Wal-Mart Better Sustainability Summit (Good Stuff)

http://ceosustainabilitysummit.com

 

A few question whether a chain the size of Wal-Mart can ever be truly green, but others point out that it is Wal-Mart's sheer size that makes it such a potential driver for sustainability across the business world. There was no clearer indication of this possibility than wandering the isles of the summit...

Representatives of suppliers to Wal-Mart mingled with company associates perusing information on efficient manufacturing, renewable energy, organics, certified forestry, and change management for sustainability. They asked questions on how they could green their packaging, how they in turn can influence their own suppliers, and what can they do to cut their carbon footprint. It really was palpable that these companies are taking sustainability very, very seriously now that Wal-Mart is doing the same. We spotted CEOs, VPs and other senior executives of major corporations including BBC International. Sony, 3M, SC Johnson and others. This was a major event, with serious green content way beyond PR fluff.

We will be reporting more on the details of the summit over the next few days, as this post is being written from the airport as the author travels back home, but in brief the day consisted of a well appointed resource fair, with exhibitors including WWF, FSC, BP Solar, TransFair, Organic Exchange, McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, the Biomimicry Guild, Act Now and many, many more.

Sustainability Resource Fair Exhibitors

3M Act Now Productions Alliance to Save Energy Arizona State Universi... Biomimicry Guild Blu Skye Sustainabilit... BP Business for Social Re... Carbon Disclosure Project CaseStack, Inc. Center for Sustainable... Citizen Group Clean Production Action Cleantech Network Clear Carbon Consulting Conservation Internati... Cooler Inc. Corporate Executive Board DOMANI Sustainability ... EcoLogo ECRM Environmental Defense EPA Design for Environ... EPA SmartWay Transport... EPEAT / Green Electron... Erb Institute - U. Mich. ERS Global Forest Stewardship Cou... Future 500 GE Lumination General Mills Green Order Green Seal Green Suppliers Networ... GREENGUARD Environment... Institute for Sustaina... InterfaceRAISE Marine Stewardship Cou... Market Transformation ... McDonough Braungart De... Natural Capitalism Sol... Natural Logic, Inc. NRDC NSF International Organic Exchange Organic Trade Association Rainforest Alliance Rocky Mountain Institute RVN Consulting SC Johnson Scientific Certificati... SSI Sustainable Forestry I... SustainBiz The Change The Climate Group TransFair University of Arkansas... US Business Council on... UT Center for Clean Pr... Wal-Mart Sustainability World Resources Institute World Wildlife Fund Worldwise, Inc.