An Analysis of Wal-Mart’s Environmental Strategy

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Abstract At one point and time, Wal-Mart did not hold a position when it came to environmental initiatives and the part they played in the environment’s diminishing capacity. Shortly after Hurricane Katrina, former President and CEO, Lee Scott asserted that Wal-Mart would become a better steward of the environment by reducing its environmental footprint. Those plans were laid out in what has become known as the 21st Leadership (Nandagopal, 2009). It was at this time Mr. Lee unveiled the goals for Wal-Mart’s Environmental Initiatives. This paper will explorer and analyze the environmental practices of Wal-Mart in an effort to at least in part determine how far they have come to reaching those initial goals. Keywords: environment, environmental strategy, environmental initiatives, sustainability, greenhouse emissions, energy, An Analysis of Wal-Mart’s Environmental Strategy: The Pursuit of Becoming a Sustainable Company According to the article, Wal-Mart’s Environmental Strategy, the company never really had a leadership position when it came to environmental initiatives. Instead, Wal-Mart was encouraging consumption at alarming rates and causing massive amounts of waste and run-offs due to construction (Nandagopal, 2009). In addition to environmental criticism, Wal-Mart’s reputation was taking a beating with regards to labor practices and its relationship with the society/community. They had the persona of not being very friendly, despite its smiley face mascot. Some saw it only as a ploy or high-priced marketing campaign to improve their battered image, but after Hurricane Katrina, former President and CEO, Lee Scott, unveiled Wal-Mart’s plan to become more environmentally friendly. During his speech, which has been dubbed as the 21st Century Leadership, he laid out three goals to assist Wal-Mart in this endeavor: 1)

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