Trends and Profile NEWS

Wal-Mart will keep customers aware of how “green” their products are

By Jeff Bressler for CEOWORLD Magazine Updated:July 17, 2009

Wal-Mart is the world’s largest retailer. In many instances consumers look at the chain as a cold and impersonal company that offers good value in their products. To show that they can be kinder and gentler, Wal-Mart has been spearheading an effort to show its customers that they care about the environment and the communities they have stores in.

Wal-Mart is now asking its suppliers to provide information on the environmental impact of their product manufacturing in order to launch a database and eventual a consumer rating system showing how green the items it sells are.

Wal-Mart said it is asking its suppliers to supply information on how their products have been produced. The focus will be on four areas: energy and climate, material efficiency, natural resources and people and community.

Wal-Mart, which also owns Asda, said the initiative would be introduced in three phases beginning with a survey of 100,000 of its suppliers around the world. The company said it expects US suppliers to have completed the survey by October 1, with the deadlines for other countries set on an ad hoc basis.

The second step is to build a consortium of universities that will collaborate with suppliers and retailers to develop a database covering the lifecycle of products, from procuring raw materials to disposal.

The final part will be the creation of a simple rating system for consumers.

Mike Duke, Wal-Mart president and CEO, said in a recent press release, “Customers want products that are more efficient, that last longer and perform better. And increasingly they want information about the entire lifecycle of a product so they can feel good about buying it.

“They want to know that the materials in the product are safe, that it was made well and that it was produced in a responsible way. We do not see this as a trend that will fade. Higher customer expectations are a permanent part of the future.
“At Walmart, we’re working to make sustainability sustainable, so that it’s a priority in good times and in the tough times. An important part of that is developing the tools to help enable sustainable consumption.”

Duke added Wal-Mart planned to make the index available to everyone and invited all suppliers and retailers to contribute.

CEOWORLD HIGHLIGHTS:

Wal-Mart's global sustainability index change the way consumer goods are produced and marketed
Wal-Mart is setting up an environmental ratings system for all of its products. The retailer's s ...
Wal-Mart to award $2 billion to U.S. hourly employees says CEO Michael T. Duke
Wal-Mart Stores Inc is giving approximately $2 billion to its U.S. hourly employees through fina ...
How economic recession change retailer's consumer habits: Wal-Mart CEO H. Lee Scott Jr. explaination
I don't think we have too much to worry about. Walmart's main focus is low prices. In times like ...
Wal-Mart to axe 11,200 Sam’s Club Workers
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. [[WMT]], world‘s largest retailer, is cutting more than 11,200 jobs at Sam’ ...
Plunge and changed its identity: Walmart
It never ceases to amaze me..that W-M can spend billions on a logo that looks like a left over f ...

Like this article! ‹ Slump in the aviation sector; British Airways to raise $1bn to help survive recession How Twitter plans to generate revenue! ›


Share this Post: Get It Delivered To Your Inbox