When I joined the sustainability team three years ago as senior vice president, it presented so many exciting opportunities. Having been at this company since 2007, I knew all of the great things we were already doing to improve our sustainability efforts and eco-friendly practices – including the launch of the Sustainability Index to track our progress – but not too many of our customers and other stakeholders could say the same.
But being open and transparent is critical, largely because we work with and rely on suppliers, nonprofits, government and our customers to help us on our journey. So, in that spirit, we decided to start a dialogue here on The Walmart Green Room, not only sharing what we’ve been doing in sustainability, including the Sustainability Index, solar installations, sustainable farming and fishing, but also asking for your input and ideas on how you bring those same practices into your life, your business and your community. I’ve been privileged to have the chance to share some of my own experiences and to learn from your stories.
Over the past three years, we’ve seen incredible progress in our sustainability efforts – and I know that will continue even as I say goodbye to move into a new position as senior vice president of marketing for Walmart U.S. There’s an incredible group working every day to drive innovations in sustainability, and not just my team in the sustainability office but associates throughout the company and around the world.
I’m pleased to share that Manuel Gómez Pena, who’s been with Walmart for nearly 10 years, will step into my place. Manuel brings a deep knowledge of sustainability from Walmart Mexico, where he’s been responsible for the country’s renewable energy, energy efficiency, waste management, water conservation, and sustainable products and packaging. He was also the captain of Walmart’s Global Renewable Energy Council and was instrumental in developing our new energy goals. I’ve worked with him personally and know he’ll be a great addition. With his commitment to sustainability, we’ll continue to encourage innovation and create more opportunities for Walmart to be a leader in sustainability.
For me, this is not a goodbye to Walmart Sustainability because I will take the experiences with me. I’m looking forward to watching how our work grows in this area and am happy to have been part of it. Thank you for joining us on our journey.