Upping the ante on corporate climate leadership – by a gigaton
With the Trump Administration pulling back on federal climate action, I am heartened to see that U.S. businesses are starting to assert their leadership role in the fight for a cleaner, safer world. Bold leadership is an essential factor for business today — and no company is delivering on this more than Walmart.
The world’s largest retailer recently announced Project Gigaton, arguably one of the most ambitious efforts to reduce climate pollution by any U.S. corporation.
With Project Gigaton, Walmart and its suppliers are committing to a ‘moon shot’ goal – removing a gigaton of greenhouse gas emissions from the company’s global supply chain by 2030. That’s more than the annual emissions of Germany. It’s the equivalent of taking 211 million cars off the road every year. In a word, it’s transformational.
Breaking the mold together, then and now
Eleven years ago, I traveled to the top of Mount Washington with then Walmart CEO Lee Scott, and we talked about the company’s vast potential to drive environmental progress. Since then, an amazing ripple effect has spread across the entire retail sector. Working together, EDF, Walmart and others have gathered commitments for optimized fertilizer use on 23 million acres of U.S. farmland; eradicated 36 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions across the retail supply chain; and improved the health and safety of hundreds of thousands of everyday products like shampoo and laundry detergent. This work is invisible to most, but massive on an environmental scale, and nothing less than trailblazing for how business leadership and legacy is measured.
For the last quarter century Environmental Defense Fund has proven the power of business-NGO partnerships to create wins for both business and the environment. Walmart’s willingness to challenge itself and its supply chain to do better has meshed perfectly with EDF’s pragmatic approach to forging innovative solutions.
Back in 2005, it was uncommon business news when Walmart announced aspirational goals to be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy, to create zero waste, and to sell products that sustain our resources and environment. Neither Walmart nor EDF knew how we’d achieve those goals, but we set off on the journey together and found success along the way.
Walmart is in it for the long haul
For leading brands like Walmart and their suppliers, long-term economics will always outweigh short-term politics. Staying the course on sustainability is motivated by competitiveness, innovation, job creation and consumer demand. Smart business leaders understand that a thriving economy depends on a thriving environment. This is not an either/or choice. By 2050, we will have 9.5 billion global consumers, all demanding more food, goods and services. The commitment to Project Gigaton signals Walmart’s readiness to plan accordingly.
The Project Gigaton challenge is massive, but by working collaboratively, our confidence for success is high. The modern supply chain is responsible for 60% of all greenhouse gas emissions, 80% of all water use and 66% of all tropical deforestation. This is not a goal that Walmart can do alone. It takes committed collaboration: of NGOs, partners, and an extensive network of suppliers – many leading brands in their own right – to drive reductions from factories to farms to forests, fleets and beyond.
Creating long-term prosperity for business and the environment requires long-term commitment from both business and NGOs. Together, EDF and Walmart have already climbed one mountain, and now we are ready to ascend even steeper peaks. The planet is counting on us.
Follow Fred on Twitter: @FredKrupp
