AMERICAS. Walmart Senior Vice President Sustainability Jane Ewing outlined the retailer’s ambitious environmental and ethical sustainability programme in one of the highlight sessions at the Summit of the Americas Knowledge Hub on Friday.
In conversation with The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie, Ewing noted that Walmart’s mission is to become regenerative company with nature and humanity at the core of its business.
It has pledged to reach zero emissions across its operations by 2040 and zero waste in key markets by 2025.
The company’s impressive Project Gigaton initiative aims to engage all stakeholders to avoid a gigaton of greenhouse gas emissions from Walmart’s global value chain by 2030. Through the Walmart Foundation, the company has also vowed to help protect, manage or restore at least 50 million acres of land and one million square miles of ocean by 2030.
To promote human dignity, Walmart has also committed to make responsible recruitment standard business practice by 2026.
Commenting on Walmart’s incredible sustainability mission, Ewing said, “We know the impact of our actions on the ecosystem is irreversible. Sustainability as we know it is not enough anymore, we have to go above and beyond what we are doing today.
“Walmart is committed to restoring and renewing instead of just conserving,” she added. “This includes advancing prosperity for our customers, associates and everyone in the supply chain, minimising our waste and carbon footprint and committing to regenerative farming and sustainable sourcing processes.”
Sharing her views on Walmart’s own approach to Environmental, Social and Governance practices (ESG), Ewing said: “At Walmart, we truly believe that ESG is a way of life. We look at ESG in four areas: opportunity, sustainability, community and transparency.
“For example, Walmart offers sustainable products and services through its owned ‘Healthy’ brand, which is certified by Fair Trade and the Rainforest Alliance. Walmart is also aiming to power 100% of its operations with renewable energy. We are also focused on training our associates to help them with career advancement.
“In terms of philanthropy, our Walmart foundation strengthens these initiatives outside of our walls,” Ewing added. “Globally, we work with foodbanks to make sure that unsold items go to people in need, which is critically important especially in pandemic times.”
ESG usually involves more cost, so how does Walmart balance the tension between business for good and business for growth? “If you get it right there isn’t any tension,” Ewing said. “Good ESG practices go hand-in-hand with financial value creation. We try and find the intersection between social and environmental issues and high-quality products and services.
“For example, our investments in renewable energy deliver on our climate targets but are also good for business. It’s a big cost-driver and it helps engage our business leaders on the importance of our sustainability agenda.”
When asked how the pandemic has altered Walmart’s sustainability mission? Ewing said, “It’s had a profound impact on us all. With the global pandemic, the climate crisis and racial equity issues – it certainly has been a huge struggle. COVID-19 has made us take a step back and ask how we can do more to help.
“While the pandemic gave us a chance to analyse our approach and innovate, it has truly underscored the interdependence of everything. We believe that collective action is crucial overcoming these long-lasting challenges. In other words, we used the pandemic to galvanise more aggressive action in the sustainability space.”
Ewing concluded the session by highlighting the role of companies like Walmart in creating a greener future. She said, “We have a critical role to play, but we can’t do it alone. We have to work together because due to the complexity of global supply chains and the systemic nature of these issues no one group can do it themselves. Equal work opportunities, sustainable supply chains, racial equity and environmental conversation are issues that require all stakeholders to come together.”
- Click on the YouTube video above to watch the full interview