Our Planet
We believe the most responsible unit of energy is the one not consumed, therefore, we implement sustainable practices to reduce our impact on the environment and provide for future generations.
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Efficient & Renewable Energy
We believe the most responsible unit of energy is the one not consumed, therefore, we implement sustainable practices to reduce our impact on the environment and provide for future generations. First, we seek to continuously reduce the energy intensity of facilities we operate by improving design and retrofitting with innovative technology and equipment. Second, we seek to research the feasible production or sourcing of renewable energy for our operations.
Krause Group employs a full-time Certified Energy Manager® to support our commitment to responsible energy use. Enrico Serafino sourced 100% renewable energy from their utility, while Vietti and Kum & Go have both installed solar photovoltaic systems offsetting a portion of on-site energy use. Building on early global leadership with the LEED Volume program, Kum & Go began actively collaborating in 2020 with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) and other chains to design the first Energy Star category and certification for convenience stores.
Some businesses are currently excluded from this metric. Des Moines Menace and Teamwork Ranch operate no facilities; Parma Calcio 1913 has been added since last year. Due to that addition, and rebounding from COVID-19, total energy usage did increase. However, energy intensity improved, decreasing 8% from 2020.
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Clean Water
We believe the most responsible unit of water is the one conserved, there, we implement sustainable practices to reduce our impact on the environment and provide for future generations. First, we seek to continuously reduce the water intensity of the facilities we operate by improving design and retrofitting with low-flow equipment. Second, we seek to protect both quality and quantity of water available via stormwater management and watershed stakeholder engagement where feasible.
Krause Group employs a full-time Certified Energy Manager® that also supports our commitment to water conservation and stewardship. Kum & Go and Krause+ continue to invest in water use reductions per square foot at all properties; Dalla Terra Ranch uses on-site well water for its operations and has implemented robust conservation practices that enhance water quality. Supported by soil loss reports and soil sampling, Teamwork Ranch works closely with tenant operators to implement on-farm conservation which improves long-term productivity of the land.
Some businesses are currently excluded from this metric. Solar Transport does not pay for or control water usage at any sites; Des Moines Menace and Teamwork Ranch operate no facilities; Parma Calcio 1913 has been added since last year, and total water consumption still decreased by 12.6 million gallons—the equivalent of 19 Olympic swimming pools. Water intensity improved, decreasing 23% from 2020.
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Waste Reduction
We believe the most responsible unit of waste is the one not generated, therefore, we implement sustainable practices to reduce our impact on the environment and provide for future generations. First, we seek to continuously reduce the number and types of material streams that end up in our dumpsters. Second, we seek to divert those materials to productive uses such as reuse, recycling, composting, etc.
Krause Group created a full-time Waste Reduction Specialist position in 2020. That individual is a certified TRUE Zero Waste Advisor® and supports our commitment to responsible waste management and reduction. Dalla Terra Ranch generated only 152 pounds of trash in the past two years, while our Italian businesses continue to recycle all materials per national regulations. Given the continued struggles of the U.S. recycling industry, Kum & Go is actively working with new partners on data management and equipment testing to make recycling available consistently at all our locations. There is still work to do, and we are excited about the future.
We will continue to report estimates supported by internal audits and EPA conversion factors to arrive at total weights and percentage (%) diversion from landfills companywide. Some businesses are currently excluded from this metric: Enrico Serafino lacks documentation from vendors, while Des Moines Menace and Teamwork Ranch operate no facilities. Because we were able to collect data from Solar Transport and Parma Calcio 1913, our overall materials generated increased in 2021, but our diversion-from-landfill rate improved by two percentage points. Those efforts kept the equivalent weight of 105 blue whales out of landfills last year.
