Loblaw Companies Limited

The company has conducted a TCFD-aligned climate scenario analysis across a medium-term (2030) and long-term (2050) time horizon under a 1.5C scenario to identify the physical and transition risks that may be material to its business. However, it is unclear if the company has included its entire animal agriculture supply chain within this risk assessment. Loblaw has recognised shifting consumer preferences towards lower-carbon products as a risk and is responding by expanding its lineup of certified vegan plant-based products.

Loblaw discloses that 23,987 metric tonnes of emissions were attributed to animal feed, however, the company has not disclosed a full breakdown of its Scope 3 emissions attributed to animal agriculture.

Loblaw does not have an SBTi approved Scope 3 emissions reduction target that covers its FLAG emissions. Instead the company has committed that 70% of its suppliers by spend will establish science-based targets by 2027.

Loblaw has not quantified the carbon mitigation potential or financial opportunity from protein diversification.

Loblaw has mentioned that it is continuing to expand its plant-based ranges to reduce the company's climate related risks in its climate transition plan. However, the company has not yet set a public protein diversification target.

The company does not have a protein diversification target.

There is no evidence for this KPI.

There is no evidence for this KPI.

Loblaw has disclosed in its 2023 CDP Climate Change report that its annual revenue from its PC Plant-Based portfolio increased by 310% in FY2022. However, this reporting is not linked to the company protein diversification target as Loblaw has not yet set a target.

There is no evidence for this KPI.

Loblaw's board of directors are supportive of its policies and practices related to its ESG matters, which the company has disclosed includes increasing its plant-based offering in its Climate Action Commitment. However, the company does not have a protein diversification target.

25% of Loblaws board have environmental expertise.

From Loblaw's website, it is unclear if any board members have technical expertise in nutrition and/or health (diet). There is no evidence of a technical advisory group that provides training and advice on nutrition and/or health (diet) at the board level.

Loblaw discloses a list of 13 policies that the company directly engages with policymakers on.

Loblaw has disclosed examples of lobbying in line with positive climate outcomes for its food business. Examples of this positive climate lobbying include carbon reduction policies and draft offset protocols to reduce GHG emissions from refrigeration systems. The company has not disclosed on lobbying for positive nutrition outcomes.

Loblaw has disclosed membership to one trade association (the Consumer Goods Forum), a partnership with two universities (University of Guelph Arrell Food Institute, University of Toronto), and a partnership with four NGOs (Ocean Wise, WWF-Canada, One Planet Business for Biodiversity (OP2B), Circular Materials).

Loblaw has disclosed an assessment of its lobbying through its affiliate organisations and they are aligned with positive climate outcomes. The company has not disclosed an assessment of whether its lobbying through affiliate organisations are aligned with positive nutrition outcomes.

There is no evidence for this KPI.

There is no evidence for this KPI.

Loblaw stated that it is working with the Canadian Alliance for Net-Zero Agri-food (CANZA) to test and scale initiatives that will support its suppliers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices. However, it is unclear if this covers the company's animal protein suppliers.

The company does not have a Just Transition strategy that covers animal agriculture.

Loblaw has disclosed that it directly engages its suppliers through its supplier engagement meetings, vendor portal, category leads, supply chain compliance department, integrity action line, and supplier communication email, which is publicly available. However, the company has not disclosed on what topics it discusses through its supplier engagement and how it uses this information to support them in transitioning to more sustainable practices.

There is no evidence for this KPI.

There is no evidence for this KPI.

Loblaw has not disclosed evidence of expanding its plant-based portfolio and has decreased the number of products within its PC Plant Based range from 95 products to 90 from the previous reporting year.

Loblaw has disclosed the number of products the company has in its PC Plant-based portfolio annually since FY2021. The number of products within this range have decreased since FY2022 moving from 95 products to 90.

The Loblaw company is working to remove 10 ingredients of concern in over 1,000 products as part of the company's no name® Simple CheckTM program, however, it is unclear how many of these products are plant-based.

There is no evidence for this KPI.

There is no evidence for this KPI.

There is no evidence for this KPI.

There is no evidence for this KPI.

There is no evidence for this KPI.

The company does not promote the sustainability attributes of alternative protein sources.

Loblaw brand President Choice has conducted consumer research in its Canadian market to understand consumer interest in trying plant-based alternatives. The company found that 49% of Canadians are interested in trying plant-based alternatives.

There is no evidence for this KPI.