Walmart·Retail (non-fashion)·Bentonville, Arkansas, US·Founded 1962·Last verified 31 May 2026
27
out of 100
Significant gapsPending Review-4 since last review

Walmart's sustainability performance is defined by rising absolute emissions despite intensity gains, missed climate targets, and a widening gap between supply chain ambitions and verified delivery. Operations reporting is granular but negative in trajectory. Supply chain engagement lacks rigor, and trade association lobbying contradicts stated climate commitments.

The calculation

Every score shows its working.

Same formula for every company. No curve. No private weighting.

SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × Scale
Industry base impact
Retail (non-fashion) sector ceiling.
48 / 100
Performance score
Sum of the 10 rubric questions, scored 0–10 each.
44 / 100
Raw score
Weighted average before scale penalty.
(0.3 × 48) + (0.7 × 44) = 45.2
Scale penalty
Multiplier based on absolute emissions volume — physics-first.
× 0.6
Final score
Rounded. Significant gaps.
27 / 100
The ten questions

Where Walmart is strong, and where it isn't.

Strongest on Carbon Footprint — Operations and Transparency & Accountability (7/10, 6/10). Weakest on Emissions Trajectory and Water Impact (2/10, 3/10).

Where the evidence comes from

Every document used, listed.

16 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which rubric questions it informed.

13 of 16 sources are third-party verified or public record.

[1]Self-reported
FY2025 Walmart ESG Report
2025
Q1Q2Q6Q9
View →
[2]Third-party verified
Tracenable — Walmart GHG Emissions
Ongoing
Q1Q2Q3
View →
[3]Third-party verified
Trellis — Walmart 2025 ESG Update
2025
Q1Q2Q3Q7
View →
[4]Public record
ESG Dive — Walmart Missing 2025/2030 Emissions Goals
2025
Q3Q4
View →
[5]Self-reported
Walmart Accelerates Clean Energy Purchases (March 2024)
2024
Q4
View →
[6]Third-party verified
McKinsey — Walmart Testing Regenerative Company Model
Unknown
Q5
View →
[7]Public record
Civil Eats — Walmart's Regenerative Foodscape
2023
Q5
View →
[8]Self-reported
Walmart Sustainable Commodities Report (FY2025)
2025
Q5
View →
[9]Public record
EPA — Wal-Mart Water Pollution Settlement
2004
Q7
View →
[10]Public record
Faster Capital — Sustainability and Environmental Consequences of the Walmart Effect
Unknown
Q7
View →
[11]Third-party verified
Trellis — Microsoft, P&G, Unilever and Walmart Miss Net-Zero Deadline
2024
Q8
View →
[12]Third-party verified
Net0 Tracker — Corporate Net Zero Status
Ongoing
Q8
View →
[13]Public record
Supermarket News — FTC Hits Walmart with $3M Greenwashing Penalty
2022
Q10
View →
[14]Public record
Sludge — Walmart, Nike, Starbucks Fund Fight Against Climate Laws
2025
Q10
View →
[15]Third-party verified
InfluenceMap — Walmart Climate Lobbying Disclosure
Unknown
Q10
View →
[16]Third-party verified
Sustainalytics ESG Rating — Walmart
Ongoing
Q9
View →

If you believe a source has been misread or a newer version exists, submit a challenge.

Walmart in context

Where Walmart sits among retail (non-fashion) peers.

Among the 43 major retail (non-fashion) brands we've scored, Walmart is tied =40th of 43, with 1 other.

=40/43
Walmart's rank
39
Industry average
18
Industry low
55
Industry high
How this score has moved

Walmart's score over time.

today

Score history begins 8 February 2026.

As Walmart's score updates, the trajectory will appear here.

We're backfilling historical scores for FTSE 100 and S&P 100 companies over the coming weeks.

What's being contested

This score is not currently being contested.

Every challenge is published. We'd rather be corrected than wrong — that's the whole point.

No challenges submitted yet. If you have evidence that contradicts this score, you can challenge any question above — cite a public source and we'll review it.

About Walmart

Walmart is the world's largest retailer by revenue, operating 10,500+ stores across 24 countries with 2.33 million employees. The company operates supermarkets, discount stores, and warehouse clubs, selling groceries, apparel, household goods, and general merchandise. It dominates US retail and is a major player globally.

Founded
1962
Headquarters
Bentonville, Arkansas, US
Employees
~2,100,000
Annual revenue
$681.0B (FY2024)
Company website ↗
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