Whole Foods Market has unveiled its second annual Impact Report, offering a comprehensive overview of the company’s efforts in waste reduction, climate-smart agriculture, employee empowerment, responsible product sourcing, and community support. “Guided by our commitment to nourish people and the planet, we continue to set high industry standards for product quality, environmental stewardship, community support, and investment in our Team Members,” stated Jason Buechel, CEO of Whole Foods Market. “I am proud of the significant achievements, growth, and positive impact we made in 2023, which build on decades of dedication and investment. I am eager to continue advancing this legacy and driving meaningful change within the grocery industry.”
Key highlights from the 2023 Impact Report include:
- Diverted nearly 70% of store and operational waste from landfills, with recycling programs in 99% of stores and organic diversion programs like composting in nearly 85% of stores.
- Offered over 41,000 organic products and 154 certified regenerative products across its stores.
- Maintained a list of more than 550 banned ingredients in 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 food rescue and distribution programs.
- Graduated nearly 1,800 Team Members from career development programs and promoted over 8,700 Team Members in 2023.
- Awarded over $1 million to local suppliers through the Local Producer Loan Program and included 10 participants in the Local and Emerging Accelerator Program (LEAP) Early Growth cohort.
- Paid more than $9 million in premium funds to Sourced for Good suppliers, funding projects that benefit workers and their communities.
- Funded over 26,600 microloans across 37 countries via the Whole Planet Foundation, granted 64 Community First grants through the Whole Cities Foundation, and donated 509 educational gardens, 43 salad bars, and 108 beehives to schools through the Whole Kids Foundation.
- Provided over 2,600 affordably priced and thoughtfully sourced products under the 365 by Whole Foods Market brand, with nearly 1,000 of these being organic by the end of 2023.
Caitlin Leibert, Vice President of Sustainability at Whole Foods Market, remarked, “Agriculture is at the crossroads of people and the environment, and the past year has strengthened my belief in its potential as a positive force for good. I am continually impressed by the efforts of our Team Members and suppliers to advance sustainability and look forward to further innovations and improvements in 2024.”
As part of its Growing with Purpose initiative—a 10-year vision for the company—Whole Foods Market remains committed to investing in new projects that benefit its stores, supply chain, and people. With nearly 100,000 Team Members across 536 stores in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, the company expanded by opening eight new stores in 2023.
