Big box retailer selling in stores and online
Environmentally-mindful sourcing and stocking commitments?: No
Promotes collections that help consumers make conscious decisions?: Has a collection but doesn't promote it well
These collections include: other
Stocks any Commons top-rated sustainable brands? (proportion of rateable categories): Yes - few
Has time-bound targets to improve its sourcing for owned-brand products?: Yes - but only partial coverage
On track for these targets?: Unknown - unclear or doesn't report progress
Certifications for owned-brands and products?: Yes
These certifications include: FSC, MSC
Heavy reliance on virgin petro plastic?: Yes
Shares info on ecommerce packaging?:No / not found
Shares info on in-store and upstream packaging?:No / not found
Shares info on own-brand packaging?:Yes - but reporting could be improved
Petro-based plastics in packaging?: Yes - but working to reduce
Recycled plastic?: Partially Recycled
Uses environmentally-mindful materials (non-plastic) in packaging?: Yes
These materials include ones that are: recyclable.
Targets for improving its packaging materials?: Yes - and reports on progress
Initiatives to reduce packaging volume / intensity?: Yes - vague / limited
Plastic waste reduction through partnerships?: Yes: The Recycling Partnership, Closed Loop Partners, and others
Uses renewable energy in its supply chain and/or offices?: Yes - Some (<50%)
Uses renewable energy in its stores?: Yes - some (<50%)
Targets for increasing renewable energy?: Yes - specifics shared
On track for these targets?: Yes
Energy efficiency measures?: Yes - vague / limited
Water conservation measures?: Yes - nonspecific
Refrigerant management strategy?: Yes - specifics shared
Efforts to lower shipping emissions (e.g. EVs)?: Yes - specifics shared
Any EPA GreenChill certified stores?: No / not found
Alt models to promote consumer reuse and recycling?: More than one model
Packaging disposal guidance?: No / not found
Corporate waste reduction initiatives?: Reusing to-store packaging, Other (incl general reducing landfill waste)
Corporate waste reporting?: Yes - vague / limited
Food waste reduction initiatives?: Yes - thorough
Food waste reporting?: Yes - thorough
Promotes overconsumption?: Yes
Methods of promoting overconsumption: Incentivizes impulse purchases (e.g. one-click ordering), Other
Commons is still evaluating this brand's marketing emails.
Sustainability page on consumer site?: No / not found
Voluntary annual sustainability report?: Yes
Last published: 2025
Reports its emissions?: Yes
Breakdown in CO2e?: Yes
Last reported in: 2024
Estimated emissions footprint: 718938460 tons CO2e
Scope 1+2 emissions intensity compared to industry / competitor average: Average
Science-aligned emissions reduction targets?: Yes - SBTi approved
Target timeframe: Long-term (10+ years)
Reports progress?: Yes - not on track
Climate neutral certification?: No
Offsets emissions?: No / not found
Publishes supplier information for owned production?: No
Publishes supplier code of conduct?: Yes
Code of conduct: prohibits forced labor, prohibits child labor
Code of conduct does not sufficiently: disallow unauthorized subcontracting, ensure the right to collective bargaining, ensure a living wage, establish grievance mechanisms, include environmental clauses
Code of Conduct covers all applicable suppliers (own-production and stocked-brand)?: Yes
Labor certifications in supply chain?: No
3rd-party criticisms of supply chain or labor conditions?: Yes - few
Discloses all trade association memberships?: No
Climate-obstructive trade association memberships: 3 - The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable, CalChamber
Pro-climate advocacy memberships?: No
Employs state lobbyists?: Yes
Percentage of lobbyists that are fossil-fuel aligned: Low 1-6%
Donated more than $100k to any candidates or PACs from 2018-2024?: Yes
Amount donated: $1M+
How much more was given to obstructive candidates/PACs?: 54 percent
Walmart has some sustainability efforts and disclosures, but the level of progress or detail is below what we expect from a brand of its size. It also contributes significantly to climate-obstructive financing.
Walmart is holding back government climate action through its money and influence by donating significantly more to climate-obstruction than pro-climate causes. It has donated $2,201,220 to climate-obstructive candidates or PACs since 2018, and it's a member of three obstructive trade associations.
A large portion of the environmental impact of purchases made at retailers comes from upstream decisions on sourcing materials and ingredients. Retailers are responsible for these decisions for their whitelabel brands, but can also push change by highlighting sustainable options from other brands. Walmart has product collections that are environmentally-mindful, but it doesn’t promote them to consumers well. It has some targets to improve its sourcing for its whitelabel products, but doesn’t report on any progress.
Walmart uses some (<50%) renewable energy in its supply chain, offices, and stores. However, it doesn’t have any EPA GreenChill certified stores, unlike its main competitors. Poor refrigerant strategy is a large contributor to GHG emissions in food retail, and the GreenChill program recognizes stores and brands using lower refrigerant emissions.
Walmart publicly shares its emissions measurements and has SBTi-approved reduction targets. However, its targets are not on track. Its emissions are significantly increased due to its gas station operations.
Walmart doesn’t report enough on its ecommerce or in-store packaging. Based on information about its whitelabel packaging, it uses primarily virgin plastic, which contributes greatly to waste production and excess energy use.
Walmart encourages overconsumption, which contributes to excessive landfill waste and energy use, and has widespread impacts on the environment. It has initiatives to reduce waste from corporate operations, but it doesn't provide detailed reporting. It does provide detailed reporting on its initiatives to reduce food waste in its supply chain.
Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (harmful) to 5 (best). How we rate →
https://www.walmart.com/cp/8747893
https://corporate.walmart.com/news/2021/10/06/toward-regeneration-together https://corporate.walmart.com/news/2023/06/14/raising-standards-in-tuna-supply-chains-walmart-and-sams-club-announce-enhanced-seafood-policy https://corporate.walmart.com/content/dam/corporate/documents/esgreport/2025/FY2025-Walmart-Sustainable-Commodities-Report.pdf
https://corporate.walmart.com/content/dam/corporate/documents/esgreport/2025/FY2025-Walmart-ESG-Report.pdf
https://corporate.walmart.com/content/dam/corporate/documents/esgreport/2025/FY2025-Walmart-ESG-Report.pdf https://corporate.walmart.com/news/2024/07/29/new-tech-and-collaborations-at-walmart-and-sams-club-boost-operational-efficiency-and-reduce-food-waste
https://www.epa.gov/greenchill/greenchill-certified-stores
https://www.climatefriendlysupermarkets.org/scorecard
https://www.walmart.com/cp/resold-at-walmart/6134748
https://www.walmartsustainabilityhub.com/assets/walmart-recycling-playbook-JsNw53Ki.pdf https://www.walmartsustainabilityhub.com/assets/sustainable-packaging-playbook-C6nUZz18.pdf
https://sciencebasedtargets.org/target-dashboard
https://corporate.walmart.com/suppliers/requirements/standards-for-suppliers
https://fminus.org/lobbyists/
https://www.fec.gov/data/browse-data/
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