IRVING, Texas -- 7-Eleven Inc. is piloting a reduced-emissions gasoline program in three markets as part of its corporate social-responsibility push.
The Renew program, launched in partnership with GreenPrint, is going into test over the coming year at 95 7-Eleven stores in Portland, Ore.; Seattle; and Madison, Wis. For each gallon of gasoline purchased by a customer of these stores, GreenPrint will determine the equivalent tailpipe emissions and invest in certified carbon-reduction projects to offset up to 30% of them.
"As the convenience retail leader, we're uniquely positioned to promote sustainability by bringing innovative programs like Renew to market," said Joe DePinto, president and CEO of 7-Eleven. "This program, coupled with our 2025 corporate social responsibility targets, furthers our efforts to reduce our environmental footprint, and offers customers a way to make a positive impact on the environment and their local communities."
The carbon-offset activities that GreenPrint will invest in include local, regional and global reforestation, greenscape, wildlife-protection and renewable-energy projects. 7-Eleven’s Renew pilot will also include the planting of 100,000 trees around the United States with the help of the Arbor Day Foundation.
Other c-store chains that have recently partnered with GreenPrint on reduced-emissions programs include The Pride Stores, Ricker Oil and Alon Brands.
"We are honored to run this test program with a brand like 7-Eleven that has consistently demonstrated a willingness to be innovative," said Pete Davis, founder and CEO of GreenPrint. "Their commitment to aggressively pursue sustainability initiatives to benefit the environment sets them apart from competitors. The Renew program will continue that commitment while creating a unique connection with their customers."
In 2016, 7‑Eleven began working with Conservation International (CI) to create measurable corporate social-responsibility goals to help the chain reduce its environmental footprint, with a focus on the planet, its products and people. It also joined CI's Business and Sustainability Council, which brings corporate leaders together to discuss mutually beneficial ways to reduce their businesses’ environmental impact.
And in April, 7-Eleven announced plans to test powering 425 of its sites in Texas on nothing but wind power for 96 months, beginning in June 2018.
7-Eleven Inc., Irving, Texas, operates, franchises or licenses more than 63,000 stores in 18 countries, including 10,900 in North America.
Atlanta-based GreenPrint offers reduced-emissions programs for fuel that it licenses to c-store chains, energy companies and corporate fleets. Each year, its programs reduce emissions on a combined 500 million gallons of fuel at hundreds of retail locations as well as 40,000 corporate and municipal fleets in eight countries.
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