Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott
Unveils “Sustainability 360”
- Announces “Global Innovation Project” to
Help Remove Non-Renewable Energy from Products -
Feb 1, 2007
London, February 1, 2007 – As the keynote lecturer at
the Prince of Wales’s Business
and the Environment Programme, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)
President and
CEO Lee Scott today unveiled “Sustainability 360” – a
company-wide emphasis on
taking sustainability beyond reducing the company’s direct
environmental footprint to
engaging Wal-Mart’s associates, suppliers, communities
and customers.
“
Sustainability 360 takes in our entire company – our customer
base, our supplier base,
our associates, the products on our shelves, the communities
we serve,” said Scott. “And
we believe every business can look at sustainability in this
way. In fact, in light of
current environmental trends, we believe they will and soon.”
As an example of this way of working, Scott also announced
the company’s intention to
introduce “Global Innovation Projects” – one
of which is a challenge for Wal-Mart
associates and suppliers to start thinking about how to remove
non-renewable energy
from the products the company sells.
“
Perhaps the most far-reaching opportunity we have with our suppliers
is a simple idea
with potentially profound consequences,” said Scott. “Just
think about this: What if we
worked with our suppliers to take non-renewable energy off
our shelves and out of the
lives of our customers? We could create metrics and share
best practices so our suppliers
could make products that rely less and less on carbon-based
energy.”
Recognizing ASDA’s longtime leadership
in sustainability, Scott highlighted how
initiatives taking place at Wal-Mart’s operations in the
United Kingdom fit this idea,
including reducing packaging on food products by 25 percent
and selling more energy
efficient light bulbs than standard bulbs by 2008.
Addressing the different planks of “Sustainability 360,” Scott
highlighted Wal-Mart’s
initiative to work with suppliers to reduce packaging by
five percent by 2013 – an effort
that will be equal to removing 213,000 trucks from the road,
and saving approximately
324,000 tons of coal and 67 million gallons of diesel fuel
per year. He also talked about
the company’s goal to develop partnerships that help suppliers
run more sustainable businesses and factories.
Focusing on Wal-Mart’s work to reach out
to communities around the globe, Scott
discussed efforts to promote sustainable practices when entering
new markets. The
company’s effort to make environmentally friendly products
more affordable and
available to customers aligns with Wal-Mart’s purpose to
save people money so they can
live better lives.
Emphasizing that sustainability is consistent with the company’s
culture, Scott also
discussed the integral role that associates play in helping
Wal-Mart reach its objectives.
Scott acknowledged that the journey to a sustainable
corporation is long, but stressed all
businesses have a role to play. “We all have an opportunity
to be more sustainable. But
even more, we have a responsibility. We need to be sustainable
companies and countries
made up of people who live sustainable lives. If we do that,
if we do it throughout the
coming decades, I believe we will make sustainability… sustainable.
And this generation
will leave a healthier humanity and a healthier planet to
future generations.”
The Business and Environment Programme was hosted
by the Prince of Wales and
attended by government representatives, officials from non-governmental
organizations
and business executives. The biennial lecture is the largest
and longest-running executive
learning program in the world on sustainable business.
For a full text of the lecture, please visit www.walmartfacts.com.
About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart discount
stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood
Markets and Sam’s Club locations in the United States.
The Company operates in
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, Japan,
Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom. The
Company’s
securities are
listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WMT.
More information about Wal-Mart can be found by visiting
www.walmartfacts.com.
Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com.