Walmart Launches Project Gigaton to Reduce Emissions in Company’s Supply Chain

Through release of a sustainability toolkit, Walmart asks suppliers
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one gigaton – the equivalent to
taking more than 211 million passenger vehicles off of U.S. roads for an
entire year

BENTONVILLE, Ark.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, during Walmart’s annual Milestone Summit, the company launched a
sustainability platform inviting suppliers to join Walmart in committing
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from their operations and
supply chains. Dubbed Project Gigaton, this initiative will provide an
emissions reduction toolkit to a broad network of suppliers seeking to
eliminate one gigaton of emissions, focusing on areas such as
manufacturing, materials and use of products by 2030. That’s the
equivalent to taking more than 211 million passenger vehicles off of
U.S. roads and highways for a year.

Walmart is the first retailer with a verified science-based target
emissions-reduction plan. The company aims to reduce its absolute Scope
1 and 2 emissions by 18 percent by 2025. The retailer will also work to
reduce CO2e, or carbon dioxide equivalent, emissions from upstream and
downstream Scope 3 sources by one billion tons (a gigaton) between 2015
and 2030.

Project Gigaton is part of a series of Walmart sustainability
initiatives, focused on addressing social and environmental issues in
ways that help communities while also strengthening business. For
example, by investing in solar energy, Walmart has helped to support
jobs for American solar companies. Walmart is now one of America’s
leading commercial solar and on-site renewable energy users and gets
about 25 percent of its global energy from renewable sources. To give
another example, by doubling the efficiency of our U.S. fleet from 2005
to 2015, Walmart saved nearly $1 billion compared to a 2005 baseline.

“We are proud of the improvements we’ve made in reducing our own
emissions, but we aim to do more. That’s why we’re working with our
suppliers and others on Project Gigaton,” said Kathleen McLaughlin,
senior vice president and chief sustainability officer for Walmart.

Walmart has identified energy, agriculture, waste, packaging,
deforestation, and product use and design as the goal areas in which to
focus their Scope 3 climate efforts. Participating suppliers are
encouraged to focus their commitment in one or more of these goal areas.

To help suppliers make commitments to emission reduction, or to
establish emission reduction projects, Walmart collaborated with NGOs,
like World Wildlife Fund and Environmental Defense Fund, and additional
like-minded organizations to create an emissions reduction toolkit. In
this toolkit, Walmart highlights the business case for why suppliers
should consider signing on to Project Gigaton.

“Supply chains are the new frontier of sustainability. The journey
products take from source to shelf will collectively shape our planet’s
future,” said Carter Roberts, president and CEO, World Wildlife Fund.
“Project Gigaton is a testament to the transformative impact that
leaders of industry can have on our greatest common challenges. As more
companies follow in the footsteps of Walmart and their suppliers, we can
achieve the critical mass needed to address climate change. Today’s
commitment represents an important step toward a safer and more
prosperous future.”

“A challenge like Project Gigaton will catalyze leadership and
innovative solutions around the globe,” said Fred Krupp, president of
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). “Forward-looking companies like
Walmart, and the suppliers that will join them, know that our economy
and our planet can—and must—thrive together. Consumers deserve both, and
these businesses are leading the way. EDF looks forward to helping them
along this journey.”

“Through the years, we’ve seen that integrating sustainable practices
into our operations improves business performance, spurs technological
innovation, inspires brand loyalty, and boosts employee engagement,”
said Laura Phillips, senior vice president, Sustainability for Walmart.
“Our suppliers recognize the opportunity to realize those same benefits
in their businesses. By working together on such an ambitious goal, we
can accelerate progress within our respective companies and deep in our
shared supply chains.”

Walmart is proud that several suppliers have committed to Project
Gigaton with new or existing emissions-reduction projects.

About Walmart

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save
money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online,
and through their mobile devices. Each week, nearly 260 million
customers and members visit our 11,695 stores under 59 banners in 28
countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries. With fiscal year 2017
revenue of $485.9 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.3 million
associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in
sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity.
Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com,
on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and
on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart.

Contacts

Walmart Media Relations
Micah Ragland, 1-800-331-0085
news.walmart.com/reporter