Wal-Mart (WMT) is not only pushing its suppliers to reduce packaging and be more "ethical" about how they process waste, but plans to involve its employees, customers and communities in the sustainability effort, CEO Lee Scott told a London conference sponsored by Britain's Prince Charles today. In an interview with USA TODAY, Scott said the effort has been embraced by employees and has helped Wal-Mart with retention and recruitment. "Our young managers view our focus on sustainability as a higher calling," he said. As for suppliers, Wal-Mart has come up with a scorecard to grade their environmental progress and will "pick the ones moving in the right direction." Still, customers will ultimately decide which suppliers' products are available with their purchase choices, he said. Scott said the company will introduce "Global Innovation Projects," including a challenge for Wal-Mart associates and suppliers to come up with ways to remove non-renewable energy from products the company sells. Wal-Mart will push suppliers to "make products that rely less and less on carbon-based energy," he said. Scott said he's gotten strong support for this and other aspects of Wal-Mart's sustainability plan from major suppliers, including Unilever, PepsiCo (PEP) and Universal Music. "In some cases, they've been ahead of us and in other cases waiting for us to ask," Scott said in the interview. "But no one has pushed back to me." (Blog writer's note: Wal-Mart is such a symbol of corporate greed to many people that it will be interesting to see how their new found environmental awareness will translate into the real world. Will part of their conscience extend to health care and a living wage for the workers in Asia and other places who make the products they sell? If this turns out to be sincere and not just some PR maneuver I will be happy to support their efforts.)
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