Sears Calgary DC certified for environmental efforts

TORONTO: Sears Canada’s national logistics centre (NLC) distribution facility in Calgary has been awarded ISO 14001 registration for its ongoing, voluntary efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its operations. The company said the certification, based on internationally-recognized standards for environmental management, recognizes Sears has taken a systemic approach in identifying and controlling the environmental impact of its Calgary NLC activities.

“Sears Canada is proud to say its Calgary NLC facility is ISO 14001 registered,” said Dene Rogers, president and CEO, Sears Canada. “The voluntary efforts leading to certification represent best practices applied by Sears associates to reduce operational impacts on the environment. Achieving ISO 14001 registration signifies Sears commitment to help fight climate change and to nurture a culture of sustainability among the company’s associates, customers and the communities in which it operates.”

The NLC consists of three buildings totaling over 600,000sqf, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, distributing to Sears locations in the five most western provinces and three territories. The Calgary NLC began several initiatives to get the registration, including:

• Installation of LED dock lights, which consume 80 percent less electricity than incandescent models;
• Power shut down in unused “twlight zones” during the weekend;
• Installing a bulk baler for plastic hangers and eliminating the process of transporting hangars to another facility for recycling;
• Implementing a recycling program for plastic film and an improved collection process to recycle cardboard, paper, scrap wood and metal;and
• Providing a domestic battery drop-off station as well as containers to collect bulk used oil and solvents for safe disposal.

Monthly monitoring of fuel, power and water usage along with monthly reviews of waste management handling ensures opportunities for improvement, Sears said. Surveillance audits throughout the three-year certification period ensures ISO 14001 compliance.

Sears Canada’s other distribution centres in Port Coquitlam, BC; Regina, Saskatchewan; Belleville, Ontario; Vaughan, Ontario; and Montreal, Quebec, are preparing for ISO 14001 certification with the goal of having all Sears NLC facilities recognized across Canada.