Case Description Walmart Inc (Walmart) was one of the retail giants in the world with incomprehensibly complex supply chain. It was planning to erase its huge climate footprint by emphasising on every part of the supply chain. The retail giant had started its CSR initiative in 1989. However, it was not successful and by 1990s, the idea of sustainability had slipped from the priority list of Walmart. During 2000s, the retailer was criticised for its 'predatory pricing' and poor labour policies. People stopped buying from Walmart stores and the brand image of the company was impacted negatively. To revive its brand image, in 2005, the retailer had announced its CSR initiative of achieving zero waste to landfill by 2025. Walmart tried to create value for both its shareholders and the entire planet by unveiling a number of initiatives. In 2014, Doug McMillan became the CEO of the company and under his leadership, Walmart's CSR initiatives were accelerated. In 2021, the company unveiled 'Built for Better' initiative, an online push to offer healthy and environmentally friendly products to the customers. The retailer also entered into the green bond market and launched USD2 billion green bond. However, reaching the sustainability target might be a daunting task for Walmart, which offered huge number of low-priced products to almost 220 million customers and members every week as of 2021. Critics also raised many questions regarding the sustainability impact of the company. With this background, would it be possible for Walmart to march towards sustainable retail?
Learning Outcomes 1. To understand and analyse the various CSR strategy of Walmart. 2.
To understand and analyse e the mounting criticisms against Walmart. 3.
To analyse the reasons behind the CSR strategy. 4.
To analyse the underlying challenges in meeting its sustainability goal.
