Ocean State Job Lot Honored with Global Sustainability Leadership Award for Second Consecutive Year
Premier Discount Retail Chain Recognized for its Contributions to a Cleaner World
North Kingstown, R.I. – September 5, 2023 – Ocean State Job Lot (OSJL), the Northeast’s premier discount retailer with 152 stores across the region, is pleased to announce that it has been honored with a 2023 Sustainability Leadership Award from the Business Intelligence Group. It is the second consecutive year OSJL has earned this distinction.
The Sustainability Awards honor those people, teams, and organizations who have made sustainability an integral part of their business practice or overall mission. Ocean State Job Lot is committed to paving the way toward a Net Zero future by focusing on how the organization manages waste, energy, and carbon emissions. These efforts include upgrading lighting and HVAC companywide, reducing waste while improving recycling systems, generating renewable energy sources, implementing EV charging stations, and more. Combining all these efforts allows OSJL to develop a carbon emission reduction plan that will be the driving force behind its future plan to become Net Zero.
In 2021, OSJL announced a partnership with Ecogy Energy to host the largest rooftop solar portfolio in Rhode Island. Three OSJL store locations in Johnston, Rhode Island, Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and Richmond, Rhode Island are equipped with solar panels. The solar panels will generate roughly 11.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity over 20 years. OSJL is revolutionizing vacant rooftops of store locations into energy-generating platforms. Currently, OSJL has 2,100 solar panels installed across the three stores and is working to expand to other store locations.
“We are thrilled to be honored as a sustainability leader once again,” said Harry Oakley, Director of Energy, Sustainability, Procurement & Corporate Facilities at Ocean State Job Lot. “This award is a much-deserved recognition of our team’s commitment to doing all we can to reduce our business’s carbon footprint and to hopefully inspire others to do the same. We look forward to creating even more opportunities to make a positive impact on the planet.”
“We are proud to reward and recognize Ocean State Job Lot for their sustainability efforts,” said Maria Jimenez, Chief Nominations Officer, Business Intelligence Group. “It was clear to our judges that their vision and strategy will continue to deliver results toward a cleaner, more sustainable world. Congratulations!”
About Business Intelligence Group:
The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry award programs, business executives—those with experience and knowledge—judge the programs. The organization’s proprietary and unique scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and then rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers.
About Ocean State Job Lot:
Founded in 1977, Ocean State Job Lot (OSJL) is a growing, privately held discount retail chain with 152 stores in New England, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, approximately 5,600 employees, and annual sales exceeding $800 million. OSJL Shoppers find an ever-changing array of brand name, first quality merchandise at closeout prices, including household goods, apparel, pet supplies, seasonal products (holiday, gardening, patio, pool, and beach supplies), and kitchen pantry staples at a fraction of their typical price. The company was named a four-time “Best Employer” by Forbes® Magazine*, a three-time US Best Managed Company by Deloitte, and a two-time winner of the Inspiring Workplaces in North America Award. *Ocean State Job Lot is not affiliated with Forbes®.
The Ocean State Job Lot Charitable Foundation has a long history of philanthropic leadership, supporting numerous causes, including feeding the hungry, helping the homeless, assisting veterans and military families, aiding animal rescue, caring for children, advancing healthcare, supporting the arts, and promoting learning. The Foundation’s operational, administrative, and overhead expenses are covered by Ocean State Job Lot, not the Foundation, ensuring that 100% of every dollar raised through the Foundation goes directly to helping those in need.
Ocean State Job Lot is headquartered in the Quonset Point Business Park at 375 Commerce Park Road, North Kingstown, RI 02852. Phone: (401) 295-2672; Website: OceanStateJobLot.com.
