Walmart Shares Report on 2022 ESG Progress
Walmart has shed light on its environmental, social and governance (ESG) progress with the release of the FY2022 Environmental, Social and Governance Summary Report. First covered by Store Brands’ sister publication Progressive Grocer, the report gives a deep dive on the retailer's opportunity, community, sustainability and ethics and integrity initiatives.
“Today, as we launch our 'FY2022 Environmental, Social and Governance Summary Report,' the world continues to face uncertainty and challenges,” wrote Kathleen McLaughlin, EVP and chief sustainability officer at Walmart and president of the Walmart Foundation, in a company blog post. “They're diverse, ranging from COVID-19 to inflation and social unrest to climate change. Yet despite such challenges — or as much spurred on by them — we are more committed than ever to our efforts to become a regenerative company, one that puts humanity and nature at the center of our business practices. We believe that we maximize the value of our company for our customers and other stakeholders by tackling relevant, pressing societal issues through business.”
Walmart reported that more than 72,000 of its associates have been enrolled in its Live Better U program since 2018, and 100% of those students’ college tuition and books were paid for by Walmart as of August 2021. Diversity was also a major focus this year, with 45% of management promotions going to women and 40% going to people of color. More than $13.3 billion worth of goods and services were sourced from diverse suppliers in the U.S.
When it comes to sustainability, Walmart highlighted its commitment to help protect, restore or more sustainably manage 50 million acres of land and 1 million-square-miles of ocean by 2030. Walmart said it also achieved a 17.5% reduction in scopes 1 and 2 emission, and 58% of its global private brand packaging is recyclable, usable or industrially compostable.
The report also notes $1.5 billion in cash and in-kind donations globally made through Walmart and the Walmart Foundation, as well as its $132 million in donations since 2016 for disaster relief and community preparedness. The retailer was a critical access point for COVID-19 vaccinations, with 5,100 COVID-19 vaccination sites across all U.S. Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacies, and 80% of vaccines administered in medically underserved communities as of January 2022.
Additionally, more than 2 million Walmart associates have been trained in ethics and nearly 78,000 have received anti-corruption training. The company received a 100% score on the 2021 Disability Equality Index and holds the No. 26 spot in DiversityInc.’s 2022 Top Companies for Diversity.
Walmart operates more than 10,500 stores worldwide, serving approximately 230 million customers and members weekly.