06 Sep Kohl’s Announces 2025 Sustainability Goals
Kohl’s announced sustainability goals with a focus on three key areas: climate action, waste and recycling, and sustainable sourcing. The goals support and accelerate the company’s commitment to seeking solutions that focus on long-term sustainability.
“At Kohl’s we are committed to being a responsible corporate citizen, making our communities stronger by supporting initiatives and organizations that focus on health and wellness, sustainability, and environmental efforts that benefit all families,” said Michelle Gass, Kohl’s chief executive officer. “We are proud to share our sustainability goals that support Kohl’s efforts to enhance our standing as a retailer of purpose.”
Kohl’s sustainability initiatives are part of the company’s corporate social responsibility platform. The company’s sustainability strategy is guided by leveraging business practices and decisions that enhance the objectives of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Kohl’s sustainability goals include quantitative targets in areas that the company has identified opportunity for significant impact. Kohl’s sustainability goals are as follows:
Climate Action
Kohl’s climate action goals are focused on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and increase of renewable energy use.
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Kohl’s-owned operations by 50 percent versus 2014 baseline by 2025.
- Further reduce energy consumption by 10 percent at Kohl’s facilities by 2025, building off of the company’s existing 20 percent reduction against 2008 baseline.
- Expand renewable energy platforms by building off the company’s existing 161 solar and wind locations.
- Support the transition to a low-carbon transportation system, building off of the company’s existing 96 locations offering electrical vehicle charging.
These goals support the SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy and SDG 13 Climate Action goals.
Waste and Recycling
Kohl’s waste and recycling goals are focused on the management of all wastes, reducing waste generation and promoting relevant recycling information to customers.
- Divert 85 percent of Kohl’s U.S. operational waste from landfills by the end of 2025.
- Label 100 percent of Kohl’s-owned branded packaging with the How2Recycle® label by 2025.
- Reduce the amount of plastic and cardboard in Kohl’s-owned branded packaging.
- These goals support the SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production goal.
Sustainable Sourcing
Kohl’s sustainable sourcing goals are focused on the efficient use of natural resources and environmentally sound management of chemicals within the company’s owned branded products.
- Achieve 100 percent sustainably sourced cotton in Kohl’s proprietary brands by 2025.
- Achieve 50 percent of products containing polyester to be made with recycled materials in Kohl’s proprietary brands by 2025.
- Require all approved facilities producing Kohl’s private- and exclusive-branded products to complete the Higg Index Environmental Module by 2025.
- Utilizing the Higg Index, drive substantial water reduction use in the production of Kohl’s-owned branded products by 2025.
- Emphasize the elimination and reduction of chemicals in Kohl’s-owned brand products and strive for a zero-discharge supply chain of hazardous chemicals, building off of the company’s existing chemical sustainability program.
These goals support the SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production goal.
The company is committed to monitoring and reporting performance and progress against these goals within the company’s annual Corporate Social Responsibility Report. Kohl’s is proud to have been recognized in 2019 with the following awards and recognitions for significant progress implementing its environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives:
- 2019 Barron’s Top 100 Sustainable Companies
- 2018 Dow Jones Sustainability Index
- 2019 World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute
- U.S. Department of Energy Better Building Challenge Achiever, surpassing the company’s 2018 goal to reduce energy consumption by 20 percent
- 2019 EPA ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year Sustained Excellence Award, for the eighth consecutive year
- 2018 EPA Smartway Shipper
To learn more about Kohl’s commitment to sustainability, visit Kohls.com/Sustainability.