About Our Reporting
Walmart has reported on a wide range of ESG issues since 2005. Our reporting is focused on our priority ESG issues—those that we believe are the most relevant to our business and important to our stakeholders.
Beginning in 2021, our reporting has centered around a series of ESG issue briefs covering each of Walmart’s priority ESG issues in depth. Each brief covers our aspiration and strategy with respect to that issue, the relevance of the issue to business and society, our key goals and metrics, and our progress to date. Each issue brief notes the date on which it was most recently updated and the relevant period covered by data, metrics, and claims made therein. Fiscal Years run from February 1 to January 31 and are denoted by “FY” (e.g., FY2023 is the fiscal year ending January 31, 2023). Calendar years (CY) are noted in four-digit format.
In 2023 we also published our ESG Highlights, which provides an overview of our shared value approach to ESG, ESG priorities, and key highlights from FY2023.
Our reporting is guided by frameworks such as the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, and the United Nations (U.N.) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We also report through programs such as CDP, a global environmental disclosure system.
All references to “Walmart” in our ESG reporting are to Walmart Inc., a Delaware corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries that were subsidiaries during the reporting period, excluding all acquired eCommerce subsidiaries, businesses, platforms and/or marketplaces, unless otherwise noted. Financial information referenced in our ESG reporting reflects the scope of the Walmart Inc. consolidated financial statements, unless otherwise noted. This report also covers some activities of the Walmart Foundation, a separately incorporated Delaware charitable private foundation. "Walmart.org" is used to refer to the collective philanthropy of Walmart Inc. and the Walmart Foundation.
We sought and received external assurance from a third party with respect to certain emissions information included in our reporting. We did not seek or receive external assurance from third parties with respect to other information, although in certain instances third parties assisted in the process of collecting, analyzing, and calculating information presented.
Forward-Looking Statements
These ESG Highlights and our various ESG Issue Briefs do not cover all information about our business, and inclusion of information therein is not an indication that the subject or information is material to Walmart’s business or operating results for purposes of U.S. securities laws and regulations. Statements other than statements of historical or current facts, including statements and images about our ESG targets, goals, aspirations, commitments and programs, and other business plans, initiatives, and objectives are forward-looking statements and are based on Walmart management’s current assumptions and expectations. These statements are typically accompanied by the words “aim,” “ambition,” “anticipate,” “aspire,” “believe,” “can,” “commit,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “goal,” “hope,” “intend,” “may,” “on track,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “strive,” “target,” “will,” “would,” or other similar words. All such statements are intended to enjoy the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Our actual future results, including the achievement of our targets, goals, or commitments, could differ materially from our projected results as the result of a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, changes in circumstances, assumptions not being realized, or other risks, uncertainties, and factors, many of which are outside of our control. Such risks, uncertainties and factors include the risk factors discussed in Item 1A of our most recent Highlight Report on Form 10-K and in subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); they also include the challenges, assumptions and dependencies identified in our ESG issue briefs. We urge you to consider all of the risks, uncertainties, and factors identified above or discussed in this FY2023 Highlights and each of our ESG issue briefs carefully in evaluating the forward-looking statements therein. Walmart cannot assure you that the results reflected or implied by any forward-looking statement will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that those results will have the forecasted or expected consequences and effects. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the forward-looking statements in this FY2023 Highlights and our ESG issue briefs are made as of the effective date identified in the issue brief, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Standards of measurement and performance made in reference to the goals, aspirations, and objectives referred to in this FY2023 Highlights and our various ESG issue briefs are developing and based on protocols, processes, and assumptions that continue to evolve and are subject to change in the future, and no assurances can be given that any plan, initiative, projection, goal, commitment, expectation, or prospect set forth in the FY 2023 Highlights or our ESG issue briefs can or will be achieved.
