Comments on: Exclusive: Wal-Mart’s sustainability index

By: Mark Frantz

Mark Frantz — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 21:02:56 +0000

Wal-Mart’s sustainability index, if it is achieved, could be far more important than anything the EPA or similar organizations have achieved so far. It gives the power to the consumer to judge the value products not just on price and brand, but on sustainability peformance as well. That’s why it should not be used by buyers initially. The consumers’ purchases tell the buyers what to procure, not the opposite. When consumers start buying more sustatinable products within a product category, the buyers will then use the index to help select more sustainable new products to replace the old ones–since that’s what consumers are buying. Assuming consumers want to make sustainability a substantial part of their purchasing decisions, other retailers would then be forced to follow suit. And the consumer will lead a sea change in corporate sustainability far greater and far faster than any governement could hope to achieve–especially in developing countries where many goods are manufactured and governements are warry of doing anything that reduces their country’s competitiveness. The Sustainability Consortium should not sit on their hands waiting for the EPA. We need to put the power of consumer choice to work for the planet ASAP.

If consumers use the sustainability index as I hope they will, it will change the fundamentals of marketing (the famed 4 Ps will get an S added to them) and economic theory. This is a big deal. We should support the Sustainability Coalition’s work with Wal-Mart and other leading retailers and consumer goods companies.

By: A Greener and More Open GE | How Online

A Greener and More Open GE | How Online — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:06:30 +0000

[...] Wal-Mart’s size and clout put it at the center of the consumer economy. Last week, Wal-Mart announced its plans for a sustainability index, generating lots of excitement, and GE recently released a citizenship report that demonstrates [...]

By: A greener--and more open--GE | Marc Gunther

A greener--and more open--GE | Marc Gunther — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 03:03:48 +0000

[...] while Wal-Mart’s size and clout put it at the center of the consumer economy. Last week Wal-Mart announced its plans for a sustainability index, generating lots of excitement, and today GE releases a citizenship report that demonstrates that [...]

By: Wal-Mart Announces Plans for Global Product Sustainability Index | Earth & Industry

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:16:41 +0000

[...] this week, sustainable business journalist and blogger Marc Gunther broke the news that Wal-Mart would “unveil plans to measure the sustainability of every [...]

By: Coral Rose

Coral Rose — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:18:15 +0000

Tiffany,
It is my understanding that the EPA has been involved in this multi-stakeholder process.

By: Kristina Babbitt

Kristina Babbitt — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:23:17 +0000

I agree with you, Neal. A sustainability index is a great idea, but it would be nice if they used this data to drive their own purchasing decisions. I’d like to see Wal-Mart set a standard for themselves of what they will and will not sell based on these metrics.

By: Neal H. Levin

Neal H. Levin — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:21:41 +0000

Say, Am Id, I would not be so fast to celebrate. Though each step taken by Wal-Mart is significant (due to it’s shear size, i.e. turning a behemoth 10 degrees has more impact than turning ma and pa 180), product labeling is only designed to empower consumer choice, not reduce GHG, waste, water, dependency on oil or increase air quality or the living conditions of factory workers in Bangladesh. Do you think that Wal-Mart will use this program to stop selling their top selling items, regardless of how dastardly they might be. Yes, the initiative may drive more suppliers to improve their products, though Wal-Mart must bear some accountability (and cost) as well and continue to re-define their own role in the product lifecycle and towards greate social responsibility (formerly having bad grades in this area). I for one will spend a significant amount of time studying the four corners of the initiative before I’m willing to throw them at the top of the sustainability heap.

By: Lita Cox- Ecodiva

Lita Cox- Ecodiva — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:04:20 +0000

Great blog…people become very suspicious whenever Walmart becomes the lead dog in a major attempt to hop on board of any train, whether it be, looking at how to reduce energy consumption in their stores or now setting the stage for how we look at the “Sustainability Index” of consumer products. Applying the “Cradle to Cradle” review on consumer goods is a step forward in the right direction. Regardless, if Walmart does it first or if any other big kahuna steps up to the plate, third party analysis, with Universities would be a great partnership and monitoring system, as long as Walmart doesn’t give large sums of money to those higher educational institutions who are involved, which would pose a whole new set of questions. I am all for it..we need to start somewhere and those with deep pockets can start the Sustainability Index ball rolling!

By: American Idiot

American Idiot — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:29:20 +0000

Hooray, I won’t have to boycott Wal-mart anymore. It is good to know the super giants are getting on board and going all out it would appear. Great question too, Tiffany. I’d be curious of the answer.

By: Tiffany Clements

Tiffany Clements — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:37:01 +0000

Do you happen to have any idea if Wal-Mart has plans to wait on Congress or the EPA to implement their own product carbon labeling?

Waxman-Markey included a provision (http://www.rff.org/wv/archive/2009/05.aspx) to have the EPA look into designing a program to measure, monitor, and disclose product carbon content.