Environmental Promise: Supply Chain

"90% of Wal-Mart’s environmental footprint is in the supply chain."
- Wal-Mart

The area where Wal-Mart has the largest environmental impact or "footprint" is in their supply chain.  The sourcing, production and shipping of the millions of products that Wal-Mart sells has a tremendous impact on the environment.

From a recent issue of Grist Magazine: 

"Wal-Mart's Ruben, who this spring testified before a Senate committee
in favor of federal greenhouse-gas regulations, also acknowledged that
in addition to the 23 million tons of CO2 equivalent that Wal-Mart
emits each year, there are an estimated 220 million tons of annual
greenhouse-gas emissions in the company's supply chain."

Wal-Mart has promised to improve emissions standards on their truck fleet, which is currently one of the largest in the world--a move which if enacted could reduce the threat of global warming--while saving money for Wal-Mart on gasoline costs.

Wal-Mart has also made vague promises to give preference in purchasing to green suppliers, those companies that sell to Wal-Mart and are environmentally responsible.  Wal-Mart must work with independent third parties to find the most environmentally beneficial standards, define the criteria for suppliers and the public and ensure that producers of Wal-Mart sold goods are meeting the highest environmental standards.

Click here to learn how you can help Wal-Mart keep its promise to the environment in your town.

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Topics

Energy EfficientTrucks

"We will increase our fleet efficiency by 25 percent over the next 3 years and double it within ten years."

Fuel Efficiency Needs to Be Achieved by Cleaner Engines Not Just Auxiliary Items (e.g. tires and gear boxes). "Tractor and heavy-duty engine manufacturers say Wal-Mart's comments about doubling its miles per gallon are premature since U.S. emissions regulations have forced the industry to concentrate on making cleaner-running engines, not fuel-efficient ones. "The U.S. truck engine manufacturers must be pushed to make integral changes in the way they build their engines," said Lane Kidd, a spokesman for the Arkansas Trucking Association, which represents Wal-Mart's private fleet as well as about 300 trucking companies or firms that serve the trucking industry in Arkansas. ... Skeptics say the key to achieving true fuel economy rests with engine technology, as opposed to auxiliary items such as tires, gear ratios and side skirts - all of which contribute only small gains in fuel economy." [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 12/11/05]