AUSTIN, Texas – July 23, 2024 – Whole Foods Market today released its second annual Impact Report – available here – which provides an in-depth look at the company’s investments in reducing waste, championing climate smart agriculture, empowering its Team Members, thoughtfully sourcing its products, and strengthening the communities in which it operates.
“With our purpose to nourish people and the planet as our North Star, we continue to hold ourselves to the highest standards in the industry when it comes to the quality of our products, reducing our environmental impact, supporting our communities and investing in our Team Members,” said Jason Buechel, chief executive officer at Whole Foods Market. “I’m proud of the big wins, growth, and positive impact we achieved in 2023, all built on decades of effort and investment, and I’m excited to build on that legacy as we continue to drive lasting and positive change across the grocery industry.”
Highlights from the 2023 Impact Report include:
- Kept nearly 70% of all store and operational waste out of landfill and maintained recycling programs at 99% of our stores and organic diversion programs, such as composting, at nearly 85% of our stores.
- Reached over 41,000 organic products and 154 certified regenerative products across our stores.
- Maintained more than 550 banned ingredients across our standards for food, beverages, supplements, body care, and household cleaning products.
- Donated more than 28 million meals – totaling nearly 34 million pounds of food – to nearly 1,000 unique food rescue and distribution programs.
- Graduated nearly 1,800 Team Members from career development programs, in addition to promoting more than 8,700 Team Members in 2023.
- Awarded more than $1 million to local suppliers in 2023 through the Local Producer Loan Program and inducted 10 participants into its Local and Emerging Accelerator Program (LEAP) Early Growth cohort.
- Paid more than $9 million in premium funds to Sourced for Good suppliers, supporting a range of projects that benefit workers and their communities.
- Funded more than 26,600 microloans across 37 countries through the Whole Planet Foundation; awarded 64 Community First grants to community-led organizations through the Whole Cities Foundation; and donated 509 educational gardens, 43 salad bars, and 108 beehives to schools through the Whole Kids Foundation.
- Offered more than 2,600 affordably priced and thoughtfully sourced products under our 365 by Whole Foods Market brand. Nearly 1,000 of those products were organic as of the end of 2023.
“Agriculture sits squarely at the intersection of people and the environment, and the past year has only reinforced my fervent belief that it can be a positive force for good,” said Caitlin Leibert, vice president of Sustainability at Whole Foods Market. “Every day I see and appreciate the effort of all Whole Foods Market stakeholders, from our Team Members to suppliers, to keep moving the needle forward and pushing the industry toward a more sustainable future. I look forward to continuing to find innovative ways to collectively change for the better in 2024.”
Whole Foods Market continues to invest in new initiatives that positively impact its stores, supply chain, and its people as part of Growing with Purpose – our 10-year vision that will guide Whole Foods Market into the future as we fulfill our higher purpose to nourish people and the planet. The company has nearly 100,000 Team Members in 536 stores across the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada after adding eight new stores in 2023.
To learn more about Whole Foods Market’s impact, check out its latest Impact Report or visit its website at www.wholefoodsmarket.com/mission-in-action.
