Costco Wholesale Corporation, commonly known as Costco, is a leading membership-only warehouse club headquartered in the United States. Founded in 1983, Costco has established a significant presence across North America, Europe, and Asia, offering a diverse range of products and services. The company operates in the retail industry, primarily focusing on bulk merchandise, groceries, electronics, and household goods. What sets Costco apart is its commitment to providing high-quality products at competitive prices, often through exclusive private-label brands like Kirkland Signature. With over 800 locations worldwide, Costco has garnered a loyal customer base, making it one of the largest retailers globally. Notable achievements include consistently ranking among the top retailers in the Fortune 500, reflecting its strong market position and dedication to customer satisfaction.
How does Costco Wholesale's carbon action stack up? DitchCarbon scores companies based on their carbon action and commitment to reducing emissions. Read about our methodology to learn more.
Mean score of companies in the Retail Trade Services industry. Comparing a company's score to the industry average can give you a sense of how well the company is doing compared to its peers.
Costco Wholesale's score of 34 is higher than 86% of the industry. This can give you a sense of how well the company is doing compared to its peers.
In 2023, Costco Wholesale reported significant carbon emissions, with approximately 168,967,000 kg CO2e attributed to Scope 3 emissions from waste generated in operations. This follows a total emission figure of about 174,055,286,000 kg CO2e in 2022, which included Scope 1 emissions of approximately 1,405,640,000 kg CO2e, Scope 2 emissions of about 1,418,244,000 kg CO2e (market-based), and Scope 3 emissions of approximately 171,274,463,000 kg CO2e. Costco has not publicly disclosed specific reduction targets or initiatives aimed at decreasing its carbon footprint. However, the company is actively engaged in climate commitments, focusing on sustainability practices within its operations. The absence of detailed reduction targets suggests that while Costco acknowledges its emissions, it may still be in the process of developing comprehensive strategies to address them. Overall, Costco's emissions data highlights the substantial impact of its operations on the environment, particularly through Scope 3 emissions, which are often the most challenging to manage. The company’s ongoing efforts in sustainability will be crucial in shaping its future climate commitments.
Access structured emissions data, company-specific emission factors, and source documents
2007 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scope 1 | 214,188,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | 000,000,000 | - | - | - | - | 0,000,000,000 | 0,000,000,000 | 0,000,000,000 | - |
Scope 2 | 1,125,863,000 | 0,000,000,000 | 0,000,000,000 | 0,000,000,000 | 0,000,000,000 | 0,000,000,000 | 0,000,000,000 | 0,000,000,000 | - | - | - | - | 0,000,000,000 | 0,000,000,000 | 0,000,000,000 | - |
Scope 3 | - | 00,000,000 | 00,000,000 | 00,000,000 | 00,000,000 | 00,000,000 | 00,000,000 | 00,000,000 | - | - | - | - | 000,000,000,000 | 000,000,000,000 | 000,000,000,000 | 000,000,000 |
Companies disclose and commit to reducing emissions to show they are serious about reducing emissions impact over time. They can also help a company track its progress over time.
Costco Wholesale is not participating in any of the initiatives that we track. This may change over time as the company engages with new initiatives or updates its commitments. DitchCarbon will update this information as it becomes available.