Good to Know: "Wal-Mart Scrutinizes Supply-Chain Sustainability"

[Keaty Gross]

Worldwatch Institute | Wal-Mart's announcement last week that it will require its suppliers to evaluate and disclose the full environmental costs of their products was greeted with fanfare in the media and among green business champions. The excitement is grounded in the notion that when the world's largest retailer asks more than 100,000 businesses around the world to assess [PDF] their environmental and social sustainability, the responses may lead companies to reduce waste, cut emissions, and improve profitability. Wal-Mart critics have applauded the company for its ambitions, while casting doubt on whether the wider goal - a "sustainability label" similar to the nutritional information required on U.S. food packaging - can capture the full costs of producing a product or substantially shift consumer behavior. Click here to read full article.