The initiative is part of a multi-phased, long-term plan. First, the chain will conduct a survey of its more than 100,000 suppliers, in which it will find out as much as it can about the products, including their sustainability and efficiency. Then, Walmart will work with universities to develop an database of information about the products. Finally, each product will be given a sustainability rating.
“Customers want products that are more efficient, that last longer and perform better,” Walmart's CEO, Mike Duke, said in a statement about the project. “And increasingly they want information about the entire lifecycle of a product so they can feel good about buying it. They want to know that the materials in the product are safe, that it was made well and that it was produced in a responsible way."
Walmart has been rolling out a series of initiatives in the past three years to reverse its reputation as an environmentally unfriendly company.
