2Sustain

Wal-Mart announced yesterday that it will begin measuring the sustainability of all the products it sells – a move that ClearCarbon says will “revolutionize” the consumer goods industry.

“Wal-Mart’s Sustainability Index will be extremely influential in driving corporate environmental initiatives, with the goal of producing carbon, energy and cost saving throughout the entire supply chain,” says ClearCarbon CEO/President Kyle Tanger. “Wal-Mart is to be commended for its efforts to help suppliers realize the same benefits it has by measuring and managing its emissions. We believe that effective carbon measurement not only provides insight into the sources and magnitudes of emissions, but also clearly serves as one of the best proxies for corporate efficiency. That’s just good business.”

Tanger admits that at first, the prospect of measuring a carbon footprint may seem daunting to suppliers. But he believes that, with federal legislation pending, this is an ideal time for companies to begin addressing their climate risks. What’s more, going through the process of calculating a corporate green house gas (GHG) inventory almost always leads to improved operational efficiencies, which in turn, result in cost savings.

“Although Wal-Mart and many of its suppliers are not likely to be directly regulated, every single company will face challenges as the prices of raw materials and energy fluctuate, and the best way to insulate against new costs is to use less energy,” says Carbon Project Manager J. Renee Morin.

For more details about how to start the process of measuring your carbon footprint, see ClearCarbon’s educational website: http://www.clearcarboninc.com/how-to-calculate-a-carbon-footprint.html You’ll find downloadable content, webinars, and a step-by-step guide to help you calculate your organization’s operational GHG emissions.