Walmart Launches Project Gigaton to Reduce Emissions in Company’s Supply Chain
April 19 2017 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
Through release of a sustainability toolkit,
Walmart asks suppliers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one
gigaton – the equivalent to taking more than 211 million passenger
vehicles off of U.S. roads for an entire year
Today, during Walmart’s annual Milestone Summit, the company
launched a sustainability platform inviting suppliers to join
Walmart in committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting
from their operations and supply chains. Dubbed Project Gigaton,
this initiative will provide an emissions reduction toolkit to a
broad network of suppliers seeking to eliminate one gigaton of
emissions, focusing on areas such as manufacturing, materials and
use of products by 2030. That’s the equivalent to taking more than
211 million passenger vehicles off of U.S. roads and highways for a
year.
Walmart is the first retailer with a verified science-based
target emissions-reduction plan. The company aims to reduce its
absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 18 percent by 2025. The
retailer will also work to reduce CO2e, or carbon dioxide
equivalent, emissions from upstream and downstream Scope 3 sources
by one billion tons (a gigaton) between 2015 and 2030.
Project Gigaton is part of a series of Walmart sustainability
initiatives, focused on addressing social and environmental issues
in ways that help communities while also strengthening business.
For example, by investing in solar energy, Walmart has helped to
support jobs for American solar companies. Walmart is now one of
America's leading commercial solar and on-site renewable energy
users and gets about 25 percent of its global energy from renewable
sources. To give another example, by doubling the efficiency of our
U.S. fleet from 2005 to 2015, Walmart saved nearly $1 billion
compared to a 2005 baseline.
“We are proud of the improvements we’ve made in reducing our own
emissions, but we aim to do more. That’s why we’re working with our
suppliers and others on Project Gigaton,” said Kathleen McLaughlin,
senior vice president and chief sustainability officer for
Walmart.
Walmart has identified energy, agriculture, waste, packaging,
deforestation, and product use and design as the goal areas in
which to focus their Scope 3 climate efforts. Participating
suppliers are encouraged to focus their commitment in one or more
of these goal areas.
To help suppliers make commitments to emission reduction, or to
establish emission reduction projects, Walmart collaborated with
NGOs, like World Wildlife Fund and Environmental Defense Fund, and
additional like-minded organizations to create an emissions
reduction toolkit. In this toolkit, Walmart highlights the business
case for why suppliers should consider signing on to Project
Gigaton.
"Supply chains are the new frontier of sustainability. The
journey products take from source to shelf will collectively shape
our planet’s future," said Carter Roberts, president and CEO, World
Wildlife Fund. "Project Gigaton is a testament to the
transformative impact that leaders of industry can have on our
greatest common challenges. As more companies follow in the
footsteps of Walmart and their suppliers, we can achieve the
critical mass needed to address climate change. Today's
commitment represents an important step toward a safer and
more prosperous future."
“A challenge like Project Gigaton will catalyze leadership and
innovative solutions around the globe,” said Fred Krupp, president
of Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). “Forward-looking companies
like Walmart, and the suppliers that will join them, know that our
economy and our planet can—and must—thrive together. Consumers
deserve both, and these businesses are leading the way. EDF looks
forward to helping them along this journey.”
“Through the years, we’ve seen that integrating sustainable
practices into our operations improves business performance, spurs
technological innovation, inspires brand loyalty, and boosts
employee engagement,” said Laura Phillips, senior vice president,
Sustainability for Walmart. “Our suppliers recognize the
opportunity to realize those same benefits in their businesses. By
working together on such an ambitious goal, we can accelerate
progress within our respective companies and deep in our shared
supply chains.”
Walmart is proud that several suppliers have committed to
Project Gigaton with new or existing emissions-reduction
projects.
About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world
save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail
stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, nearly
260 million customers and members visit our 11,695 stores under 59
banners in 28 countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries.
With fiscal year 2017 revenue of $485.9 billion, Walmart employs
approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues
to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and
employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be
found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook
at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter
at http://twitter.com/walmart.
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Walmart Media RelationsMicah Ragland,
1-800-331-0085news.walmart.com/reporter
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