Walmart sustainability score: 30/100
Walmart runs supercenters, neighbourhood markets and e-commerce, selling groceries, general merchandise and private-label goods. It is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas, and had about 2.1 million associates and $713.2 billion in FY2026 revenue.
Founded 1969Head office Bentonville, Arkansas, USStaff ~2,100,000 (FY2026)Revenue $713,163M revenues (FY2026)Website ↗
Walmart's Scope 1 and 2 emissions fell 7.5% in FY2026 but it missed its SBTi-approved 35% cut; Scope 3, about 98% of its footprint, rose about 3% to an estimated 635 Mt. It missed its packaging and waste-diversion goals, paid a $3M FTC penalty in 2022 over false 'bamboo' product claims, and belongs to trade groups that oppose climate policy.
Walmart scores 30/100 (Significant gaps) on SINK's independent climate assessment, scored from public data only. Scores are free. Companies can never pay for anything about their own score. Last verified October 2026.
That places Walmart joint 687th of 934 companies scored, and joint 40th of 50 in Retail (non-fashion).
What is Walmart doing well, and where does it fall short?
Strongest on Carbon Footprint: Operations and Carbon Footprint: Supply Chain (8/10, 6/10). Weakest on Water Impact and Controversies & Red Flags (2/10, 3/10).
Where Walmart lost points
For each question that lost points, the evidence our public rubric looks for that we didn't find.
- Emissions from its own operations8/10No verified figures published with their method and a falling trend.
- Emissions from its supply chain6/10No full value-chain map or supplier engagement programme.
- Whether its emissions are falling4/10No evidence of a year-on-year fall in its total emissions.
- How clean its energy is5/10Less than half its energy shown to be renewable, or no transition plan.
- Its effect on nature5/10Its effect on nature isn't measured or independently verified.
- How it uses materials and handles waste5/10No measurable waste or recycling targets reported publicly.
- Its effect on water2/10No monitoring of water use, or no measures to reduce it.
- Its climate targets6/10Its targets aren't validated by the Science Based Targets initiative.
- How openly it reports6/10No annual impact report, or no pay linked to climate targets.
- Its record on controversies3/10Points deducted for controversies or its business model. The finding is under question 10.
A score changes when the evidence does. We use new published evidence at the next rescore. Anyone can send us new evidence, free. How to send it.
How is Walmart's SINK score calculated?
Same ten questions for every company. No private weighting.
SINK = (0.3 × Base + 0.7 × Performance) × ScaleHas Walmart's score changed?
Walmart's score has moved from 27 to 30 across 2 recorded reviews, up 3 points.
- 27 → 30+319 October 2026
Fortune 50 re-score (owner-approved batch 3, 2026-10-19)
- Scored 278 February 2026
Initial score at platform launch
What evidence is Walmart's score based on?
17 sources used in this assessment. All publicly available. Each row shows which of the ten questions it informed.
24% of them were published by Walmart itself; the rest come from independent sources.
13 of 17 sources are independent of the company.
“Scope 1 emissions (MMT CO e) 8.16 9.04 8.94”
“In FY2026, absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions decreased 7.5% year over year resulting in a 24.6% reduction versus our FY2016 baseline”
“The program covered more than 4,300 suppliers for the reporting period; they account for almost 80 percent of Walmart”
“For the year, Walmart reduced absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 7.5%”
“The retail giant did report a 1.1% jump in its year-over-year scope 1 and scope 2 emissions in 2024”
“our suppliers and grantees reported sustainably managing, protecting, and/or restoring natural resources across 76.2 million acres of land”
“establish a DCF cutoff date of no later than 2020”
“Our reported private brand virgin plastic packaging was 4.12% above the FY2021 baseline in FY2026, rather than achieving the 15% reduction goal.”
“it did not meet certain 2025 private-label packaging sustainability targets”
“The retailer also sought a 15% reduction of virgin plastic in global private-brand packaging by 2025 against a 2020 baseline.”
“In 2024, Walmart updated its assessment to align with the TNFD framework”
“alleging violations of the Clean Air Act in connection with the Company's refrigeration leak detection and repair program”
“Walmart will pay $3 million in civil penalties after the Federal Trade Commission filed suit against the retailer”
“Walmart, however, retains membership to industry groups with oppositional positioning on the energy transition, including the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and Business Roundtable.”
“Research cited by ClimateVoice found that 70 Walmart lobbyists also represent fossil fuel industry clients.”
“renewable sources supplied 53.3 percent of its global electricity, ahead of the 50 percent it had targeted for 2025”
“Accuracy of Indirect Climate Policy Engagement Disclosure No, does not meet criteria”
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How does Walmart compare with other retail (non-fashion) companies?
Where Walmart sits among retail (non-fashion) peers.
Among the 50 major retail (non-fashion) brands we've scored, Walmart is tied =40th of 50, with 1 other.
Who scores higher in Retail (non-fashion)?
The 3 companies in the sector scoring nearest above Walmart.
Card Factory operates 1,090 stores with minimal disclosed environmental performance.
See the breakdown →Target cut market-based Scope 1 and 2 emissions 67.9% from 2017, mostly through renewable electricity certificates, but Scope 3 fell only from 59.6 to 55.7 Mt and its assurance covers only business air travel.
See the breakdown →Asda reports Scope 1/2 emissions with GHG Protocol rigour and has cut operational carbon 48% since 2021, but Scope 3 — 98% of its footprint — remains largely unverified and uncut.
See the breakdown →Which companies moved this week, and why.
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