SpartanNash partners with Ecodrive to mitigate global warming
Food solutions company SpartanNash, Grand Rapids, Mich., has teamed with sustainability solutions organization Ecodrive to plant 20,000 mangrove trees in recognition of SpartanNash associates and customers for Earth Day, according to a news release.
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, the release said. 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,” SpartanNash CEO Tony Sarsam said in the release. “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 sophisticated on-the-ground monitoring, data verification and storage through the application of blockchain technology to improve transparency and trust in the tree-planting process, the release said. 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,” Blake Rushman, Ecodrive co-founder, said in the release. “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 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy, SpartanNash is committed to 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.
