Sustainability Index
 As part of Walmart’s ongoing mission to be a more sustainable company, we recently announced a worldwide sustainability index initiative. Increasingly, our customers want products that are more efficient, last longer and perform better. They want to know the product’s entire lifecycle. They want to know the materials in the product are safe, that it is made well and is produced in a responsible way.
These desires inspired us to help develop the sustainability index. With this initiative, we are helping create a more transparent supply chain, driving product innovation and ultimately providing our customers with information they need to assess products’ sustainability. The index is being introducing in three phases: Step 1: Supplier AssessmentWe will provide our more than 100,000 global suppliers with a brief survey to evaluate their own companies’ sustainability. The questions will focus on four areas: energy and climate; material efficiency; natural resources; and people and community. The survey is a key step toward enhancing transparency in our supply chain. We asked our top-tier suppliers in the U.S. to complete the survey by October 1, 2009, and are working with our other suppliers to determine an appropriate timeline for them to complete the survey. View the Supplier Sustainability Assessment. Step 2: Lifecycle Analysis DatabaseSecond, we’re helping create a consortium of universities to collaborate with suppliers, retailers, non-governmental organizations and government officials. The consortium will help develop a global database of information on products’ lifecycles – from raw materials to disposal. We provided initial funding for the Sustainability Index Consortium and invite other retailers and suppliers to contribute. Arizona State University and the University of Arkansas will jointly administer the consortium. Step 3: A Simple Tool for CustomersThe final step of the index is to provide customers with product information in a simple, convenient, easy to understand manner so they can make choices and consume in a more sustainable way. This will provide customers with greater transparency into the quality and history of products than they have today. How that information is delivered to consumers is still undetermined. We are excited about this initiative and believe that if we work together, we can create a new retail standard for the 21st century.
Click the links below to add this entry to social networking sites.
|
|
|