PHOENIX — PetSmart released its third annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report for 2024, sharing the company’s progress in supporting the health and happiness of pets, pet parents and PetSmart associates. According to PetSmart, the report reflects its commitment to increased transparency, ongoing engagement with stakeholders and improved performance across pet health, associate engagement and environmental sustainability. 

PetSmart’s CSR framework, A World Through Their Eyes, captures a world as pets see it — one that is compassionate, inclusive, sincere and community centric, according to the company. The framework measures success across three key areas: Healthy & Happy Pets, Empowered People and Responsible Stewards. In its 2024 report, PetSmart details progress against performance goals across these areas and the programs and initiatives that supported them.

“We continue to learn from our stakeholders about how we can best advance our commitments to pets and the people who love them, while also ensuring we are advancing our business priorities,” said Joanne Dwyer, vice president of corporate social responsibility and corporate communications at PetSmart. “New partnerships in 2024 helped us to better engage pet parents, work toward common goals with our business partners and peers, and advance policies that drive our industry forward. Three years since the introduction of our CSR framework, we’re proud to share our progress and the ways our strategy is coming to life across PetSmart every day.”

In order to demonstrate its commitment to the health, safety and wellbeing of animals, PetSmart made significant strides in enhancing animal welfare within its stores. Achievements within PetSmart’s Healthy & Happy Pets category include:

  • Publishing its new animal welfare policy based on feedback from leading animal welfare organizations
  • Continuing advancements to its Vet Assured™ program, which prioritizes the health, safety and wellbeing of pets during their journey with the retailer
  • Placing 11 million pets in homes through PetSmart Charities in-store adoption programs
  • Investing in data tracking and analytics capabilities to support associates caring for pets and identifying pet health trends
  • Stopping the sourcing of certain species of pets and outlined new metrics to inform the decision-making process for the types of pets available in stores
  • Recording a 99.9% safety rate for services performed, which PetSmart attributes to ensuring associates have the training and resources they need to master proper pet care

According to PetSmart, 72% of its associates who participated in a materiality assessment said they want PetSmart to be an industry leader in corporate social responsibility. With this in mind, the retailer stated it is focused on forward-looking approaches to an engaged and sustainable workforce, in partnership with associates. Achievements within the Empowered People category include: 

  • Ensuring that leaders at all levels get regular associate feedback through an always-on survey tool, which allows leaders to make decisions to positively impact the associate experience
  • Enhancing the talent development strategy with a focus on defining and supporting pipelines for career growth, which included more than 20,000 PetSmart associates engaging in upskilling opportunities and 85% of leadership positions being filled from within
  • Achieving a best-ever safety rating in distribution centers, which PetSmart attributes to small improvements to daily practices, the use of new technology and engagement with associates

Striving to be a trusted partner for pet parents across North America, PetSmart stated that environmental responsibility is a commitment shared across the business. Achievements within the Responsible Stewards category include: 

  • Reducing emissions intensity by 18%, total energy usage by 18% and water usage by 1%
  • Completing its first investment in renewable energy with an agreement to install solar power at its Phoenix distribution center
  • Engaging pet parents in sustainability by expanding access to more purpose-driven and sustainable product offerings, including piloting a West Paw dog toy takeback program and partnering with TerraCycle to launch an in-store recycling program

Read the full PetSmart 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility Report here.

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