: In 2010, Kohl’s recycled 77% of all waste generated, including cardboard and paper, plastics, wood, construction materials, metals and more. It works with suppliers and employees to reduce the amount of packaging used and increase the units shipped per carton.

• Green Building Design and Operation: At of 2010, 72  stores earned LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Kohl’s has a total of 140 LEED-certified locations including new and existing buildings and tenant spaces. Since 2008, all newly constructed stores have been built to LEED Silver certification levels.

• Emissions Reduction: In addition to using rail for over  50% of inbound transportation, Kohl’s makes it a priority to ensure trucks carrying merchandise are full on trips both to and from distribution centers, executing more than 17,400 backhaul trips in 2010. Kohl’s encourages all carriers to be members of EPA’s SmartWay Shipper program, which stresses fuel efficiency and carbon-reduction strategies.