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Date

Do you know that there are 800 pound gorillas driving sustainability? Why do they do that? The answer is, because they can. Walmart is a good example of an 800 pound gorilla driving sustainability into their vendors. They are examining looking at product lifecycle assessment “…from materials used in making them, to the factories or farms where they are made, to how they are used as an end-product (our emphasis).” Walmart is also committed to providing their customers the best value for their money, and “When it comes to sustainability, we’re dedicated to providing that same value.”
Some additional efforts include:
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Supporting farmers and their communities by doubling the sale of locally sourced produce and increase the purchase of select U.S. crops.
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Require certification of all fresh and frozen, farmed and wild seafood products, certified by a third party using Marine Stewardship Council, Best Aquaculture Practices or equivalent standards.
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Supporting farmers in Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador in diversifying their crops to meet real market needs.
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Support a Heritage Agriculture program that reintroduces the cultivation of produce in areas where it once grew, globally as well as in key regions of the US.
Being the 800 pound gorilla, Walmart could have stopped with driving sustainability into their supply chain. But they didn’t. Instead they’ve made a commitment to become 100% supplied by renewable energy, create zero waste, as well as selling products that sustain people and the environment.
To that end, we read about a local project that advances Walmart’s commitment. It is definitely a “green by intent” project. They are planning to install solar panels on top of more than ½ of their 50 stores in Massachusetts as early as August of this year. The stores are in the engineering and permitting stages, but the target is to provide a total of about 10.5 megawatts, equivalent of powering 2,600 homes. It should provide 10-15% of each store’s power requirements.
Because they are the 800 pound goilla, you might ask so what is in it for them? There are a couple of things at work here. (1) It is a giant step toward a better perception of corporate responsibility for a company may not be well liked, especially in the smaller towns of America. (2) Forecasts indicate that there is money to be saved in the long run. Whatever the motivation, the momentum of a company the size of Walmart can have a positive influence on the entire retail community.
Posted
by
Dave Shirley
on: May 24, 2012 03:11 PM |
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