SAN DIEGO — Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. released its 2023 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report on June 26, sharing its progress on several initiatives to support pets, pet parents, the environment and its employees. 

“Our commitment to making a positive impact on the lives of pets, people and the planet we all share is pivotal to our mission as a purpose-driven pet retailer,” said Benjamin Thiele-Long, chief ESG and communications officer at Petco. “By making meaningful progress on ESG pillars that matter to our stakeholders, we continue to fuel the great enthusiasm our Petco partners bring to work, differentiate our business, and grow the deep connection we have with the customers and communities we serve.”

The report addresses three areas of the retailer’s ESG efforts: ensuring responsible pet care, supporting people and advancing the industry’s environmental efforts. 

Through its Petco Love non-profit organization, the retailer has helped facilitate the adoption for more than 142,000 pets in 2023. The organization’s Vaccinated and Loved program helped distributed 2.2 million free vaccines to pets in under-served communities. Additionally, Petco Love donated $33.5 million in grants to 2,000 shelters and animal welfare organizations. 

To ensure access to high-quality and affordable veterinary care for pets, Petco expanded its in-store veterinary hospital network to include more than 280 locations. 

In supporting its people, the retailer scored high in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index. Additionally, Petco has expanded its programs for employees, offering peer-to-peer workshops, and a leadership and coaching program to help nurture the talent of its workforce. 

Regarding its environmental efforts, in 2023 the retailer piloted a new recycling program to help divert plastic waste that is unrecyclable from landfills. Leveraging its existing back-haul shipments, the company transported low density polyethylene (LDPE), a flexible thermoplastic commonly found in plastic bags, cling wrap and other wrapping materials, from its stores to distribution centers in which it was converted into other materials. 

Through this initiative, Petco recycled more than 4 tons of LDPE plastic in just six months, while also leading to zero increases in its carbon footprint. The company has rolled out the program to hundreds of its stores and operations throughout the United States and expects to divert about 150 tons of plastic from landfills annually. 

“Our LDPE plastic recycling program is a great example of the sustainability mindset embedded in Petco’s operations and the key role our Petco partners play in improving our processes to help preserve the wellbeing of our planet,” said Francesca Mahoney, vice president of sustainability at Petco. “We will continue prioritizing these efforts so pets and pet parents can thrive in healthy environments for generations to come.”

Learn more about Petco’s ESG efforts.

Read more about ESG efforts across the industry.