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Operating Sustainably

Sustainability is ingrained in Ross’ culture. For decades, we have worked hard to drive out waste and inefficiency from our operations, which, in turn, has reduced our impact on the environment. As our Company grows and as part of our commitment to aligning our practices to our values, we recognize the need to advance our ambitions to help create a sustainable future for all, while also delivering value to our Customers.

In 2022, we continued our commitment to transparency by participating in the CDP 2022 Climate Change Questionnaire, receiving a score of B on our disclosure.*

We also continue to pursue our target of reducing Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30 percent per square foot by 2025 versus a 2017 baseline; more information about our progress can be found in the Climate and Energy section. We have organized our GHG emissions to align with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s scope definitions.

  • Scope 1 emissions are from sources that are owned or controlled by Ross.
  • Scope 2 emissions are from the generation of energy and electricity purchased by Ross.
  • Scope 3 emissions are from sources not owned or controlled by Ross.

Last year, we announced our ambition to reach net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 or sooner. In support of that ambition, Ross developed a target to reduce our absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% by 2030 against a 2021 baseline. This target is consistent with the United Nations’ Paris Agreement guidelines and aligns with an emissions pathway intended to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. We are continuing to explore strategies to achieve this ambition and target while also creating business value and we look forward to sharing our progress on GHG reduction as well as other aspects of our environmental sustainability efforts in our public disclosures, like the CDP Questionnaire and future CSR Reports.

*CDP, formerly Carbon Disclosure Project, is a nonprofit that runs the global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states, and regions to manage their environmental impacts.

Our Focus

We understand that the health of our environment is directly linked to the health of our Company. Environmental sustainability is an important issue for all businesses to consider when conducting operations, and our sustainability strategy is informed by the specific nature of our operations.

We conducted an assessment to determine which environmental sustainability issues are most important to our Associates, stakeholders, and communities. We concluded that the most critical environmental areas of opportunity in our operations are GHG emissions, energy use, and waste. While water is not a significant area of impact for Ross, we are aware of the importance of water conservation and have programs in place to be efficient in our water usage.

Program Oversight

To ensure that our environmental sustainability strategy is aligned with our business strategy and has the adequate support and guidance to be successful, we have established robust program governance.

At the top of our sustainability program governance is our Board of Directors. The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors assists the Board with oversight of the sustainability program and climate risks, and it receives regular reports on the Company’s environmental sustainability efforts.

Ross has also established the cross-functional Environmental Sustainability Steering Committee (ESSC), comprised of senior leaders from across the Company, including those from Store Operations, Supply Chain, Property Development, Finance, Indirect Procurement, and Legal teams. The ESSC is responsible for identifying and managing risks and opportunities associated with climate change, informing and endorsing GHG emissions and waste reduction strategies, and identifying and supporting projects in pursuit of achieving those strategies. Additionally, the ESSC provides input to a dedicated Sustainability team and aligns Ross’ sustainability program with overall business strategy.

Business unit leaders who implement and oversee energy efficiency, energy management, and waste minimization efforts across the Company are critical members of our sustainability program. Our management provides regular updates to the Audit Committee regarding the Company’s environmental and sustainability efforts and the status of our initiatives.

  • Calendar symbol

    Advancing sustainability
    Pursuing ambition to reach net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 or sooner

  • Checklist symbol

    Commitment to transparency
    B score received on CDP’s 2022 Climate Change Questionnaire

  • CO2 symbol

    Carbon emissions reduction
    23% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions per square foot versus 2017

  • Waste reduction symbol

    Waste reduction
    67% of waste diverted from landfill