Best Buy has cut our carbon footprint in half since 2009, and now we’re making our biggest commitment yet to renewable energy.
In collaboration with solar developer X-Elio and U.S. Bank, we are proud to unveil the Best Buy Solar Field in Martin, South Carolina. This project will produce 174,000 megawatt hours of clean electricity per year for the local power grid — enough to power the equivalent of 260 Best Buy stores for an entire year.
The Best Buy Solar Field underscores our commitment to enriching lives through technology. We aim to provide value for all our stakeholders, including customers, employees, partners, shareholders, communities and the environment.
“We are proud of this investment in our community, which brings so many environmental and social benefits,” said Tim Dunn, head of environmental sustainability at Best Buy. “We have made great strides in reducing our carbon emissions, and this project is a big step toward achieving our future goals.”
The solar field will contribute 6% toward our 75% carbon reduction goal, which has been aligned with Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). For our collective efforts, we earned a spot on CDP’s Climate A List, which includes the top 2% of companies worldwide impacting climate change.
The solar field is just the latest example of how we’re bringing this to life. We’ve also reduced carbon emissions through LED lighting and a hybrid vehicle fleet.
A commitment to sustainability
The solar field was announced in Best Buy’s latest environmental, social and governance (ESG) report, “Doing a World of Good,” which was released last week. It details commitments and progress made during fiscal 2020.
Other highlights from last year include:
- Collecting 204 million pounds of electronics and appliances for recycling.
- Expanding our Career Pathways program to 17 Teen Tech Centers.
- Reporting our private-label suppliers are 98% conflict free (remaining 2% have committed to an audit).
Beyond our own carbon reduction efforts, we’re also helping our customers save energy through products sold at Best Buy. We have committed to reducing carbon emissions from ENERGY STAR products sold to our customers 20% by 2030 (over a 2017 baseline), saving customers $5 billion on utility costs over the products’ lifetime.
Additionally, we have committed to creating 100 Teen Tech Centers. These are places where teens from disinvested communities are exposed to and trained on a range of technology that help prepare them for the careers of the future.
At Best Buy, we believe ESG has never been more important, especially in regards to keeping our employees and customers safe while also supporting those in our communities who have been most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent tragic instances of racial injustice. We are committed to doing more.
To learn more how together with our customers, we are aiming to do a world of good, visit BestBuy.com/sustainability.