Green Corporate Social Responsibility Statement

Non-Certified Green Product Green Seal
www.greenseal.org		 Designated for the Environment
www.epa.gov/dfe		 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
www.usgbc.org		 EcoLogo
www.ecologo.org

Green initiatives are tied to the larger issue of corporate social responsibility (CSR), the idea that companies have obligations not just to their investors but also to their stakeholders, society, and the environment. American corporations driven to comply with increasing government regulations and pressure from shareholders are turning to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for guidance with implementing green and CSR programs. Similar to the ISO 9000 standard for quality, the ISO 14000 standard for environmental management systems (EMS) establishes best practices and benchmarks for green initiatives, and the ISO 26000 standard for corporate social responsibility establishes a framework for the development of CSR standards. Government agencies and companies concerned with sustainability issues will adopt these standards and ask their suppliers and vendors to follow suit.

Fastenal's green policy is a logical evolution of our lean quality initiatives, which are focused on eliminating waste and redundancy. Our green policy is to constantly look for ways in which we can improve our green credentials as part of our continuous process improvement under our lean quality initiatives. Our green strategy is also aligned with our government contract compliance initiatives and our corporate social responsibility initiatives. It is our mission to operate our business in the most environmentally-friendly way possible. This includes:

  • Establishing a green product offering from key vendors for national distribution and clearly identifying those products in our marketing materials, including our catalog and web site
  • Purchasing green products from our suppliers
  • Reducing waste and recycling & reusing materials at every opportunity
  • Reducing our electrical energy consumption
  • Designing distribution routes to minimize fuel consumption
  • Encouraging car pooling and responsible business travel
  • Repairing rather than throwing away whenever possible
  • Capturing green consumption data on our usage reports and cost savings documentation
  • Receiving electronic POs, invoices, and other business documents from vendors and customers whenever possible
  • Encouraging our customers to sign up for Electronic Invoicing via fax, email, or the web to reduce paper usage

What We Have Already Done

  • We reuse or recycle most of our incoming packaging materials (cardboard, polystyrene, shredded paper, air bags, etc.) and use composite pallets and totes for shipping.
  • We minimize our use of paper. Increased use of e-mail greatly reduces the amount of paper used in hard-copy correspondence, envelopes and letters. Business records are digitized to minimize hard copy document storage. We have also installed some multi-functional devices (for faxing, printing and photocopying) in our offices that will reduce energy and paper usage.
  • We only purchase paper that includes recycled content, and we recycle our office paper.
  • We encourage staff and visitors to recycle bottles, plastics, and aluminum cans by placing recycling bins at strategic points throughout our stores and distribution centers.
  • Our consumption of fuel and energy is closely monitored, and we take measures to ensure that it is not wasted. Our distribution centers have been retro-fitted with energy-efficient lighting systems, and we utilize global information systems to design truck routes that minimize miles traveled.
  • We recycle our old computers through our IT replacement strategy.
  • We recycle fluorescent light tubes.
  • We have reduced the amount of our landfill waste by finding ways to recycle waste material, either in-house or in conjunction with others who are able to use the material constructively.
  • We are ensuring that any new build/refurbishment plans adhere to current environmental standards and energy conservation requirements.
  • We utilize green cleaning chemicals in our corporate headquarters and distribution centers.

What We Intend to do in the Future

  • We intend to purchase our electricity from suppliers who re-invest in renewable energy.
  • Where possible, we will choose to source our materials from suppliers who operate in an environmentally-friendly manner and who are geographically local (to reduce delivery miles).
  • We will choose our vehicles with fuel-efficiency in mind, and their fuel consumption will be closely monitored.
  • We will develop e-Learning opportunities for employee training in conjunction with the Fastenal School of Business (FSB).
  • We will measure and calculate the carbon footprint of each distribution center with a goal of reducing it year over year.
  • We will encourage our business partners to strive for the same high level of environmental care.

We will deliver awareness-raising training programs on green issues and CSR at Fastenal customer and vendor trade shows as well as the Fastenal School of Business. Our goal is to inspire others to reduce their carbon footprint and encourage them to take action to offset their carbon in innovative ways.

To learn more about how Fastenal can help you go green, visit our Green Resource Center.

* The above logos and registered trademarks are the property of their respective organizations. Look for these logos during your product searches on fastenal.com to identify items that are certified or recognized by these leading environmental organizations.