Walmart’s Project Gigaton – The Story and Lessons Behind It

Recommendation: Build mandates and a unified metrics framework across all suppliers, backed by a dedicated investment in data tools and training. This ensures emissions reporting is accurate and progress is visible in real time. never rely on patchwork spreadsheets; require quarterly updates and third-party checks to maintain accountability.

Walmart created Project Gigaton in 2017 as a bold pledge and evolved it into a structured program that spans suppliers and agencies. The project being data-driven, with a heying team inside procurement testing new models for measurement, helped align what partners do with a shared reduction agenda. Those efforts made natural efficiencies in energy, packaging, and waste part of day-to-day decision making.

Key lessons focus on governance, transparency, and credible metrics. When mandates are clear and tied to supplier incentives, those collaborations yield material reductions and cost savings. Consequently, suppliers adopt better practices faster, and Walmart can report progress to customers, investors, and agencies with confidence.

What to take away for others: formalize a project charter with a 2030 target of avoiding 1 gigaton CO2e, create cross-functional teams, invest in data infrastructure, and enlist external agencies to verify claims. Track metrics through a public dashboard, and show that reductions enable suppliers to afford the transition soon. The part played by collaborating with those partners proves that meaningful improvements in supply chains can be achieved without sacrificing margins.

Practical blueprint: origins, progress, and takeaways for retailers

Start by naming a cross‑functional team, set a clear target for your top suppliers, require quarterly data sharing, and implement a 12‑month action plan aligned to Gigaton’s methodologies.

1. Origins
   • Walmart announced Project Gigaton in 2017 with a bold goal: avoid one gigaton of emissions by 2030, roughly 1,000,000,000 tonnes. This mandate pushed the company to reimagine sourcing, packaging, energy, and logistics across the entire value chain.
   • The approach required a practical framework that helps suppliers implement measurable actions, with progress tracked against concrete goals and a clear environment for accountability. It meant pushing data sharing, setting shared targets, and aligning incentives to deliver real cuts in emissions.
   • Leaders across procurement and operations built momentum together with suppliers, NGOs, and governments, including China‑based partners, to access scalable solutions that produce tangible results. The behind‑the‑scenes work focused on enabling access to cleaner inputs, better efficiency, and smarter logistics, while maintaining product quality and affordability.
2. Progress
   • Walmart reports that the program has driven innovation in materials, energy, and farming practices, with noticeable gains in packaging reductions, waste diversion, and energy intensity. The effort relies on a steady cadence of data collection, verification, and shared learnings that inform new steps and further tonnes of reductions.
   • Efforts span multiple supply chains, including fisheries, agriculture, and manufacturing, where collaborative pilots have demonstrated that responsible sourcing can align with business value. Access to supplier data enabled tracking of where emissions are created and how to reduce them, especially in complex networks with China‑based suppliers.
   • Progress is measured by the amount of activity each partner implements, the resulting cuts in emissions, and the return realized from efficiency investments. The program’s emphasis on transparency helps preserve Walmart’s reputation while highlighting wins across categories and geographies.
3. Takeaways for retailers
   • Start with goals that translate into action: define the top lever areas (packaging, energy, sourcing) and assign owners who will drive results and report back at regular intervals.
   • Require robust data: implement a simple, auditable data template, establish cadence, and insist on supplier commitment to share baseline measurements and ongoing progress. This access to reliable data underpins credible reporting and stronger collaboration with partners.
   • Drive supplier innovation: reward ideas that reduce packaging, enable circularity, or optimize transport. Pilot new materials, reuse programs, and cleaner energy in collaboration with China‑based suppliers and regional partners where possible.
   • Connect environment to financial return: quantify cost savings from efficiency gains, waste reductions, and energy shifts. Even small cost improvements–such as a single cent per unit in packaging or logistics–add up across volumes and improve return on investment.
   • Partner with fisheries and agriculture to protect natural resources, improve traceability, and meet consumer expectations for responsible sourcing. These efforts strengthen the program’s reputation and create resilient supply lines that win consumer trust.
   • Scale through governance and capability building: establish cross‑functional leadership, share best practices, and provide training so teams do more with the same resources. This disciplined approach helps reach ambitious targets and sustains momentum beyond pilots.
   • Plan for measurable reach: identify the segments and geographies where action yields the greatest impact, then expand access to tools, data, and technical support to multiply wins across the network.
   • Communicate progress transparently: publish quarterly updates on goals, progress, and lessons learned to reinforce credibility with customers, investors, and suppliers. A strong track record enhances reputation and motivates further collaboration.

What sparked Project Gigaton: origin, scope, and the initial targets

Share a precise inventory of the largest emissions sources in Walmart’s value chain and set a single, measurable target: reduce emissions by one gigaton CO2e by 2030 across suppliers, stores, and logistics.

In 2017, Walmart launched Project Gigaton to mobilize suppliers, curb climate risk, and meet rising consumer expectations for transparency. Newly formed cross-functional teams built a platform for collaboration, enabling ongoing networking with suppliers and growers.

The program spans the value chain, covering upstream farming, processing, and packaging, not just stores. It centers on 11 focus areas, including energy efficiency, transportation, waste, packaging reduction, sustainable agriculture (cotton and other natural fibers), chemicals management, and product design. Networking with suppliers and industry partners accelerates progress, converting good ideas into scalable results, and those collaborations help push emissions reductions across the chain.

Initial targets emphasized tangible commitments from suppliers, a public dashboard to examine progress, and a cadence of programs that scale proven practices. The approach regarded those early milestones as actionable steps, ensuring those priorities guide spending, training, and data collection to fuel the 2030 target.

For other brands, map current supplier capabilities, especially in cotton and other natural fibers, and translate them into a main set of priorities: reduce emissions, cut waste, and improve packaging. Use newly built data sharing to track progress across programs and build a proud, transparent baseline. The global supplier network can share good practices and accelerate results.

How progress is measured: emissions scopes, data collection, and reduction metrics

Establish a unified, auditable data protocol for Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and report progress quarterly to groups across the business. This bold approach keeps teams aligned, fosters shareable insights, and reinforces the wage cost balance needed to meet our climate commitment.

Define the three scopes clearly: Scope 1 covers direct emissions from stores and fleets; Scope 2 covers energy purchased for lighting, heating, and cooling; Scope 3 covers supplier emissions, product lifecycle, and outbound transportation. Keep definitions consistent across american stores and supplier networks.

Data collection starts with a boundary map, baseline year 2015, and a cadence of monthly submissions. Gather energy meters, fuel purchases, refrigerant use, vehicle counts, inbound and outbound shipments, packaging, and supplier-reported data. Count emissions as they are logged; flag gaps and apply corrective actions to reach high data quality across all stores, warehouses, and distribution centers.

Adopt a set of reduction metrics: total emissions, emissions intensity per product or per store, and per revenue. Use maximum decreases to prioritize actions in high-impact groups, such as fresh product sourcing or cold-chain logistics. Track progress by group and by supplier, not only by a single metric.

Publish dashboards that present data for stakeholders in a transparent way. Encourage questions from groups, and collect responses to guide next steps. This open loop helps businesses stay on track while addressing apprehensive teams and store managers who worry about costs and prices.

Engage sourcing and suppliers early: require supplier data in a standard format, align procurement with reductions, and factor in practical constraints like water usage in processing and product packaging. This strengthens the commitment to reducing emissions without hurting prices or product availability. Document the total impact of supplier action, not just internal cuts.

Quality controls: implement automated checks, reconcile energy bills with meter data, and perform periodic independent verifications. This keeps data counted accurately and minimizes errors that would skew the total progress. Use audits to improve efficiency in reporting and ensure store-level actions translate into measurable emissions decreases.

Metrics at the store and group level help answer key questions: Which sourcing groups deliver the largest reductions? How do changes in product mix influence total emissions? How does water and energy use correlate with store performance? Use these responses to refine tactics and increase accountability.

Apply a practical implementation plan: set a baseline, define interim targets, assign owners, and review quarterly. Use a mix of process improvements, energy efficiency, fleet optimization, and supplier engagement to drive reductions while sustaining customer value, American consumer trust, and sustainable sourcing that respects worker wage standards and fair pricing. This approach minimizes forced price hikes and keeps prices stable for shoppers.

Supplier engagement: incentives, training, and collaborative programs

Offer tiered incentives to suppliers who cut emissions and register their progress on the Gigaton portal within the next quarter. Walmart announced a framework in 2023, but the incentive design should remain independent and transparent, tying rewards to measurable action: energy intensity per unit, waste diversion, and transportation emissions reductions. Make the incentives predictable, transparent, and accessible for smaller firms by using a sliding scale that shares the value of avoided costs and strengthens cash flow. This approach blends action with philanthropy by recognizing social impact alongside financial gain.

Develop modular training that blends electronic modules and live workshops, with content tailored to developing suppliers and those developing sustainability standards. Each module covers greenhouse gas basics, energy optimization, materials sourcing, and the supplier code of conduct. Registered participants receive completion certificates that count toward future bids, and managers should set clear time frames to ensure completion within 60 to 90 days. They themselves can apply these skills to reduce waste and energy use.

Launch collaborative programs that pair Walmart teams with suppliers to begin pilots on natural transportation options, packaging redesign, and product packaging improvements. Such pilots are co-funded by Walmart and the supplier, with milestones and shared ownership of outcomes. The approach encourages them to take ownership and learn from each other, and to apply lessons across the network. Within six months, aim to run at least two joint pilots with a mix of smaller and larger firms, using electronic data collection to track progress and provide feedback and guidance to them.

Establish a lightweight dashboard to monitor progress: the number of registered suppliers, training hours completed, and higher-order results such as CO2 reductions per product and waste diversion rates. Set targets like 15% of suppliers registered in the first quarter, 80% training completion for engaged firms, and a 5% average reduction in transport emissions across pilots. Progress data has already shown early reductions in transport emissions among pilot groups. This will be published quarterly to keep critics informed and engaged, and the data will already inform program improvements for the next cycle and will give partners a clear view of where to focus efforts.

Continuous improvement relies on feedback and mutual accountability. After each cycle, publish learnings and best practices to help other firms replicate success. The program connects developing suppliers with experienced teams, making action tangible while keeping costs affordable so smaller firms can afford upgrades. The result gives every partner a clear path to higher efficiency without sacrificing product quality or delivery timelines.

Governance and data infrastructure: oversight, reporting cadence, and third‑party verification

Establishing a centralized governance charter with explicit data ownership is key. The charter assigns responsibility to a data steward per business unit, pairs it with an independent oversight board, and requires formal escalation for any data-quality issue. This structure reduces ambiguity and speeds remediation across products and suppliers.

Set a clear reporting cadence: monthly internal reviews, quarterly external verification, and automated checks on critical data fields. The dashboard updates every hour to flag inconsistencies.

Choose third‑party verification partners with a track record in manufacturing and environmental data; specify the scope to cover source, methodology, sampling, data integrity, and assurance statements; schedule audits; ensure independence. Without proper controls, data integrity could collapse. Many suppliers can meet these targets with the right support.

Build a centralized data infrastructure that unifies inputs from thousands of suppliers. Adopt a common data model for emissions, energy, water, waste, and products; maintain a centralized data lake; enable API-based submissions and secure transfers, including partners in china.

Link governance to recognition by publishing a concise, verifiable dashboard that highlights years of improvement and addresses shortages. Worldwide data coverage ensures marine metrics are tracked across regions and product lines. In addition, the shared values reflected in the dashboard help many teams stay aligned back to the program’s goals.

For risk management, implement targeted responses to data gaps: provide supplier training, improve product categorization, and set up real-time alerts that trigger remediation within hours of detection. Several checks run continuously to keep the numbers trustworthy, and solutions are documented for accountability. The approach heavily relies on supplier capability and data literacy to close gaps quickly.

In addition, a communications plan clarifies what critics will see and how we respond. scott says that a transparent cadence reduces risk and earns long-term recognition from partners and regulators.

Next steps begin with a pilot in several product categories, then expand to china and worldwide suppliers over the next years. The goal remains clear: improvement in data quality reduces shortages, improves water and marine metrics, and strengthens the overall value proposition for products that shoppers rely on every hour. The plan also emphasizes that establishing feedback loops today supports stronger performance tomorrow.

Replicating the model: a step-by-step adaptation plan for different retailers

Launch a three-phase adaptation plan starting with a bold pilot across three regions to validate supply-chain changes and measure impact by a fixed date.

Behind the Gigaton model, establish a baseline with registered emissions, water usage, and packaging waste across the supply chain. The plan should include outlined metrics and assign owners to them, with progress reviews every 90 days and a clearly published date for updates.

To align action, leaders set mandates that turn bold ideas into accountable work across suppliers and brands; they say progress will benefit them and the environment.

Develop a scalable blueprint to carry the core methods across retailers: supplier engagement, data sharing, and transparent progress reporting. Build an ecosystem where teams carry responsibility for each milestone, and costuri moderate as they scale.

Focused rollout on three high-potential categories with material water footprints and packaging costuri enables rapid learning; use the findings to shape the broader plan and align with worldwide targets.

Plan a phased, worldwide extension: pilots to regional deployments, then national programs; establish a date-driven timeline and ensure the program is placed in key stores so teams across the chain can carry momentum.

Engage workforce and training: train store and logistics staff, buyers, and sustainability teams; a proud team is built with clear roles and ongoing feedback. Track registered improvements in energy use, water, and waste, and align with mandates from leadership.

Mitigate shortage risks by securing diversified supplier codes, cross-checking capacity, and maintaining contingency inventories; ensure that supplier plans include backup options and risk dashboards.

Engage shoppers și brands closer to the point of sale: show tangible cuts in packaging and energy, publish progress updates, and celebrate cost savings that customers can see at checkout; share stories from the field to build trust with them.

Placed milestones and transparent reporting create accountability: publish a quarterly progress date, highlight stronger results, and document best practices so other retailers can replicate.