Grand Rapids, Michigan-based SpartanNash has teamed up with sustainability solutions organization, Ecodrive, to plant 20,000 mangrove trees in recognition of SpartanNash employees and customers for Earth Day.
Mangroves will be planted in Kenya and are vital in the fight against climate change by capturing and storing up to millions of pounds of carbon dioxide in their lifetime. These trees also create a habitat for hundreds of organisms and protect shorelines from erosion and storm surges, keeping ecosystems and the people who live there safe.
For every 100 trees planted, one full workday is created for a villager in need.
“Our associates and independent retailers work tirelessly every day to deliver the ingredients for a better life in their communities,” said CEO Tony Sarsam. “We’re proud to recognize their hard work this Earth Day by investing in our collective future and supporting clean air and healthy ecosystems.”
Ecodrive uses on-the-ground monitoring, data verification and storage through the application of blockchain technology to improve transparency and trust in the tree-planting process. This process ensures trees will not be double-counted or misattributed and allows them to track overall survivability, measuring real climate impact over time.
“To reach global carbon reduction goals and protect our environment, we need companies to step up and take action,” said Blake Rushman, Ecodrive co-founder. “By planting tens of thousands of trees, SpartanNash is making a substantial step toward our global climate goals, all while supporting communities in Kenya.”
As part of the company’s ESG strategy, SpartanNash is improving sustainability through various practices and partnerships. In recent years, the company has decreased its overall carbon footprint through initiatives including fleet mileage reduction, recycling stretch film into high-quality decking, upgrading facility lighting to LED bulbs and partnering with discount food app, Flashfood, to reduce food waste.
For more information about ESG at SpartanNash, visit spartannash.com/corp-responsibility.
