Wal-Mart has surprised and impressed many through their sustainable initiatives. Like, for instance, developing a ‘sustainability index’ that would make purchasing decisions more transparent for their customers, and help the company evaluate suppliers (FDA could take a lesson from that one).
Now, according to this article in the New York times, they’re pledging to double their sourcing from local farmers (defined as in the same state) in the next five years (to 9%). Read the full article here.
What’s interesting, too, is that Wal-Mart has sourced local/regional product, at least to some extent, for quite awhile now. This kind of effort really demonstrates the power of consumer demand. If Wal-Mart’s customers weren’t saying they wanted this, the company wouldn’t be investing in these efforts. Plus, initiatives like this can help them woo customers away from other retailers, like, say, Whole Foods. Sustainability is smart business.
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