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Walmart’s Project Gigaton, launched in 2017, is one of the world’s most ambitious private-sector climate initiatives, aiming to eliminate 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases from its global supply chain by 2030.
Progress so far:
- By the end of 2023, suppliers reported over 750 million metric tons of avoided emissions.
- Over 5,900 suppliers have joined Project Gigaton, covering areas from energy efficiency to deforestation prevention.
- Walmart has also set a goal to power its own operations with 100% renewable energy by 2035.
Challenges:
- Data accuracy: Supplier-reported emissions reductions can vary widely in quality and methodology.
- Global supplier diversity complicates standardization efforts across different markets.
Strategic insight:
By prioritizing supplier collaboration over direct control, Walmart models a distributed leadership approach to climate action — a model that companies like Target and Costco are only now beginning to replicate.
Sources:
https://corporate.walmart.com/purpose/sustainability/project-gigaton
https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2023/04/19/walmart-inc-announces-sustainability-progress
