2019-2020 Loblaw Stewardship Report

• OVER A DECADE OF CHAMPIONING CONSERVATION SOLUTIONS ACROSS CANADA

• $10.5 million + donated to support WWFCanada’s work​

• 12 billion plastic bags eliminated with partial funds to WWF​

• Supported sustainable seafood supply chain (MSC and ASC certified) initiative and Oceans for Tomorrow campaign​

• Establishing The Loblaw Water Fund, supporting 73 freshwater projects in Canada​

• Keeping plastics out of nature through Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup​

2019/2020 GOALS

To engage communities in environmental action by:

1. Piloting a leading Native Plant retail and education program in Southern Ontario to advance restoration and nature on private lands

2. Demonstrating leadership on recovery of plastic litter through sponsorship of the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup

NATIVE PLANT PILOT

In 2020 , Loblaw Companies Limited in partnership with WWF-Canada, became the first major retailer to sell Ontario native plants grown from source-identified and ethically collected seed. By engaging local, native plant growers as suppliers we were able to maintain the integrity and quality of the product while investing in a green and local economy that supports communities in Canada.

This began a major shift in the supply chain for native plants throughout southern Ontario by sourcing 12,000 native plants for sale in Loblaw stores. This program was a success, enabling Canadians to contribute to healthier, less fragmented ecosystems in southern Ontario, which helps migratory and local wildlife thrive while providing nature-based carbon capture solution. With a sell through rate over 80%, this pilot demonstrated the possibilities for community action nature-based solutions at scale. Together we envision a future where every Loblaw’s customer chooses native plants, creating Canada’s biggest wildlife garden.

© St. Williams Nursery & Ecology Centre

Diversity was key for engaging a variety of people in urban, suburban and rural areas; several plants chosen were suitable for varying moisture levels as well as success for growing in containers –there were easy-grow ‘beginner plants’ as well as more specialized plants for those with more experience and knowledge about native plants. In total there were 38 different species with a mix of sun tolerant, shade tolerant and even grasses.

Common Milkweed

Brown-Eyed Susan

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Virginia Bluebell

Bottlebrush Grass

MARKETING SUMMARY

2825

Event attendees (150 in person, 2650 Virtual)

16,500

Social media impressions

119,310 Emails (35%, CTR 6.6%)

5,299

New visits to inthezonegardens.ca

Co-branded in-store signage at garden centres

39,236 unique opens

2,452 average open rate per email

171,400+ page views

8,267 attendees over 24 webinars

LOBLAW’S LEADERSHIP RECOGNIZED :

Alain Brandon speaking at WWF’s Nature Works! forum in March from Ontario, which included native plant growers, landscapers, municipal leaders and employees, Indigenous community members, corporate leaders, community leaders, ENGOs, Recognition as lead retail partner in In the Zone Garden for Wildlife webinar series and on WWF’s program communications and In the Zone plant tag.

• IMPACT OF COVID - 19

• The spring of 2020 was not as we expected, and as the covid-19 pandemic onset during the Native Plant pilot program launch, the health and safety of our staff and customers remained a top priority. This unfortunately impacted some planned education and engagement activities that had to be cancelled or modified to virtual platforms.

• In-person training for Loblaw garden centre on native plant program staff by WWF experts cancelled

• In-person customer demonstration planting and information events at 10 LCL locations across southern Ontario + Loblaw Garden Center Manager Training Sessions cancelled

• Loblaw employee engagement event in the Atrium to engage staff in the pilot and provide planting demonstrations, as well as planting a native plant garden on site at the head office cancelled

• Public relations elements including articles placed in relevant publications not pursued due to sensitivity around driving non-essential customers to stores

© St. Williams Nursery & Ecology Centre

RESPONSES FROM MEMBERS

KEEPING PLASTICS OUT OF NATURE

With the support of Loblaw Companies Limited, the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup has mobilized hundreds of thousands of people across the country. Collectively, our volunteers have kept more than 1.7 million kilograms of cigarette butts, plastic bags, straws, coffee cups and other trash out of Canada’s lakes, rivers and streams. These efforts have helped protect wildlife like fish, birds, turtles and more — and the habitats they depend on.

YOUTH TO SEA AMBASSADOR, VANCOUVER, BC :

“I worked with a team of students to create an environmentally oriented club at my school - The Community Cleanup Crew. We started late in 2020 and quickly realized that there were many other opportunities beyond traditional cleanups for us to help clean the environment... even during a pandemic! One of our solutions was a ‘lending initiative’ where we offered free equipment lending for people to safely access the tools necessary for their own cleanups, an idea that has since shown that even when forced to work individually, we can all still make a difference.”

A DIFFERENT YEAR FOR SHORELINES

After reaching the program’s highest level of volunteer engagement in 2019, it quickly became clear that 2020 would be a vastly different year for the great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. Health and safety of volunteers continued to be a top priority, so when COVID-19 hit in March, cleanups were cancelled across Canada, and volunteer and supporter engagement turned virtual.

The program relaunched in July with update guideline for safe cleanups and we were thrilled to see so many volunteers returning to cleanups in their communities. And despite all the challenges,

15,186 volunteers participated in 929 cleanups in 2020, removing 41,905 kg of litter from 1,491 kilometres of shoreline.

SHORELINES CLEANED

929 registered cleanups

3,674 trash bags filled

15,186 registered participants

1,491 km of shoreline cleaned

41,905 kgs of litter removed

860 recycling bags filled

CLEANUPS ACROSS CANADA

WHAT’S NEXT

Loblaw Companies Limited and WWF-Canada are committed to strengthening our efforts to engage communities in measurable restoration of biodiversity in Canada. Over the next 3 years we will:

1. Expand a leading native plant retail and education program in southern Ontario into a national program that will increase biodiversity through restoration of nature on private lands across the country

2. Demonstrating leadership on engaging people in Canada to take measurable actions for nature through national biodiversity programs.

3. Continue to support keeping plastic waste out of nature