Sustainability and retail- The Walmart Way

Any effort to treat the planet better starts with simply consuming less. Walmart focuses on three primary sectors for sustainble practices:

1. Reduction in energy and emissions

2. Waste Reduction

3. Sustainable Products

Energy and Emissions

Stores have been retrofit with LED lights resulting in a reduction of Walmart’s greenhouse gas emissions by more than 47,000 metric tonnes of CO2. In 2019, Walmart announced Project Gigaton, a global Walmart effort that invites suppliers to reduce emissions from global supply chains. Removing one gigaton of emissions from global value chains. That’s more than five times the total number of vehicles registered in Canada in 2017.

Walmart Canada is also committed to 100 per cent alternatively powered fleet vehicles by 2028. They are targeting our first milestone of electrifying 20 per cent of our fleet to electric by 2022. Their new Tesla semi trucks will help them reduce carbon footprint while keeping focus on driver safety. It’s a win-win!

Waste Walmart is mindful of how much waste they create, which is why they've committed to sending zero waste to landfill. The Zero Waste International Alliance defines zero waste as 90% diversion from landfills and incinerators. For 2019, their waste diversion rate was 89% thanks to our focus on reducing waste across our operations.

Food Waste Walmart has committed to achieving zero food waste to landfill by 2025. The company’s ambitious journey to achieving this goal is guided by three basic principles.

1. Improve operational efficiencies while enhancing value to the customer

2. Increasing food donations

3. Providing philanthropic support

Examples include:

• Discounting repackaged bruised or peak-freshness produce through Walmart’s $1/$2 Bag Program and reducing prices with Walmart’s Customer Value Program allows for the quick sale of fresh meat, bakery, dairy and produce items approaching their best-before dates.

• Improving bakery production operations to reduce over-production and create more consistent quality. Implementing organic recycling programs in 338 stores and distribution centre locations across Canada, allowing facilities to recycle unsaleable and unsafe food into compost and energy instead of sending it to landfill.

• Pairing all Walmart stores with local food banks to maximize surplus food donations, with approximately 85 per cent of stores regularly donating their surplus food products.

• Providing philanthropic support, including $3 million to Food Banks Canada for the past three years for the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign in support of food banks across the country.

• The Walmart Foundation has also invested $15 million USD (~$19 million CAD) across Canada in not-for-profit organizations engaged in research and innovative initiatives to reduce food waste all along the food chain.

Plastic Waste Reduction Strategy Walmart continues to reduce unnecessary plastic waste and increasing plastic recycling in our operations.

Examples:

• Eliminated plastic wrap from organic bananas bunches, which will remove about 14,000 lbs. of plastic

• Eliminated plastic wrap from single peppers, which will remove about 193,000 lbs. of plastic

• Increasing post-consumer recycled content in the packaging holding baked goods, avoiding the use of 925,000 lbs. of new plastics annually

• Removing 420,000 lbs. of expanded poly styrene from entering the supply chain annually by introducing new packaging for sausage trays

• Eliminated all single-use plastic cutlery from cafeterias at Walmart Canada’s corporate offices and distribution centres

• Eliminated single-use plastic straws and replacing them with paper alternatives by 2020, taking approximately 35 million single-use plastic straws out of circulation annually

Products Walmart has the potential to impact sustainability at every level of the supply chain. They believe customers shouldn’t have to choose between products they can afford and products that are produced in an environmentally responsible way.

Sustainable Seafood Sustainable Pulp & Paper - Sustainable Forests Walmart supports certifications to reduce forest loss and improve sustainability of commodities such as palm oil, pulp and paper.

Animal Welfare

They support the globally-recognized “Five Freedoms” of animal welfare as an aspiration for animal welfare in our supply chain. Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare 1. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst – by providing ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigor. 2. Freedom from Discomfort – by providing appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area. 3. Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease – by ensuring prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment. 4. Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour – by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind. 5. Freedom from Fear and Distress – by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering. Pollinators Walmart Canada is taking these initial steps to promote pollinator health:

1. Source 100% of the fresh produce and floral we sell in our in-store Produce Department from suppliers that adopt integrated pest management practices, as verified by a third-party, by 2025.

2. Help improve and expand pollinator habitats.

Textiles By 2025, Walmart will endeavour to:

• Source 100% more sustainable cotton for Walmart Canada Private Brand apparel and soft home textile products (for products containing cotton)

• Source 50% recycled polyester for Walmart Canada Private Brand apparel and soft home textile products by 2025 (for products containing polyester)

• Require suppliers to ensure that none of the manmade cellulosic fibres – including rayon/viscose, modal, lyocell, acetate and trademarked versions – sourced Walmart Canada Private Brand apparel and soft home textile products are derived from ancient and endangered forests, or from endangered species’ habitats or other controversial sources, as defined by the nonprofit organization Canopy’s tools and reports.