Canadian supermarket group Metro has revealed that it is introducing a new programme to highlight its commitment to the environment and help it achieve its sustainability goals.
The programme includes a CA$2m scheme entitled the Green School Apple Programme, which begins on 1 June in Ontario and Quebec.
Applicants will be gathered from elementary and secondary schools, with students and teachers proposing ways that they could contribute towards the environment and also make healthy lifestyle choices.
Initiatives can fall under a number of different headings, including community clean-ups, tree plantings, energy conservation, waste reduction and community education.
The chosen applicants will then have the opportunity to access the CA$2m grant (CA$1m for each province).
'This measure will enable us to reduce the impact of our operations on the environment and promote healthy living habits,' said Metro's executive vice-president and chief operating officer Robert Sawyer. 'The Green Apple School Program encourages thousands of students to contribute to a solution that will ultimately improve their local communities.'
As part of the environmental programme, the group will also begin charging 5c for shopping bags as of 1 June, to reduce the number of bags in circulation and move towards its target of a 50 per cent reduction by 2010.
No comments yet