CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

As a part of Macy’s (NYSE:M) commitment to sustainability, the company’s Green Living employee committee developed several “Connect with Nature” initiatives during Earth Week 2017 to serve the community and raise environmental awareness.

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The winning design in Macy’s “Connect with Nature” employee contest for Earth Week 2017 was created by New York City associate Jenna D. The full-color design is featured on natural canvas totes available for $3.99 at select Macy’s stores while supplies last. (Photo: Business Wire)

Macy’s associates joined together for volunteer projects around the country – from a beach in Hawaii to a farm in Ohio to a school in New York City – and participated in educational events that connected like-minded colleagues to benefit the environment. Plus, Macy’s Green Living committee hosted its first design challenge – a contest to create an exclusive reusable tote.

The “Connect with Nature” design-a-tote contest was the national employee element of Macy’s 2017 Earth Week celebration. More than 100 associates submitted original artwork around the “Connect with Nature” theme. The winning design, by New York City associate Jenna D., was a top vote-getter on macysgreenliving.com, the company’s sustainability website. Jenna’s creation features a butterfly and flower motif. Beginning this week, natural canvas totes imprinted with her colorful artwork are available for $3.99 at select Macy’s stores while supplies last.

Stores offering the bags include Chicago: Macy’s State Street, Macy’s Water Tower; Cincinnati: Macy’s Kenwood Towne Centre; Houston: Macy’s Galleria; New Jersey: Macy’s Short Hills; New York City: Macy’s Herald Square; Los Angeles area: Macy’s Century City, Macy’s South Coast Plaza; Miami: Macy’s Aventura, Macy’s Dadeland; San Francisco area: Macy’s Broadway Plaza, Macy’s Union Square.

In keeping with the company’s give back value, Macy’s will donate $1 from the sale of each tote to the National Park Foundation – the official charitable partner of the National Park Service, whose mission is to enrich America’s national parks and programs, safeguarding our nation’s heritage and inspiring generations of national park enthusiasts as they connect with nature.

Macy’s has a multidimensional commitment to sustainability – Go Green Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are just one element. Macy’s ERGs are active throughout the country, engaging groups of associates around causes of mutual interest. With the company’s focus on environmental issues, Go Green ERGs are among the company’s most active. Here are a few ways they celebrated Earth Week:

Macy’s Ala Moana and Kaahumanu stores, HI: Go Green in Hawaii held beach cleanup projects with about 80 volunteers. Thanks to their energy, the beautiful beaches are much cleaner and safer. “We did our second annual beach cleanup which also included a homeless camp area,” said Debbie Chuckas, vice president/store manager Macy’s Kaahumanu, Kahulu, HI. “Our team grew from last year and did a fantastic job making a big difference as our beaches are important to our local community and our visitors. The trash collected filled a dumpster – and then some! We had fun as well as making an impact.”

Macy’s Central Offices, Cincinnati and Springdale, OH: Forty volunteers prepared fields and cleared barns at Gorman Heritage Farm, a 122-acre working and educational farm committed to promoting sustainable agriculture and locally-grown food. Go Green in Springdale created an event on effective composting, a presentation by a Cincinnati Zoo horticulturalist, and a closing event complete with garden-themed cake to celebrate its new Go Green Garden.

Macy’s Central Offices, New York City: Macy’s volunteers participated in the third annual Earth Day Give Back Project with Harlem Grown. This independent, nonprofit organization has a mission to inspire youth to live healthy and ambitious lives through mentorship and hands-on education in urban farming, sustainability and nutrition. Macy’s volunteers made a difference by stirring/turning compost, weeding, transplanting, moving supplies, building, cleaning and organizing, and watering.

Macys.com, San Francisco: The new macys.com Go Green Employee Resource Group took root with games such as “Wheel of Trash,” a trash sorting challenge, educational events on recycling and waste management, and a cleanup service project in nearby Union Square. Through many engaging launch events, organizers made the recycling process more tangible and helped employees understand it in a positive way.

Macy’s Credit and Customer Services, Clearwater, FL: The Go Green team held its award-winning competition for sustainable gardening, and bottle and can recycling. Like other Go Green ERGs across the company, the group held a “Trashion” show, featuring creatively repurposed materials otherwise destined for landfills.

Macy’s Logistics and Operations, Secaucus, NJ: Macy’s volunteers were knee-deep in hedges, grass and brush as they used garbage pickers to remove piles of debris from hidden areas around the city. “Macy’s always has a very enthusiastic group of volunteers,” said Lynn Kramer, Secaucus Environmental Department, Cleanup Outreach Services. “Overall it was a fun, team building experience for them!”

Macy’s Merchandising Group (MMG), New York City: The Sustainability Committee and Go Green team at MMG (the company’s product development organization) hosted a panel of industry experts to explore the business case for sustainability and green initiatives that Macy's and its suppliers are implementing to reduce environmental impact. Other Earth Week activities included joining the Harlem Grown project and leading an office supplies swap.

Macy’s Systems and Technology, Johns Creek (Atlanta area), GA: The Go Green ERG held an event that recycled more than 1.5 tons of recyclable electronics – enough to fill six pallets with PCs, printers, monitors, power cords, cathode ray tubes and hard drives.

Macy’s remains steadfastly committed to sustainability and we congratulate our employees for the passion they bring to this cause. For more than a decade, the company has made significant progress on many fronts and we continue to look for ways to minimize our environmental impact. As a leading national retailer with a large footprint and 140,000 dedicated associates, we have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in improving the environment.

Read more about Macy’s Earth Week activities on macysgreenliving.com.

About Macy’s

Macy's, the largest retail brand of Macy's, Inc. delivers fashion and affordable luxury to customers at approximately 670 locations in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam, as well as to customers in the U.S. and more than 100 international destinations through its leading online store at macys.com. Via its stores, e-commerce site, mobile and social platforms, Macy's offers distinctive assortments including the most desired family of exclusive and fashion brands for him, her and home. Macy's is known for such epic events as Macy's 4th of July Fireworks and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, as well as spectacular fashion shows, culinary events, flower shows and celebrity appearances.

Macy's flagship stores – including Herald Square in New York City, Union Square in San Francisco, State Street in Chicago, and Dadeland in Miami and South Coast Plaza in southern California – are known internationally and are leading destinations for visitors. Building on a more than 150-year tradition, and with the collective support of customers and employees, Macy's helps strengthen communities by supporting local and national charities giving more than $54 million each year, plus 180,000 hours of volunteer service, to help make a difference in the lives of our customers. Visit macysgreenliving.com for more information about sustainability at Macy’s.

About the National Park Foundation

The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards. In 2016, commemorating the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary, the Foundation launched The Centennial Campaign for America’s National Parks, a comprehensive fundraising campaign to strengthen and enhance the future of these national treasures for the next hundred years. Find out more and become a part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.

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