A Message from Our Chief Executive Officer
It was Sam Walton’s purpose to help people live better lives. He wanted to help them save money so they could invest those things in their families and their communities. He wanted to help people build something meaningful and worthwhile and to live a better life. He wanted to leave things better than he’d found them. That’s the legacy he left our company, and we remain committed to being a force for good in the communities we serve, all over the world. For Walmart, this means actively addressing the environmental and societal issues most relevant to our business and stakeholders, and we win when our customers, associates, suppliers, communities, and planet are better off because of Walmart.
In our 61 years, we’ve shown that we’re capable of big things. We’ve embraced change and innovation while staying true to our roots, and we’ve grown and expanded without forgetting our purpose. We’re a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer dedicated to helping people save money and live better, and we’re still built upon our original foundation of timeless values.
Throughout our ESG Issue Briefs and these ESG Highlights, you’ll see the ways our commitments build on this foundation. We’ve focused on four themes that guide our action: Opportunity, Sustainability, Community, and Ethics & Integrity. And at Walmart, we’re doing more than simply managing risks in these areas. Managing risk isn’t enough. We have to think differently, and we have to do more. We have adopted a mindset that prioritizes outcomes for business and society - and a regenerative ambition. I’m proud of the ways our team is bringing these principles to life across our business. We’re giving back, and we’re following Sam’s example: we’re leaving things better than we found them.
At the same time, we’re mindful that none of this would be possible without our associates taking action and bringing these goals to life. We’re grateful for our associates’ hard work and positive mindsets, their flexibility and their resilience, and it’s important to Walmart that we create opportunities and invest in the people who have invested in our mission. We want to build careers, not just jobs. In the U.S. alone, about 75% of salaried store, club and supply chain management started their careers as hourly associates. And Live Better U now allows associates to choose from more than 70 programs in areas like business management and data analytics. Walmart pays for 100% of the tuition, and books. These are just a couple of examples of our commitment to helping our associates live better lives, too.
We’re also making progress toward our environmental goals around the world. In partnership with our suppliers, we’ve made supply chains healthier by embedding regenerative practices and reducing carbon emissions, and we’re especially proud that Walmart is now three-quarters of the way toward reaching our Project Gigaton goal of reducing or avoiding one billion metric tons of greenhouse gases by 2030.
Together, we’re working every day to help people live better lives, both locally and globally. That’s the promise we make to our stakeholders. We’re committed to this mission, and we believe that our success depends upon keeping this promise. And I believe we can do it. We are doing it. And by working together there’s no limit to what we can accomplish.
Doug McMillon
President and CEO
Walmart Inc.
