sustainability

21 Sep: My Geek Squad Ride-Along

Last week, I traded my cubicle for riding shotgun in a Geek Squad repair van. Geek Squad Repair Double Agent Bruce Anderson, of St. Louis, let me tag along with him for the day. I wanted to see firsthand how our employees handle environmental issues, but I witnessed a lot more than that.

At Best Buy, we are committed to continuously improving our environmental performance. We focus where we can make the most impact – such as reducing our carbon emissions in our operations and selling sustainable products.

By Suzanne Hilker Company News PR News Alerts Sustainability

14 Sep: Best Buy Named to Dow Jones Sustainability Index

Best Buy has been named to the Dow Jones Index for Sustainable Investing (DJSI) for the fifth consecutive year.

The Index is the official sustainability performance ranking of the largest 600 North American companies. It follows a best-in-class approach to measure and compare companies on environmental, social and corporate governance criteria. Investors around the world use it as a tool to evaluate leadership and make decisions about which companies they want to invest in.

This year, Best Buy increased its ranking in the retail category, scoring in the 88^th percentile, 20 points above the average retail company.

By Suzanne Hilker PR News Alerts Sustainability

26 Aug: Environmental Management is a Win-Win

Operating 1,400 stores across the U.S., Best Buy can have a huge environmental impact – and we want to make sure ours is a positive one.

The Best Buy Environmental Management System (EMS) has recently been re-certified to ISO 14001, a voluntary global standard of quality that reflects our commitment to the environment. Achieving ISO 14001 certification is a BIG undertaking. Why did we choose to go through the rigorous process?

The simple answer is: It’s good for business.

Implementing an EMS gives us the tools and structure to effectively and efficiently lessen our environmental impact.

By Suzanne Hilker Company News PR News Alerts Sustainability

10 Jul: Best Buy Included in Prestigious FTSE4Good Index

Best Buy made the prestigious FTSE4Good Index for the second year in a row.

The index includes publicly traded companies with strong environmental, social and governance practices. FTSE4Good Indices are utilized by socially responsible investors and other stakeholders to measure sustainability performance. Best Buy received the highest possible score in the environment category, on the heels of announcing that we exceeded our 20 by 20 carbon reduction goal.

For a deeper dive into our sustainability practices, check out our Fiscal Year 2015 Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability Report here.

By Suzanne Hilker Company News PR News Alerts Sustainability

23 Jun: Best Buy Ranked 2nd Among Greenest Retailers

It’s not easy being green, a wise frog once said. But shouldn’t it be easy?

At Best Buy, we believe being sustainable is good for business, and we have proof. Contrary to the old adage that it costs more to be “green” – it really can save money. Our recent 20% carbon reduction attainment saved Best Buy more than $50 million. Our leaders get it – they made sustainability a priority even through the Company’s turnaround.

It’s also easy to say you’re a “green” company.

By Best Buy Company News PR News Alerts Sustainability

28 May: Best Buy’s Carbon-Reduction Efforts Commended by U.S. Department of Energy

Best Buy’s five-year-long drive to reduce its carbon footprint by at least 20 percent by 2020 was recognized as an unparalleled retailer achievement at U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) White House ceremonies in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night.

The reduction is part of the company’s effort to address climate change.

Thanks to a combination of an industry-leading energy management system, store lighting retrofit and improved fleet and distribution practices, Best Buy was commended for exceeding its goal and reducing emissions by 26 percent since 2010.

By Suzanne Hilker Company News Sustainability

06 Apr: Best Buy Named ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year – Again

We are a big fan of ENERGY STAR® products – they save our customers money and they help the environment by using less energy. And we are proud to say that ENERGY STAR likes us, too.

The Environmental Protection Agency named Best Buy 2015 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year – for the second year in a row.

Here are a few ways that we spread the good word about ENERGY STAR:

Best Buy prominently features ENERGY STAR on BestBuy.com, where more than 1 billion visitors each year can learn about and identify ENERGY STAR certified products.

By Suzanne Hilker Sustainability

23 Mar: Fewer Chemicals, Same Fire Safety for Insignia TVs

Note: This story has been updated.

Over the past several years, there has been heightened awareness about potentially hazardous chemicals in products. Consumers have become increasingly aware of what they put on their skin, handle on a daily basis and store in their homes. Some consumer electronics contain chemicals necessary to protect against immediate safety concerns like fire hazards. At Best Buy, we’re actively working to protect our consumers through safer alternatives or by eliminating potentially harmful chemicals.

With that in mind, we’re making improvements to our private label products.

By Suzanne Hilker Sustainability

20 Feb: Brighter, Better and Energy Efficient: New Lights at 800 Best Buy Stores

We transitioned the stores from high wattage, high-bay metal halide fixtures (think old gymnasium lights) to more efficient, lower wattage fluorescent fixtures. It reduced our lighting energy usage by nearly half – the equivalent of removing more than 12,000 households from the grid. And it’s saving the company money.

This was a simple change that could be scaled across the chain, creating big results. It’s getting us much closer to our goal of reducing carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020.

By Suzanne Hilker Sustainability

12 Jan: A Smart Home is also a Sustainable Home

Not only do Connected Home products make your life easier and provide peace of mind, they provide additional environmental benefits, turning your smart home into a sustainable one. Automating your home’s temperature, lighting and other appliances reduces wasted energy when you are not home and saves you money in the process. Going one step further, you can monitor and start conserving water when irrigating your lawn.

Smart Thermostats
They save energy and money by not heating or cooling an empty house.

By Suzanne Hilker Sustainability

10 Nov: How Best Buy Makes a Net Impact

Minneapolis was abuzz with nearly 2,000 “change-makers” looking to solve some of the world’s biggest problems at the 2014 Net Impact Conference. Net Impact is a leading nonprofit that empowers a new generation to use their careers to drive transformational social and environmental change and Best Buy proudly boasts the second corporate chapter in existence, putting us right in the middle of the conversation.

The three days were full of meaningful dialog with peers, thought-provoking presentations from experts in all facets of sustainability and ideation sessions with the best and brightest business students.

By Suzanne Hilker Company News Sustainability

28 Oct: A Few Tips for the House, On the House

Last year, Best Buy’s U.S. customers purchased more than 20 million ENERGY STAR® certified products, saving them upwards of $76 million in energy costs. That’s the carbon emission equivalent of taking 98,000 cars off the road. Seeing as October is Energy Awareness Month and chillier days aren’t far behind, here are a few tips for saving both energy and money.

Install a programmable thermostat in your house, which allows you to adjust the temperature when you’re not home
When shopping for a new TV or appliance, look for the ENERGY STAR mark to find the most energy-efficient products
Wash your laundry with cold water – your clothes will be just as clean
Replace old light bulbs with new energy-saving LEDs, which save up to $100 over the lifetime of the bulb
Use a “smart” power strip to avoid standby power – the energy used by some products when they are turned off but still plugged into a power/wall outlet
Disable “instant on” and “standby” modes when you are not using your gaming console

Products for your home that enable you to help manage your energy consumption, secure your home and do it all at the push of a button are available online at Connected Home on BestBuy.com,

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