UNFI Shares 2022 ESG Report
Rhode Island-based grocery wholesaler United Natural Foods, Inc. (UNFI) has released its 2022 Better for All report, which detailed the company’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) progress during the fiscal year ended July 30, 2022.
The company, which supplies fresh, branded, and private label products to more than 30,000 banner stores across North America, is touting the launch of its Climate Action Hub, a free resource for its suppliers, the creation of its UNFI Foundation Food Equity Grant and more in the latest annual report.
“In the past year we’ve made a focused effort to holistically integrate our Better for All strategy throughout the organization, as well as proactively engage our stakeholders, from our associates to our supply chain partners, on issues from climate to food equity to DEI,” said UNFI CEO Sandy Douglas. “That approach has yielded some meaningful achievements this year and, in several areas, also allowed us to establish the organizational structures and processes needed to make progress against future goals. While we are proud of the progress we have made, we recognize that in many ways we are just at the beginning of our journey and that there is much more to be done. We look forward to continuing this important work in the coming years.”
In collaboration with Climate Collaborative, UNFI’s Climate Action Hub is a platform that offers suppliers tools and resources to scale climate solutions across the food system. UNFI also launched its Climate Action Guide for Business, which offers step-by-step guidance for how to measure and disclose impact, commit to ambitious targets and identify opportunities for action.
“Approximately 97% of UNFI’s total emissions are a result of our upstream supply chain, which is why we are committed to empowering our suppliers to take climate action. As one of the country’s largest wholesalers, we are a connector between retail, brands, and communities and our leadership and education to others can help amplify the important role we all play in making a positive impact on our climate,” said Alisha Real, UNFI’s VP of ESG & Social Impact. “With the validation of our science-based targets this year, we are ready to accelerate our action and lead by example to support our communities and the planet.”
In fiscal 2022, UNFI launched its UNFI Foundation Food Equity Grant, awarding the Southside Community Land Trust in Providence, R.I. $100,000 to help promote food equity, eliminate hunger and improve public health. The wholesaler also doubled year-over-year spending with diverse suppliers, installed a roof-mounted solar array at UNFI’s distribution center in Howell, N.J., the company’s largest to date, and more.
UNFI also touted its recognition as one of the “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality” and one of the “Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion.”
The full 2022 Better for All report can be found here.