As chief sustainability and transformation officer at grocery giant Albertsons, Suzanne Long has an expansive scope of responsibilities ranging from increasing inclusion to decreasing waste and fostering community.

In order to avoid attempting impractical moonshots, Long prioritizes setting a very clear vision of the impact that Albertsons wants to make and then developing a multi-year roadmap to lead the organization in that direction.

After conducting a materiality assessment, she set four main opportunities to demonstrate leadership:

1. Climate action
2. Waste reduction and circularity
3. Diversity, equity and inclusion
4. Community stewardship

Long also outlines how important Albertsons’ frontline workers are to its transformation efforts. She points out that only by unleashing the human potential of these employees can they provide a magical experience for their shoppers.

The conversation ends with a discussion about the need for retailer collaboration to make sustainability efforts more impactful. It will take pressure from all retailers to shift the packaging used by CPG brands and the recycling behavior of consumers.

Key takeaways:

• Grocery retailers differentiate themselves not by the products they sell, but by the experience and environment they provide for their shoppers.
• Successful goals begin with setting very clear objectives and outlining a plan to achieve them.
• Non-competitive sharing between retailers will help everyone achieve more sustainable practices.