This article was originally published by Progressive Grocer on December 2, 2015. See the original article here. 

Mid-Atlantic grocery chain Weis Markets has been recognized for incorporating sustainability practices into its day-to-day operations that have helped it conserve resources and reduce the overall environmental impact of its 163 stores, distribution center and manufacturing facilities.

The Manomet Grocery Stewardship Certification (GSC) sustainability award is based on waste, water use, energy use and greenhouse gas emission reductions in a company’s retail locations and supply chain. The GSC program was launched in 2012 and remains the nation’s only food retailing sustainability certification program.

“A practical sustainability program has been an important focus area for our company since 2008. During this time, we’ve reduced our overall environmental footprint by 12.3%,” said R. Kevin Small, Weis Markets VP of store development. “The Grocery Stewardship Certification recognizes our progress and provides us with valuable insight about our overall performance in the sustainability arena. The GSC program also helps us engage with our associates in new ways and show our customers that we are continually adopting sustainable practices.”

In recent years, Weis Markets has partnered with the EPA’s GreenChill program, rolled out its first store with all LED lighting and added a Green Leader role in each store to provide enhanced associate and customer awareness of the company’s sustainability commitment.

As a result of its sustainable operating practices, Weis Markets is annually saving more than 64 million pounds of waste from going to landfills, 11.1 million gallons of water from being used, and 295,894 tons of greenhouse gases from being released, the company said.

Sunbury, Pa.-based Weis Markets operates 163 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia.