As one of the world’s largest retailers, Walmart’s sustainability choices ripple across global supply chains, energy use, and waste systems. Whether you view them as a climate leader or laggard, the company’s approach to environmental accountability matters—for people and the planet.
Energy, Emissions, and Renewable Energy Investments
Operational Emissions Reductions and Challenges
By the end of 2023, Walmart’s Scope 1 and Scope 2 operational emissions had dropped 19.3% compared to its 2015 baseline, while emissions intensity (emissions per dollar of sales) fell by 45% over the same period. However, emissions rose 3.9% year-over-year in 2023 due to factors like aging refrigeration equipment and expanding operations. As a result, Walmart expects to miss its 2025 and 2030 reduction targets and may revise them.
Moving Toward Renewable Energy
Walmart powered 48% of its global operations with renewable energy in 2023. The company has committed to achieving 100% renewable energy by 2035 without the use of offsets and is investing in clean energy projects across the US totaling nearly 1 gigawatt (GW). Walmart also supports rooftop solar potential, leveraging its expansive retail roofspace to generate clean electricity.
Waste Reduction, Packaging, and Food Waste Initiatives
Progress Toward Zero Waste
Walmart’s zero-waste goal targets 90% waste diversion (from landfills or incineration) in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico by 2025. In 2023, the company diverted 83.5% of global operational waste, including 84.2% in the U.S. Additionally, Walmart achieved a 21% reduction in global operational food loss and waste intensity compared to its 2016 baseline.
Circular Solutions for Food Waste
Through its partnership with Denali, Walmart is implementing a system called Zero De-Pack to repurpose unsold food—including fish and dairy—for compost, animal feed, or biofuels.
Sustainable Packaging Commitments
Walmart aims for 100% of its private-brand packaging to be recyclable, reusable, or industrially compostable by 2025. In 2023, that figure stood at 68%, up from 58% in 2021. It also seeks to increase the recycled content of its plastic packaging to 17% globally, though as of 2023 it stood at 8%. Walmart piloted “right-sized” packaging that cut Styrofoam in microwave packaging, aiming to eliminate 2,000 metric tons of plastic waste yearly.
Bag Waste Initiatives
As a founding partner in the Bag Better Initiative and the Beyond the Bag Consortium, Walmart is working to phase out single-use plastic bags. In some states, registers no longer dispense them, in alignment with local bans.
Climate Leadership Across the Value Chain
Project Gigaton Surpasses Goals Early
Walmart’s Project Gigaton aimed to reduce or avoid 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in its supply chain by 2030. The milestone was achieved six years early.
Final Thoughts
Walmart’s sustainability efforts span from energy adoption to waste reduction, circular food systems, supply chain emissions, and more. They’ve made measurable progress—including early fulfillment of Project Gigaton—but some key targets may be missed due to infrastructure and technology challenges.
As one of the most influential retail companies globally, Walmart can still serve as a powerful climate actor. Continued transparency, ambition, and accountability will be vital—not just for Walmart, but for the future of retail sustainability.
Reader Interactions