WOONSOCKET – CVS Health Corp. was awarded a B+ by advocacy group Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families in a report published Wednesday examining the policies and practices of 40 top national retails sales organizations regarding the elimination of certain chemicals from its inventory.
Tied with fellow B+ recipients Whole Foods Market and Rite Aid Corp., CVS, the only local company examined in the report, came in sixth with a score of 82.5 out of 135 points.
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Within its findings, the report lauded CVS for reformulating half of its 600 products which contained what Safer Chemicals, Health Families considers “chemicals of concern.”
It suggested additional improvements on behalf of the Woonsocket-based pharmaceutical company can be made by declaring “public quantifiable goals” for the reduction and elimination of such chemicals as well as “engaging brand-name suppliers in the implementation of its policy.”
Four companies – Apple (A+), Target (A), Walmart (A-) and Ikea (A-) –received top marks in the report.
Published as part of the Safer Chemical’s “Who’s Minding the Store?” campaign, the report cards are designed to alert both retailers and consumers to the presence of potentially dangerous chemicals in everyday products at mainstream shops.
Chosen from among the top 40 retail sales companies according to the 2018 National Retail Foundation’s Top 100 companies list, those examined by Safer Chemicals for the most recent report were measured on 14 criteria ranging from adopting and publicizing anti-toxic-chemical policies to ensuring supply chain accountability and evaluating the firm’s chemical footprint.
Now in its third iteration, CVS first received a C from the group in the 2016 initial release then a B+ the following year.
A complete list of all grades given Wednesday by Safer Chemicals can be found online. Based out of Washington, D.C., the organization represents 450 organizations and businesses.
Emily Gowdey-Backus is a staff writer for PBN. You can follow her on Twitter @FlashGowdey or contact her via email, gowdey-backus@pbn.com.
