Canadian Retailer - Store 2017 - 35

E N V I R O N M E N TA L L E A D E R S H I P

Mountain Equipment Co-Op cuts
packaging costs

AWA R D WI N N ER

PACKAGING can be a huge source of waste in the retail indus-

try. Mountain Equipment Co-op wanted to reduce packaging
cost and rallied every level of its organization to lower costs,
shrink the store's environmental footprint, and satisfy customer
demands for sturdy yet environmentally responsible packaging.
The end result generated significant reductions in waste. To reduce waste in the distribution centres, the store now recycles corrugated packaging it receives from vendors and uses recyclable
totes to deliver goods to stores. To reduce packaging waste in online shipments, the distribution centre cuts corrugated packaging
to the exact dimensions needed to protect a shipment. The solution is neat and tidy-a better, smarter-looking box with less waste.
The initiative resulted in a 50 per cent reduction in corrugate costs, a 50 per cent reduction in corrugated packaging use
and associated carbon footprint, and a 90 per cent reduction in
polybag use. Plus, the store has seen reduced hand injuries due
to less corrugate handling, faster receiving times, as well as
increased member and staff satisfaction.
"Looking at the productivity throughout the supply chain is,
I believe, good business," says David Labistour, CEO at Mountain Equipment Co-op. "This productivity extends beyond the
P&L. By going all the way upstream to the inputs and externalities that are used in our supply chain and combing that with
an understanding of the costs and risk involved, I believe we
are a more robust business."

MEC: reducing packaging and lowering costs.

AWA R D S P O N SO R

H E A LT H A N D S A F E T Y

AWA R D WI N N ER

Sears Canada's 1,000 days of safety
AS it entered 2016, Sears Canada prepared itself for a year of change, challenges,
and surprises. The store's health and safety team knew it had to adapt its program
so it could maintain a healthy working environment and safe shopping experience at a time when Sears was transforming some stores and closing others.
The health and safety team's action plan involved auditing stores to assess the
root causes of risks, reducing these risks, and auditing stores again to ensure all
areas of the program were being executed. The team tracked progress using its
National Health & Safety Scorecard. The scorecard monitors each store's progress throughout the year, zeroes in on potential risks and helps struggling stores
catch up to the rest.
Sears collected an impressive list of successes by the end of the year. The retailer scored 100 per cent on its plan. Many stores across the country achieved
more than 1,000 days without a time loss accident.
Don Berezowski, DVP of Loss Prevention and Safety at Sears, says the success
of the program demonstrates the high-level of engagement among Sears employees and their commitment to safety. "Associates that operate in a safe environment gain a sense of pride for where they work which, in turn, translates to a
better customer experience. To create a safety culture requires full participation
including all levels of management."

www.retailcouncil.org/cdnretailer

Sears reducing time loss accidents.

THE LOSS PREVENTION ISSUE

| CANADIAN RETAILER | 3 5

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