March 22 is World Water Day, and to celebrate, we’re sharing some of Best Buy’s latest efforts to reduce our impact on the planet and its water sources.
As a company, we rely on quality freshwater for the restrooms, kitchen areas and irrigation systems at our stores, distribution centers and corporate offices. Our customers, meanwhile, rely on water for appliances like washing machines and dishwashers.
Here’s a quick look at some steps we’re taking to cut back on how much water we use.
Reducing our company’s water usage
We recognize water scarcity as a growing concern, and we are taking steps to protect the watersheds we rely on. In 2020, we formed a Water Stewardship Action Committee, a cross-functional group of employees who share a common goal to help reduce water usage in our own operations and for our customers.
Through this committee, we have identified water-stressed areas that we will focus on to lessen our dependence on water. We also set a companywide goal to reduce water consumption 15% by 2025 as compared to 2019. This goal is designed to reduce water consumption and improve water security for Best Buy and the communities we serve.
The Best Buy corporate office is the facility that uses the most water. We have already taken some major steps to reduce water usage, including native landscaping that significantly reduces irrigation needs. Recently, we began retrofitting over 200 faucets with touchless models that use about two-thirds less water. Although most of our corporate employees continue to work from home, this update will help our long-term goal of reducing water at the campus.
Additionally, we report on our water consumption every year in our ESG report and for the CDP Water Disclosure Project.
Reducing our customers’ water usage
For our customers, we aim to help them reduce water usage by offering ENERGY STAR certified products that save energy and water. We also partner with utility companies to offer rebates for water-saving devices like the Rachio smart sprinkler control system.
In 2019, we set a goal to reduce the carbon emissions of the ENERGY STAR products we sell 20% by 2030 over a 2017 baseline. While most ENERGY STAR products are certified to use less energy, many of them, including washing machines and dishwashers, also use less water than standard models.
Click here for Best Buy’s Fiscal 2020 environmental, social and governance report, “Doing a World of Good.”