On October 28th, 2008, the EnviroStars program honored Recreational Equipment, Inc (REI) – the gear and apparel retailer headquartered in Kent, WA - with the EnviroStars Recognized Leader distinction for its environmental leadership.
REI has actively demonstrated the philosophy that good business goes hand-in-hand with environmental responsibility, and that minimizing a corporation's ecological footprint is an essential element of today's successful business model. By awarding REI with this distinction, the EnviroStars program aims to illustrate to businesses within the region that effective business leaders are embracing the incorporation of sustainable practices and realizing positive impacts to their bottom lines. |
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REI was founded in 1938 by 23 Seattle Mountaineers and today is the nation's largest consumer cooperative with more than 3.5 million active members. The co-op continues to be a trusted retailer of outdoor gear and apparel, and is committed to inspiring, educating and outfitting outdoor enthusiasts for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship. REI returns the majority of its profits to members through annual member refunds based on their purchases. Each year, REI donates millions of dollars to nonprofits in support of conservation efforts and outdoor recreation nationwide, and sends scores of volunteers to build trails, clean up beaches, and teach outdoor ethics to kids. REI strives to reduce its environmental footprint through responsible business practices and is focused on five key areas: greenhouse gasses and energy use, building green, paper sourcing, recycling and waste reduction, and responsible product design.
In reducing its ecological footprint, REI:
- Reduced its total climate impact in 2007 by 24 percent from 2006 levels by purchasing certified offsets.
- Partnered with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation to create the largest carbon neutral travel program in the country.
- Held its greenhouse gas emissions rate of growth to 8.1 percent through operational efficiencies and renewable energy purchases in 2007.
- Ensured that paper fiber purchases come from acceptable sources and endorsed the Forest Stewardship Council as the standard for responsible forestry practices.
REI has set a goal to become a zero-waste and climate neutral company by the year 2020. The co-op has implemented a number of creative initiatives to meet their waste reduction and repurposing goals, including:
- Recycled 78.8 percent of operational waste by weight.
- Worked with stakeholder groups to create a paper sourcing and purchasing policy and an action plan for the organization.
- Launched commercial-scale composting for food waste in the REI headquarters café in Kent, WA.
- Put in place recycling programs at stores and facilities to divert hazardous materials such as fluorescent light tubes and batteries out of waste and into recycling.
- Partnered with Alchemy Bags to recycle used inner tubes from REI bike shops. Alchemy uses the inner tubes to create highly stylized messenger bags, which are sold in REI stores.
More than 100 REI-brand products contain a high percentage of recycled, rapidly renewable and/or organic fibers; as designated by its ecoSensitive™ logo. The company also launched an educational website, www.rei.com/ecosenstitive.
REI serves on the Outdoor Industry Association's Eco Working Group, which is made up of 100 outdoor brand companies working together to develop a strong framework for producing environmentally sound gear and apparel.
REI has replaced chemical solvents used to clean bicycle parts in many stores with machines that use water and ultrasonic waves. This technology reduces employees' exposure to hazardous materials and will eliminate approximately 4,000 gallons of hazardous waste annually from REI's bike shops.
REI is focused on creating solutions to reduce the number of employees arriving at work in single occupancy vehicles. Promoting carpools, van shares, public transportation, bicycling and walking are among REI's significant efforts to reduce GHG emissions.
REI is consistently recognized for its excellence in spreading an ethic of environmentally responsible practices and support for environmentally responsible businesses. Efforts include:
- Distributing $3.7 million dollars in 2008 to local and national nonprofit organizations in support of conservation and recreation, with an emphasis on engaging youth.
- Committing more than 2.1 million hours of volunteer service support in 2007 to non-profits. Last year, REI employees hosted 688 REI-sponsored service projects and inspired nearly 33,000 volunteers in communities across the country.
- Teaching 142,435 children how to recreate responsibly in shared outdoor spaces through the Promoting Environmental Awareness in Kids (PEAK) program presented by REI employees and Leave No Trace volunteers.
- Received the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver® Certification for New Construction for the co-op's 525,000-square-foot distribution center in Bedford, PA.
- Under its green building prototype initiative, opened an award-winning store in Boulder, CO and a second store in Round Rock, TX. Both stores are part of the LEED for Retail pilot.
- Committing to installing solar panels on 11 of its stores in 2008, which will generate an estimated 1.1 million kilowatt hours of electricity - enough to power 117 homes for one year and save approximately 880 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
- Purchasing green power for 20 percent of the co-op's overall energy use.
- Conducted third-party factory audits for 95 percent of the dollar value of REI-brand products. This step helps ensure that factories manufacturing REI products provide appropriate working environments.
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