2015 Global Responsibility Report
Aspirational focus area Completed On track public commitment At risk
Opportunity
Supplier and small business development
Supplier diversity
Increase sourcing from diverse suppliers and encourage inclusion of women and minorities on key account teams of major suppliers serving Walmart and Sam’s Club.   In FY2015 in the U.S., we spent approximately $13.5 billion with diversity-owned businesses. This amount includes $10.4 billion in direct spending and $3.1 billion in second-tier spending. At the end of 2014, more than 65 professional-service suppliers have reported the gender and ethnicity of their Walmart and Sam’s Club teams.
Local manufacturing
Buy an additional $250 billion in products made, assembled, sourced or grown in the U.S. over 10 years in an effort to grow U.S. manufacturing and encourage the creation of U.S. jobs (began in 2013).   January 2015 marked the second anniversary of Walmart’s journey to source $250 billion in products supporting U.S. jobs over 10 years. We’re on target to reach our commitment by 2023. From light bulbs to towels, patio furniture to toys, suppliers are expanding manufacturing or assembly in the U.S.
In January 2014, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation announced the creation of a $10 million U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Fund to award those who create new processes, ideas and jobs that support America’s growing manufacturing footprint. The fund is being executed in collaboration with the U.S. Conference of Mayors.   Walmart and the Walmart Foundation awarded $4 million in grants to seven leading research and development institutions in the U.S. to solve manufacturing challenges related to small motor assembly, plastic injection molding and advanced textiles. We expect to issue a second request for proposal in 2015.
Small business
Reach small-business owners with education, training and technical support, unlock loans, help scale microlending and create Main Street jobs in the U.S.   Since 2010, Sam’s Club and the Sam’s Club Giving Program have provided more than $18 million in grants to nonprofits to help local Main Street business owners access capital by increasing the availability and type of products to meet their needs responsibly so they can thrive and create jobs. This effort has contributed to training more than 20,000 micro- and small-business owners.
Women's Economic Empowerment
Women’s Economic Empowerment — Sourcing
Source $20 billion from Women-Owned Businesses (WOBs) for our U.S. business through 2016 (began in 2011).   Since 2011, Walmart U.S. has sourced $11.24 billion in products and services from women-owned businesses (WOB), including $4.16 billion in FY2015. To continue this progress, we introduced our Accelerator Training Program, which guides high-potential WOBs on how to best grow with Walmart. Sales growth and profitability from WOBs are outpacing Walmart averages.
Double sourcing from women-owned businesses in our international markets through 2016.   We’ve calculated the baseline spend on WOBs in seven markets, tracked quarterly progress toward the goal and have begun to implement tailored strategies by market to grow spend. In five tracked international markets, Walmart has increased annual spend among women by more than 21 percent from FY2012 to FY2015.
Launch a dedicated e-commerce platform designed to give small women-owned businesses/women-empowering businesses access to customers.   In 2013, Walmart launched the platform Empowering Women Together (EWT) to provide opportunities to small businesses with less than $10 million in annual revenue that aim to economically empower women around the world. Since then, the platform has offered 300 distinct products from 28 small businesses from multiple countries, including Nepal, Tanzania and Kenya. On Mother’s Day in 2014, more than 2,600 Walmart stores sold products from the EWT assortment.
Women’s Economic Empowerment — Training
Empower nearly 1 million women on farms and in factories through training, market access and career opportunities through 2016.   By the end of FY2015, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation contributed funding to train 540,102 women globally.
By the end of 2016, in emerging markets, train 500,000 women in the agriculture value chain.   By the end of FY2015, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation had contributed to training 297,655 women in the agriculture value chain. In FY2015, the Walmart Foundation funded four additional projects in Africa and Asia that are expected to reach 79,976 women.
Help 200,000 women in the U.S. from low-income households gain the skills they need for employment by the end of 2016.   Since the launch of the Women’s Economic Empowerment initiative, 180,423 U.S. women from low-income households have received support through programs funded by the Walmart Foundation.
By the end of 2016, train 200,000 women for their first jobs in retail in our emerging markets.   By the end of 2014, 13,295 women in eight countries received retail training. Pilot programs were completed this past year in Argentina, Chile, Mexico and South Africa. Using those results, the Walmart Foundation funded larger-scale programs in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Argentina, India and Chile. Those grants, combined with existing programs, put us on track to reach approximately 71,000 women.
Help 60,000 women working in factories develop the skills they need to become more active decision-makers in their jobs and for their families by the end of 2016.   By the end of 2014, the Women in Factories program had trained 48,729 women in foundational training for life and work skills. Of those women, 2,546 completed advanced training. The training has been implemented in 82 factories in Bangladesh, China, El Salvador, Honduras and India.
The Women’s Economic Empowerment initiative will be supported by more than $100 million in grants from the Walmart Foundation and donations from Walmart’s international business.   Since the launch of the Women’s Economic Empowerment initiative, we’ve been committed to supporting opportunity for women through our charitable giving. By the end of FY2015, the Walmart Foundation and Walmart’s international business contributed $110 million in grants and donations to support women’s economic empowerment, and we exceeded our goal two years ahead of schedule.
Retail sector workforce mobility
Workforce opportunity
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will commit $100 million over the next five years (beginning in 2015) to increase the economic mobility among U.S. retail and related-sector workers. Specifically, we aim to support retail training for more than 50,000 retail workers, while helping 30,000 move from entry- to middle-skills jobs.   In February 2015, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation announced an initial investment of $16 million to seven nonprofit organizations in the U.S. These grants will support career mapping and training for retail workers, while also aligning retail employers with training providers.
Veterans
In 2011, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation committed $20 million by 2015 to support U.S. veterans and their families with assistance from programs that provide job training, transition help and education. With the early completion of the commitment in May of 2014, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation renewed their commitment, announcing an additional $20 million through 2019 to support U.S. veteran job training, education and innovative public/private community-based initiatives that address the challenges many of our veterans face when returning to the civilian workforce and their communities.   By May 2014, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation met our original $20 million commitment. The investment supported job training for more than 20,000 post-9/11 veterans, provided thousands of holiday meals and toys for military families, and built capacity for nonprofits working in this space in the U.S.
Offer a job to any eligible honorably discharged U.S. veteran within the first 12 months off active duty.   From Memorial Day 2013 through FY2015, we hired more than 77,000 veterans in the U.S., nearly 16,000 as part of our Veterans Welcome Home Commitment. More than 6,000 have been promoted to roles of greater responsibility since joining the Walmart team.
Our Military Family Promise guarantees a job at a nearby store or club for all military personnel and military spouses employed at Walmart or Sam’s Club who move because they, or their spouse, have been transferred by the U.S. military.   Regarded by the Military Spouse Employment Partnership as the largest employer of military spouses in the U.S., Walmart continues to help turn jobs into career opportunities through the Military Family Promise.
Sustainability
More sustainable operations
Leading in energy
Be supplied by 100 percent renewable energy.   As of 2014, Walmart-driven renewable energy projects and purchases provided about 10 percent of our buildings’ annual electricity needs around the world. The grid supplied another 16 percent, for a total of 26 percent renewable electricity.
Drive the production or procurement of 7 billion kWh of renewable energy globally by Dec. 31, 2020 — an increase of more than 600 percent versus 2010.   In 2014, we procured 3 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of Walmart-driven renewable energy globally, accounting for approximately 43 percent of our 2020 target.
By Dec. 31, 2020, reduce the total kWh-per-square-foot energy intensity required to power our buildings around the world by 20 percent versus our 2010 baseline.   As of the end of 2014, we were well on our way toward this new goal by operating with 9 percent less energy per square foot compared with our 2010 baseline. This represents a 2 percent improvement since the end of 2013.
Resource efficiency
Begin phasing out hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants by 2015 and replacing them with non-HFC refrigerants, where these are legally allowed and available for new purchases of point-of-sale units and large refrigeration installations.   In 2011, we began incorporating refrigeration and store designs that would enable the transition to less HFC-reliant systems. We continue to test HFC-free systems in several markets, which will allow us to validate system efficiency, total GHG impact and quality functionality.
Double fleet efficiency in the U.S. by October 2015 (2005 baseline).   By the end of 2014, we had improved U.S. fleet efficiency by 87.4% over the 2005 baseline — an improvement of 3.2 percent compared with the year before. At this rate, we project that we will come close but will not quite achieve our goal of doubling fleet efficiency by October, 2015. The evolving service requirements of our multichannel, multi-format business have slowed our progress. We continue to strive for greater efficiency through equipment innovation, using data to help our drivers drive more efficiently, and adopting the latest fleet technologies as they become commercially viable.
Waste reduction
Eliminate landfill waste from U.S. stores and Sam’s Club locations by 2025.   Walmart U.S. waste diversion improved to 82.4 percent in 2014 across stores, clubs, distribution centers and other facilities. Walmart International achieved 68 percent waste diversion.
Reduce food waste in emerging-market stores and clubs by 15 percent and in our other markets by 10 percent by the end of 2015 (2009 baseline).   In emerging market stores (Argentina, Brazil, Central America, Chile and Mexico), we’ve reduced food throwaway by 11 percent. While we continue to work toward reducing food waste in our developed markets (Canada, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S.), we’re at risk of not meeting our goal of 10 percent reduction by 2015. As the demand for high-quality fresh meat and produce has increased in developed markets such as Canada and the U.S., we’ve expanded our offering and our volume of food. But with more volume and better quality comes the potential for additional waste. We continue to work with our associates to improve our processes for managing our fresh food offering and driving results.
More sustainable products
Sustainability Index
By the end of 2017, buy 70 percent of the goods we sell in Walmart U.S. and Sam’s Club U.S. units only from suppliers who use the Sustainability Index to evaluate and share the sustainability of their products if they produce goods in categories where the Index is available.   On the Walmart side, we’re almost there. Nearly 1,300 Walmart suppliers are using the Sustainability Index to drive more sustainable production. In 2014, the products evaluated represented 65 percent of the goods that were sold in Walmart U.S. stores and in categories covered by the Index.
Tie each merchant’s sustainability goals to his or her performance objectives and use the Index as the primary tool to measure progress.   Nearly 70 percent of the buyers for Walmart U.S. stores have the Index tools they need to improve the sustainability performance of their suppliers and the products they buy from them.
Sustainable food chain
Gain increasing visibility over the next 10 years into key metrics regarding yields, water usage and GHG in food supply chains. Foster improvements in food yields, water efficiency and GHG emissions through special projects and continuous improvement.   After launching this goal at the United Nations Climate Summit in fall 2014, we collaborated with several organizations (The Sustainability Consortium, Field to Market, U.S. Dairy Innovation Center, Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops and others) on agriculture metrics and transparent reporting. Now, the Sustainability Index contains a robust set of quantitative field metrics that our suppliers use to track and report continuous improvement, including but not limited to GHG emissions, water efficiency and food yields.
Encourage suppliers to develop fertilizer optimization plans for 14 million acres of U.S. farmland by 2020.   In total, we’ve established joint agricultural partnerships with 17 suppliers, cooperatives and service providers on 23 million acres of land in the U.S. and Canada, with the potential to reduce 11 million metric tons (MMT) of GHG by 2020.
Double sales of locally sourced produce sold in the U.S. by the end of 2015 (2009 baseline).   By the end of 2014, we increased sales of locally sourced produce from $404 million to $749.6 million. We remain on track to reach our goal by the end of 2015.
Provide training to 1 million farmers and farm workers, of which half will be women, in emerging markets by the end of 2016.   By the end of FY2015, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation had contributed to training 564,321 farmers, of which 297,655 were women. As of this date, funding was in place to reach a total of 837,449 farmers, including 475,537 women. During 2014, the Walmart Foundation funded four projects in Africa and Asia that will train 151,000 farmers, an estimated 79,967 being women.
Require 100 percent of the palm oil in Walmart’s global private brands to be sourced sustainably by the end of 2015.   We’re on track to meet our goal of sourcing 100 percent sustainable palm oil, supporting RSPO-certified palm oil. In FY2015, 54 percent of our palm oil was sourced through a mix of segregated (15 percent), mass balance (50 percent) and GreenPalm certificates (35 percent).
Require 100 percent of fresh, frozen, farmed and wild seafood to be third—party certified by Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), or managing a program in accordance with the Principles of Credible Sustainability Programs developed by The Sustainability Consortium, or actively working toward certification, or involved in a Fishery Improvement Project or Aquaculture Improvement Project in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Sam’s Club U.S.   More than 90 percent of Walmart U.S, Sam’s Club U.S., Asda and Walmart Canada’s fresh and frozen, farmed and wild seafood is sustainably sourced in accordance with Walmart’s Seafood Policy. Of this offering, 69 percent is certified by MSC and 95 percent of our farmed supply chain is certified by BAP. Additionally, 15 percent of our supply is involved in Fishery Improvement Projects, with plans in place to achieve sustainable certification.
Source only sustainable beef that is free of Amazon deforestation by the end of 2015.   In 2014, Walmart Brazil’s beef suppliers began participating in our Beef Monitoring and Risk Management System, which tracks, monitors and promotes responsible ranching and sourcing of Brazilian beef. In 2015, Walmart Brazil will use this monitoring program in its purchase orders to source only beef that doesn’t contribute to deforestation. We’re on track to reach this goal by the end of 2015.
In the U.S., endorse Beef Quality Assurance Program and partner with NCBA to deliver environmental Best Management Practices in beef supply chain.   In 2014, Walmart worked with several key stakeholders to launch the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB). This partnership is a key step toward defining sustainable beef in the U.S. and guiding procurement policies for sustainable beef. USRSB is an independent, multistakeholder, transparent effort focused on shaping the sustainability framework for the U.S. beef value chain.
In the U.S., align with packers, feed yards and ranchers to develop a transparency pilot for 15 percent of the U.S. supply by 2023 to ensure environmental best practices and quality standards for customers.   In 2014, we completed a sustainable beef sourcing pilot in Montana and Colorado, designed to build a traceable supply from ranch to fork while assessing sustainability practices across the supply chain. By working with the ranch and the feedlot directly, we gathered valuable insights that will help us develop a larger-scale program as we work toward our 15 percent goal.
Open 275—300 stores serving designated food desert areas in the U.S. by 2016 (beginning in 2012).   By the end of FY2015, we’d opened 375 stores serving food deserts across the U.S. We exceeded our goal a year ahead of schedule.
Provide 4 billion meals to those who need them in the U.S. from 2015 to 2020 via grants from the Walmart Foundation and food donations from our Walmart stores, Sam’s Clubs and distribution centers.   Since FY2015, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have donated 1.1 billion meals in the U.S. through our stores and clubs and through philanthropic investments in charitable and federal meal programs. In FY2015, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation contributed more than $61 million in funding to organizations fighting hunger in the U.S.
Engage associates and customers in supporting hunger relief efforts.   In FY2015, our U.S. associates volunteered more than 159,000 hours to hunger relief causes and organizations, raising more than $1.4 million through Volunteerism Always Pays — our corporate volunteerism program.
Improve the nutritional quality of our private brands, including our Great Value brand and national food brands in the U.S. Reduce sodium by 25 percent and added sugars by 10 percent, as well as remove all industrially produced trans fats by the end of 2015 (FY2016), compared with our 2008 baseline.  

By the end of FY2014, we reduced sodium by more than 16 percent, and we continue to exceed our goal for sugar reduction. At the end of FY2014, fewer than 6 percent of products in our U.S. stores contained partially hydrogenated oils.

Sometimes it’s challenging to find food substitutes or processes to make the desired advances without compromising taste, convenience, texture and other important qualities. We’re committed to finding solutions for healthier foods without sacrificing the characteristics our customers expect, and that takes time.
Develop a Great for You label, a front-of-pack seal to help U.S. customers quickly identify more nutritious choices.   More than 30 percent of qualifying items, including fresh produce, Great Value and Marketside private brands now carry the Great For You icon. This year, more than 60 lean meat and poultry items have been submitted to the USDA for icon approval.
Invest in programs to help educate families about healthier food choices by providing nutrition education to 4 million people in the U.S. over the next five years (through 2020).   In October 2014, the Walmart Foundation broadened its existing commitment to increase charitable support for nutrition education to target a specific number of people reached rather than a dollar amount. In FY2015, the Walmart Foundation contributed $10 million to nutrition education efforts, for a total of $51 million since 2011. That translated into 929,659 people reached in FY2015.
Save U.S. customers approximately $1 billion per year on fresh fruits and vegetables. Reduce or eliminate price premiums on key better-for-you items.   In FY2015, we saved customers $1.09 billion on fresh produce, taking us to $3.5 billion since 2012, and our freshness continues to improve year over year. Based on Walmart U.S. pricing data, in 2011, a Walmart-selected better-for-you item, on average, cost 5.7 percent more than the traditional version. As of FY2015, the average annual differential was further reduced to 4.5 percent.
Use the Sustainability Index to track sustainability improvements in food supply and for 70 percent of goods sold in the U.S. if those goods are covered by the Index.   We use the Index to measure and advance continuous improvement across the world’s largest assortment of food. It enables us to identify hot-spot issues in various food categories, such as pesticides, water, labor or fertilizer. Our buyers use it to partner with suppliers to agree on improvement opportunities. In 2014, 64 percent of the food sales in Walmart U.S. stores that are eligible for the Sustainability Index were tracked by the Sustainability Index.
Sustainable product design
Incorporate the learnings and successes of the Packaging Scorecard into the Sustainability Index.   We’ve incorporated key packaging-related sustainability practices into the Sustainability Index. For categories that rely on a lot of packaging, the Index includes specific packaging KPIs so that we can consistently measure progress across key metrics.
Increase recycled content in plastic packaging and products.   In 2014, we surveyed approximately 100 suppliers using plastic packaging about their current postconsumer resin level by type and asked for forecasts for increasing it by 2020.
Increase the recyclability of plastic packaging.   We published packaging recyclability guidelines to prioritize packaging optimization opportunities. We’re tracking progress through KPIs in the Sustainability Index and can use this tool with suppliers who need help finding and prioritizing improvement opportunities.
Sustainably increase the supply of recycled content.   Walmart and the Walmart Foundation helped launch the Closed Loop Fund and the first investments will be made this year. We will be tracking tons diverted and money saved.
Increase transparency by disclosing all product ingredients online beginning January 2015 and priority chemicals on product packaging beginning January 2018.   We cataloged and disclosed all ingredients for in-scope products from all our private-brand suppliers at Walmart.com and Samsclub.com. We’re now encouraging the suppliers of our national brands in the U.S. to fully disclose ingredients online and track progress through the Index.
Sustainable manufacturing
Suppliers and factories that represent 70 percent of our business sourced in China will participate in Walmart’s Factory Efficiency Program by 2017.   Since we announced this initiative in August 2014, more than 200 factories in China have signed on to the Resource Efficiency Deployment Engine (RedE), a Web-based tool that guides the identification of energy-efficiency improvement initiatives.
Eliminate 20 million metric tons (MMT) of GHG emissions from Walmart’s global supply chain by the end of 2015.   Through our partnership with the Environmental Defense Fund, we’ve worked on projects that cumulatively reduced more than 17.4 million metric tons (MMT) of GHG emissions from our supply chain by the end of 2014.
Community
Community development
Empower Walmart associates to support local charitable organizations.   In 2014, Walmart facilities in the U.S. and Puerto Rico made more than 46,000 grants to community organizations, totaling more than $47 million. In addition, the Walmart Foundation awarded $37 million to organizations addressing hunger, workforce development, veterans programs and many other causes through the State Giving Program, based on recommendations of committees of Walmart associates in each state.
Associate philanthropy and support
Associate philanthropy
Provide matching donations to encourage associates to donate to charitable organizations.   Walmart enables U.S. associates to give to any of 11 participating nonprofit organizations through payroll deduction as part of the Associate Giving Program. The Walmart Foundation matches those contributions dollar for dollar, ranging from $1 million to $8 million per charity. Through this program in FY2015, associates raised nearly $12 million. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation matched more than $8.4 million.
Encourage associates to volunteer for causes they care most about.   In FY2015, our U.S. associates volunteered more than 1.5 million hours to organizations in the areas of education, environmental sustainability, health and wellness, hunger relief, workforce development and more. U.S. associates may apply for a Volunteerism Always Pays (VAP) grant on behalf of their volunteer hours at eligible organizations. They generated $14 million in “dollar-for-doer” grants in FY2015.
Associate support
Support programs that provide financial support to associates experiencing a crisis.   In FY2015 alone in the U.S., ACNT helped 342 associates impacted by natural disasters who needed food, clothing or shelter; and 3,849 associates impacted by loss of household income due to circumstances such as a death in the family or a spouse losing their job.
Provide scholarships for associates and their dependents to earn a postsecondary degree or certificate.   Since FY2012, the Walmart Foundation has given $22.4 million to organizations that award scholarships to our U.S. associates and their dependents.
Disaster response and preparedness
Support local communities following disasters by leveraging retail presence, logistics and operations to provide life-saving and life-sustaining items.   Over the past 10 years, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have provided more than $43 million in cash to various countries burdened by disasters.
Strengthen community preparedness and the ability to recover from disaster.   Over the past 10 years, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have invested more than $7.2 million in community resiliency around the world. In FY2015, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation invested more than $1.5 million to: strengthen technological infrastructure for disaster response and resiliency, build capacity to facilitate skills-based volunteerism during disasters and convene leaders in disaster relief to share best practices.