BENTONVILLE, AR – Wal-Mart has announced its commitment to create a more sustainable food system through a four-part plan at its Global Sustainability Milestone Meeting.

“The future of food is absolutely critical for both our society and for our business, which means we have a huge opportunity to make a difference here,” said Doug McMillon, President and CEO of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. 

“We’ve learned on our sustainability journey that we’re most successful when our initiatives create social and environmental value and business value at the same time.  Food is our number one category worldwide, and we are going to do even more in our grocery business in the years ahead.  Paving a sustainable future for food is necessary for society and our business,” McMillon added.

The retailer plans to address major issues and threats facing today’s global food system through four key pillars: improving affordability of food for customers and the environment, increasing access to food, making healthier eating easier, and improving safety and transparency of the food chain, according to a press release.

• Affordable:  Wal-Mart is working with suppliers to lower the “true cost” of food to provide lower prices and decrease the environmental impact of agricultural practices, according to a press release.  The retailer has also launched its Climate Smart Agriculture Platform to improve environmental outcomes.
• Accessible:  Through its “Fighting Hunger Together” commitment, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club facilities donated more than 1.58 billion pounds of food since 2010.  Wal-Mart and the Wal-Mart Foundation aim to provide 4 billion healthier meals to those who need them in the U.S. over the next five years.
• Healthier:  The company reports a 13% reduction of sodium and a 10% reduction of sugar levels in Great Value, Marketside and nationally branded products.  As part of this new plan, Wal-Mart and the Wal-Mart foundation will provide nutrition education to 4 million U.S. households.
• Safe and Transparent:  Wal-Mart plans to provide more information and transparency about its products so customers can see where an item came from, how it was made, and decode the ingredient label.

“Wal-Mart has made major progress since we set out to achieve our three ambitious sustainability goals to create zero waste, be powered by 100 percent renewable energy, and sell products that sustain people and the environment. We believe it’s especially critical to focus our time and effort on advancing the sustainability of our food products and practices,” said McMillon.  “Grocery is a very personal category – it’s about what you feed your kids and how you take care of yourself.  It’s about your health and wellbeing.  And it all comes down to trust.  Customers have to trust us on food. When we focus on food, we are doing right by our customers, our communities, and our planet.”

Wal-Mart will be continuing to collaborate with suppliers to track and report the progress of this plan and the creation of a sustainable food system.

Stay tuned to AndNowUKnow as we continue to follow the effects and progress of these initiatives.

Wal-Mart