Wal-Mart, WRI May Decide Which Eco-labels Will Stick

October 1, 2009

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

The far-reaching Green Supply Chain Initiative, undertaken by the World Resources Institute thanks to a grant from Wal-Mart Stores Inc., aims to develop and deploy a new set of tools to account for GHG impacts on any given firm’s supply chain.

The initiative also will develop a “Green Standards Guide” to assist supply chain companies in wading through the different “green” claims of varying environmental certifications and labels.

Essentially, the Green Standards Guide will rate the various eco-labels, helping companys decide which ones they will recognize. A recent study from BBMG found that consumers had poor awareness of all but a few of the more than 400 “green” certification programs and labels.

The WRI initiative also will attempt to ascribe the GHG emissions associated with products sold to consumers, according to a press release.

The $420,000 grant from Wal-Mart also will help improve the environmental impact of goods imported from China, as a portion of the funding will go the Beijing-based Institute of Public and Environment Affairs.

Other companies, including Dell, Kimberly Clark and Intel, were involved in the grant as well. For a complete list of funding companies, click here (PDF).

Wal-Mart’s involvement in the initiative follows the announcement of the retailer’s Sustainability Index, under which suppliers will be graded on various aspects of their supply chain.

Wal-Mart has attempted to be inclusive of other industry players in developing the index, which it hopes will be used in other stores as well. For instance, it has held talks with Kroger, among others.

This is not the first time Wal-Mart has reached out to a third-party to assign environmental and emissions protocol. With the sustainability index, it appears Wal-Mart is set to use the Carbon Disclosure Project as one means of tracking suppliers’ emissions.

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Make sustainability part of your strategy.

Get equipped at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Survey Results: Product Environmental Compliance Best Practices

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Reader Comments

People,company’s and theire comfort zone,they are all very hard to change.
Further more it’s even harder for small company’s like ours to get to the top of the chain,to get in contact to the right person,ever tried calling wallmart or home depot?
We are trying to brake the chain of the forever returning cycle of cleaning,and chemical use.
If any of you would like to see how we can save anyone 15/20%on theire electric bill,and how we are able to keep all white roofs staying white for the naxt seven years,than please visit our website at.
http://www.extremeseal.net.for further information feel free to call me at 813-679-9703.
Thank you for your attention in this matter.
Yours.
Paul Bogaars.
Extreme Seal inc

paul bogaars | October 3rd, 2009

This is such a great start to making consumer’s aware of the impact of what they purchase. I realized our knowledge of The real impact of what we buy is pitifully low after listening to a TreeHugger Radio interview of Daniel Coleman who wrote the book Ecological Intelligence.

Eco Warrior | October 4th, 2009

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/20/2009
11/19/2009
11/18/2009

Charts [ see all ]

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Nike Tops Annual Climate Action Scores

Oceans May Trap more Carbon than Forests

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Trade Association on Trade Group on EPA Chemical Regs: ‘If Everything is a Priority, Then Nothing is a Priority’
"Seriously… that..."

Gary Markowitz on Supermarkets Tackle Emissions Reductions, Fuel Efficiency
"Supermarkets waste over 10 percent of their energy through improper..."

peter in ireland on Ontario May Follow California’s Lead on TV Energy Efficiency
"Governor Schwarzenegger is shooting himself in the foot! 1...."

Environmental Leader on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"The survey respondents (the PDF report mentions 4,000 respondents in 38..."

Jake on UPS Trying New Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks
"A point of clarification: the Reuters press release referenced herein reports that 20 UPS will purchase..."

Custom Organic Shirts on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"90% of North Americans believe it is urgent to get a global climate..."

peter dublin on California City’s Green Building Ordinance Applies to Commercial Buildings
"Why energy efficiebnt regulation on buildings –..."

Environmental Leader