Many companies around the globe have been re-tooling to become more socially responsible, environmentally friendly and healthier for those who support their products or services. This re-thinking that builds on making a better world today and looks forward to a better tomorrow is a wonderful new trend.
As the leading pet retailer of products, services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets, PetSmart is taking inspiration from loving and learning from pets in its first annual corporate social responsibility (CSR) report – A World Through Their Eyes – released last week.
PetSmart is working to create a world as our pets see it – one that is compassionate, inclusive, sincere and community centric
The newly introduced CSR framework, A World Through Their Eyes, captures a world as pets see it – one that is compassionate, inclusive, sincere and community centric – with a focus on three key priority areas: Healthy & Happy Pets, Empowered People and Responsible Stewards.
The report also shares PetSmart’s progress across key priorities, including:
Healthy & Happy Pets
- Investing a total of 1.5 million hours of training for associates in pet care positions who are responsible for caring for 9.4 million pets across PetSmart’s stores, salons, Doggie Day Camps and PetsHotels.
- Support of PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, surpassing investments of over $500 million in local communities and celebrating the achievement of more than 10 million pet adoptions to-date.
- Building on its continued commitment to offering access and affordable, quality veterinary care in our communities, PetSmart launched PetSmart Veterinary Services to make it easier for veterinarians to own and operate their own veterinary practices.
Empowered People
- Investing nearly $50 million in spending with diverse suppliers including minority and women-owned businesses.
- Providing nearly 10,000 hours of paid-time-off for associate volunteer time, delivering hundreds of thousands of dollars in value of volunteerism to communities.
- Doubling financial support to associates through the PetSmart Associate Assistance Foundation, funded by the company and associates, bringing total support to $6 million in grants for more than 4,500 associates since the program’s inception.
Responsible Stewards
- Consistent reduction in energy use over the last five years, despite opening new stores, including four LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design,  aka “green buildings”) certified PetSmart stores in the U.S. and Canada.
- Diverting 58 percent of waste in stores and 1.8 million pounds of e-waste from landfill through donation and recycling programs.
- Reducing 1.4 million miles traveled through planning and route optimization efforts, resulting in 215,000 gallons and more than $800,000 of diesel fuel saved.
According to PetSmart’s VP of Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability who joined the company last year to guide the company’s CSR strategy. “Our daily work combines a deep love for pets and a desire to leave our world a better place. Our first CSR report establishes an important baseline to measure and report on our progress in the years to come.”
Let’s hope that other companies learn from this approach and use it as a blueprint to help to provide us and our pets a brighter and healthier future.