Walmart’s Sustainability Strategy

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Walmart also updated its supply chain by information transparency. We all know that one way to make food safe is by improving transparency. Walmart requires entry of the ingredients of every chemical-based product that goes onto a shelf, uses GreenWERCS to screen those ingredients, and provides information to customers that ensures the safety of food.

Walmart, by globalizing its sustainability strategy made a smart move. If some countries’ staff does not have much skill in sustainability, they can contact their international leaders directly. The globalization strategy has given Walmart a better reputation in the world. Although Walmart is not as successful in some countries as it is in the USA, perhaps this strategy could change that situation.

Question:

As far as I know, Walmart also sells fluorescent light bulbs in China. But these kinds of bulbs contain a small amount of mercury, and such low levels of mercury of a few bulbs may not cause a great impact on the environment. But when thousands of discarded bulbs are stacked together without any plan to recycling them, it will influence the environment negatively. China is unlike many developed countries, which have already built a recycling system to handle these kinds of bulbs. Walmart has already sold a large amount of fluorescent light bulbs to China, and these may not be good for that nation’s environment. Before Walmart’s sustainability strategy goes global, perhaps this company should examine their past practice in certain countries, and consider using different strategies in those nations that do not have the infrastructure to handle some of the environmental challenges facing them.