Walmart sets goal to become a regenerative company
September 21 2020 - 12:01AM
Business Wire
World’s largest retailer targets zero emissions
by 2040 and aims to protect, manage or restore at least 50 million
acres of land and one million square miles of ocean by 2030
Building on more than 15 years of sustainability leadership,
Walmart today announced it is doubling down on addressing the
growing climate crisis by targeting zero emissions across the
company’s global operations by 2040. Walmart and the Walmart
Foundation are also committing to help protect, manage or restore
at least 50 million acres of land and one million square miles of
ocean by 2030 to help combat the cascading loss of nature
threatening the planet.
“We want to play an important role in transforming the world’s
supply chains to be regenerative. We face a growing crisis of
climate change and nature loss and we all need to take action with
urgency,” said Doug McMillon, president and chief executive
officer, Walmart, Inc. “For 15 years, we have been partnering to do
the work and continually raising our sustainability ambitions
across climate action, nature, waste and people. The commitments
we’re making today not only aim to decarbonize Walmart’s global
operations, they also put us on the path to becoming a regenerative
company – one that works to restore, renew and replenish in
addition to preserving our planet, and encourages others to do the
same.”
To avoid the worst effects of climate change, the world must
take immediate action to drastically reduce and remove greenhouse
gas emissions. That’s why Walmart is building on its long-standing
commitment to climate action by raising its ambition to zero
emissions by 2040, without the use of carbon offsets, across its
global operations by:
- Harvesting enough wind, solar and other renewable energy
sources to power its facilities with 100% renewable energy by
2035;
- Electrifying and zeroing out emissions from all of its
vehicles, including long-haul trucks, by 2040; and
- Transitioning to low-impact refrigerants for cooling and
electrified equipment for heating in its stores, clubs, and data
and distribution centers by 2040.
The world has also pushed its natural resources to the point of
crisis, resulting in the degradation and loss of critical
landscapes and the eradication of many species of plants and
animals. In fact, studies show animal populations have declined by
over 60% in just over 40 years and one-fifth of the Amazon’s
rainforest has disappeared in just 50 years. Not only can a
regenerative approach to nature help reverse these negative impacts
and sustain critical resources for the future, it can also provide
around a third of the solution to climate change.
“We must all take urgent, sustained action to reverse nature
loss and emissions before we reach a tipping point from which we
will not recover,” said Kathleen McLaughlin, executive vice
president and chief sustainability officer for Walmart, Inc. and
president of the Walmart Foundation. “People have pushed past the
earth’s natural limits. Healthy societies, resilient economies and
thriving businesses rely on nature. Our vision at Walmart is to
help transform food and product supply chains to be regenerative,
working in harmony with nature – to protect, restore and
sustainably use our natural resources.”
Recognizing the need to act now, along with the Walmart
Foundation, Walmart aims to protect, manage or restore some of the
world’s most critical landscapes by:
- Continuing to support efforts to preserve at least one acre of
natural habitat for every acre of land developed by the company in
the U.S.;
- Driving the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices,
sustainable fisheries management and forest protection and
restoration – including an expansion of Walmart’s forests policy;
and
- Investing in and working with suppliers to source from
placed-based efforts that help preserve natural ecosystems and
improve livelihoods.
Walmart’s Doug McMillon will share the news during the opening
ceremony of Climate Week NYC. The announcement comes one day prior
to the retailer’s annual Sustainability Milestone Summit, to be
held during Climate Week’s Hub Live, where the company will engage
Walmart associates, suppliers, NGOs and other stakeholders to
advance sustainability in the retail and consumer goods sector.
For more than 15 years, Walmart has been collaborating with
others to drive positive change across global supply chains. The
company’s sustainability efforts prioritize people and the planet
by aiming to source responsibly, sell sustainable products, protect
natural resources and reduce waste and emissions. To date, Walmart
powers around 29% of its operations with renewable energy and
diverts approximately 80% of its waste from landfills and
incineration globally. Because most of the company’s environmental
impact comes from its supply chain, Walmart is also working with
suppliers through its Project Gigaton initiative to avoid a gigaton
of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. More than 2,300 suppliers have
signed on, and since the effort launched in 2017, suppliers report
a total of 230 million metric tons of avoided emissions.
Learn more about Walmart’s new zero emissions and nature
commitments here.
About Walmart
Walmart 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, over 265
million customers and members visit approximately 11,500 stores
under 56 banners in 27 countries and eCommerce websites. With
fiscal year 2020 revenue of $524 billion, Walmart employs over 2.2
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
corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart and on
Twitter at twitter.com/walmart.
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Walmart Media Relations Mica Crouse 1-800-331-0085
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