With utilities as one of the highest operating expenses in the convenience retail industry, NACS has partnered with Energy Star to bring a variety of convenience-store-specific resources to retailers that are designed to help save money and energy. Energy Star is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) voluntary program.
A newly released “Energy Star Action Workbook for Convenience Stores” can help retailers plan their energy efficiency strategies and maintain the momentum for the long term. In recent years, retailers have increasingly developed and incorporated business goals and KPIs that focus on energy management and sustainability into their strategic plans. The guide is available at www.convenience.org/energystar.
Late last year, NACS and Energy Star released “Treasure Hunt for Convenience Stores” to help retailers and their teams discover energy savings in a collaborative effort that can reduce a facility’s energy usage by up to 15%. Access the Treasure Hunt at www.convenience.org/energystar.
The EPA suggests that retailers share with employees and customers more about their sustainability efforts, such as energy management and use of certified Energy Star equipment. By taking credit for some things already being done, retailers can share their story with customers who care about environmental responsibility.
Since 1992, Energy Star and its partners have helped save American families and businesses nearly 4 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity and achieve more than 3 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas reductions, equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 600 million cars. In 2017 alone, Energy Star and its partners helped Americans avoid $30 billion in energy costs.
If companies are interested in becoming an Energy Star partner, additional benefits include the use of Portfolio Manager, an online tool to measure and track energy and water consumption, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. Use it to benchmark the performance of one building or a whole portfolio of buildings in a secure online environment. To learn more, visit www.energystar.gov.
In 2019, NACS officially joined the EPA’s Energy Star program as an association partner committing to “help protect the environment by promoting superior energy performance.” As a partner, NACS will encourage members to use Energy Star’s free resources like Portfolio Manager and continue to release tools like the Action Workbook and Treasure Hunt. In the coming months, we will share and host webinars featuring Energy Star experts and explore additional learning opportunities.
Weigel’s Hosts Food Safety Tour
East Tennessee-based Weigel’s, the area’s oldest local dairy, hosted the Cochran Fellowship in March, a group of foreign agriculturalists and food safety advocates.
A USDA-sponsored tour provided professionals from three African countries an opportunity to learn about U.S. food safety protocols and the U.S. food regulatory system.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture-sponsored tour provided professionals from three African countries an opportunity to learn about U.S. food safety protocols and the U.S. food regulatory system. Weigel’s and its Broadacres Dairy was selected to host the group and provide a tour of the dairy facility.
“It was very nice to discover the processes used and see how much you care about food safety,” said Nabil Maovia, a USDA foreign agricultural service member.
The dairy plant tour was guided by Douglas Roach, Weigel’s Broadacres Dairy plant manager. “I think the tour created a chance to help a lot of people today,” he said. “I hope they learned something that can keep their countries healthier.”
Weigel’s operates 68 convenience stores, a dairy and a bakery, all within a 100-mile radius of corporate headquarters in Powell, Tennessee.
Speedway Raises $11.8 Million for Kids
In 2019, Speedway LLC raised $11.8 million for kids treated at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the United States—a 25% increase from the previous year’s efforts. The donations were raised by daily contributions from customers, business partners and employees throughout the year.
Speedway’s partnership with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals began in 1991 and has since raised more than $121 million for the children’s charity through various fundraising activities. Most funds come year-round from customers who contribute via a donation prompt while checking out or in donation canisters at each store.
The company also celebrated a new fundraising record of $2.7 million at its annual Speedway Miracle Tournament, one of the largest golf fundraising tournaments held to benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that treat more than 10 million kids each year. A donation made at a local Speedway directly supports the member hospital serving that community.
VERC Enterprises Wins Workforce Grant
VERC Enterprises, with locations throughout Massachusetts and New Hampshire, was recently awarded $140,000 as part of a statewide Workforce Grant Training Program, where the funds will go toward employee training. VERC has matched the grant with its own funds, bringing the total cost of the training to $280,000.
Barry Ahern, vice president of operations at VERC Enterprises, said the company sought the grant based on feedback from employees in the company’s Annual Employee Engagement Survey. The specific areas of training will include leadership and management skills, supervisory skills, lean thinking and processes for operations, ESOL (English as a second language), Microsoft Office tools, task and time management and effective communications/teamwork.
This is the third time that VERC Enterprises has applied for and received a Workforce Training Grant, which is designed to train more than 6,500 workers and create 1,361 new jobs in Massachusetts by 2021.