Office Depot Achieves ENERGY STAR Leader Status, Cuts Energy Consumption by 27.5 Percent

As Office Depot celebrates its 25th anniversary as a leading global provider of office supplies and services, the company has joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) list of ENERGY STAR Leaders for reducing its energy consumption by 27.5 percent across its building portfolio. This achievement makes Office Depot the first general retailer (non-supermarket) to be recognized for a reduction of more than 20 percent. The company has implemented various energy efficiency initiatives, including upgrading energy management systems, retrofitting lighting, and installing solar panels and skylights in select stores.

Key Takeaways:

• Office Depot achieved a 27.5 percent reduction in energy consumption across its 1,123 sites, making it the first general retailer to reach a greater than 20 percent reduction.
• The company's energy reduction was accomplished through investments in energy efficiency and green building initiatives, including upgrading energy management systems, retrofitting lighting, and installing solar panels and skylights.
• Office Depot will track improvements in energy efficiency using Portfolio Manager, EPA's online energy measurement and tracking tool, and pursue ENERGY STAR certification for 185 eligible sites.
• The company has committed to reducing its Absolute Carbon Footprint in North America by 25 percent (2005 baseline) to under 300,000 MtCO2e by the end of 2012.
• Office Depot has also opened environmentally sustainable stores and facilities, including a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certified global headquarters and a LEED Gold Certified store in Austin, Texas.

Statistics:

• 27.5% reduction in energy consumption across Office Depot's 1,123 sites
• 20% reduction threshold for general retailers (non-supermarkets)
• 1,123 Office Depot sites with energy consumption reduction
• 185 Office Depot eligible sites pursuing ENERGY STAR certification
• 25% reduction target for Absolute Carbon Footprint in North America (2005 baseline)
• 300,000 MtCO2e: target for Absolute Carbon Footprint reduction
• 25 years: Office Depot's anniversary as a leading global provider of office supplies and services
• 1,602: number of worldwide retail stores operated by Office Depot
• $4.1 billion: Office Depot's e-commerce operation
• $11.6 billion: Office Depot's annual sales
• 40,000 associates: Office Depot's global workforce
• 53 countries: number of countries where Office Depot sells office supplies and services
• 25% reduction: target for energy efficiency in North America (2005 baseline)

Sources:

• ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 60 different kinds of products, new homes and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. In 2008, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved about $19 billion on their energy bills while reducing greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 29 million vehicles. Learn more at www.energystar.gov/leaders.
• About Office Depot: Celebrating 25 years as a leading global provider of office supplies and services, Office Depot is Taking Care of Business for millions of customers around the globe. For the local corner store as well as Fortune 500 companies, Office Depot provides supplies and services to its customers through 1,602 worldwide retail stores, a dedicated sales force, top-rated catalogs and a $4.1 billion e-commerce operation. Office Depot has annual sales of approximately $11.6 billion, and employs about 40,000 associates around the world. The Company provides more office supplies and services to more customers in more countries than any other company, and currently sells to customers directly or through affiliates in 53 countries. Office Depot's common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ODP. Information on Office Depot's Environmental Strategy efforts can be found at www.officedepot.com/environment.