Walmart Cuts 17.4M Metric Tons of GHGs from Global Supply Chain

Walmart is on track to eliminate 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from its global supply chain by the end of 2015. Through its partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund, Walmart has helped its suppliers reduce GHG emissions by more than 17.4 metric tons by the end of 2014, compared to the 2010 baseline.

The company reported on its environmental and sustainability work over the past year in its 2015 Global Responsibility Report.

In October 2014, Walmart announced four key pillars tied to its commitment to developing a more sustainable food system: improving the affordability of food for both customers and the environment, increasing food access, making healthier eating easier and improving the safety and transparency of the food chain. Walmart launched its Climate Smart Agriculture Platform, which aims to drive improvements in agricultural productivity through efficient use of fertilizer and water. By the end of 2014, Walmart had established joint agricultural partnerships with 17 suppliers, cooperatives and service providers on 23 million acres of land, with the potential to reduce 11 million metric tons of GHG by 2020.

In its own operations, Walmart reported a 1 percent reduction in Scope 2 GHG emissions from purchased energy in 2014, compared to 2013. This is the eighth consecutive year the retailer has reported a decrease in carbon intensity per retail area and per net sales.

Walmart is also making progress toward its goal of zero waste. Operational waste diversion in the company’s US operations improved to 82.4 percent in 2014, and its international operations achieved an estimated 68 percent diversion across stores, clubs, distribution centers and other facilities. In emerging markets, the company reduced food throwaway by 11 percent.

Walmart reduced water consumption in its operations by 8 percent in 2014 compared to the 2013 baseline, exceeding itswater reduction goal of 7 percent. The company recycles or reuses 34 percent of water used in store operations, with a target to increase this number to 60 percent by the end of 2015.

Renewable sources make up 26 percent of the electricity supplied to the company. In 2014, Walmart procured more than 3,000 gWh of Walmart-driven renewable energy globally.