Wal-Mart Releases Packaging Scorecard Results

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores here released the initial results of its packaging scorecard yesterday at its Sustainable Packaging Exposition. In the first month, 2,268 vendors have logged on to the site and 117 products have been entered into the system. The scorecard, which was officially unveiled at the Clinton Global Initiative in September 2006 and launched on Feb. 1, evaluates Wal-Mart and Sam‘s Club suppliers on the sustainability of their packaging and offers suggestions for improvement. Suppliers will receive a score per package relative to their peers in categories including greenhouse gas emissions related to production, material value, product to packaging ratio, cube utilization, recycled content usage and the recovery value of the raw materials and emissions related to the transportation of packaging materials. “We are in a unique position to drive positive change in the area of sustainability by working with our suppliers,” said Matt Kistler, senior vice president of marketing, research and insights for Sam‘s Club and captain of Wal-Mart‘s Packaging Sustainability Network, in a statement. “The packaging scorecard helps everyone make better decisions that are good for business, our customers and the environment.” Wal-Mart hopes to achieve a 5% reduction in packaging by 2013.