Walmart Announces 2031 Emissions Goal and Highlights ESG Gains

Walmart has set a new Science Based Targets initiative‑approved objective to cut absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse‑gas emissions by 28 % by fiscal year 2031, using its FY2025 levels as a baseline. The target aligns with a 1.5 °C warming limit and follows a review that found the retailer missed its earlier 35 % reduction goal for FY2026, though it did achieve a 24.6 % cut since FY2016 and a 53.7 % decline in emissions intensity.

In FY2026 the company reduced absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 7.5 % year‑over‑year, with intensity falling 11.6 %. The largest driver was a 20.7 % drop in refrigerant emissions, attributed to better leak management and the adoption of low‑global‑warming‑potential refrigerants. Renewable electricity supplied 53.3 % of Walmart’s global power needs, surpassing its 2025 target.

Walmart also reported broader ESG progress: operational waste diversion reached 84.0 % of total waste, and 81.1 % of its private‑brand plastic packaging is designed for recycling. Scope 3 indirect emissions rose about 3 % as the business grew. The retailer’s sustainability initiatives now cover stewardship of 76.2 million acres of land and 3.68 million square miles of ocean, supported by more than $120 million in Walmart Foundation investments since FY2021. Executive Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer Kathleen McLaughlin emphasized the company’s “shared‑value strategy” that links economic opportunity, sustainability and community strengthening.