Walmart ESG report: $1.97B for communities, 53.3% renewable electricity

02 / 08 / 2026

By Marwa Nassar - -

Walmart boosted community investment to $1.97 billion and surpassed its renewable electricity target in FY2026, with clean energy supplying 53.3% of its global power needs, according to the company’s latest ESG Report.

The retailer also expanded workforce development, strengthened sustainable sourcing, reduced operational emissions, and increased investments in community resilience as part of its long-term shared value strategy.

Investing in people:

Walmart fulfilled its commitment to invest $1 billion in associate training and education while helping fast-track 100,000 U.S. employees into in-demand roles.

The company also expanded career pathways through programs such as Associate to Technician and Associate to Driver, while continuing to invest in wages, employee benefits, and stock ownership to support career development and retention.

Supporting customers, communities:

Helping customers save money remained central to Walmart’s strategy. During FY2026, the company estimated it saved shoppers $1.64 billion through lower prices on fresh fruits and vegetables, while its Great Value private label enabled the average family to save up to 35% compared with national brands.

The retailer also continued responding to changing consumer preferences. Its Member’s Mark brand reached 100% “Made Without” across food and beverage products, while Walmart U.S. announced plans to remove synthetic dyes and 30 additional ingredients from its private-label food portfolio.

Beyond retail operations, Walmart contributed $1.97 billion in global cash and in-kind donations, including 769 million pounds of food distributed through U.S. food banks, alongside investments to strengthen local cold-chain infrastructure.

Building more resilient business:

Walmart reported continued progress toward its climate and sustainability goals, reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 7.5% year over year and by 24.6% compared with its FY2016 baseline.

Operational emissions intensity declined 11.6% during the year, bringing the total reduction since FY2016 to more than 53%, while renewable electricity accounted for 53.3% of the company’s global power consumption, surpassing its 2025 target.

The company also reported that suppliers and grantees helped sustainably manage, protect, or restore 76.2 million acres of land and 3.68 million square miles of ocean. Since FY2021, the Walmart Foundation has invested more than $120 million in projects supporting ecosystem restoration, including $30.5 million during FY2026.

In addition, 97.3% of supplier-reported South American beef farms in priority regions were verified as deforestation- and conversion-free, while 99.9% of Walmart’s private-brand coffee was sourced as certified more sustainable.

Preparing for future:

Walmart said collaboration remains central to its long-term strategy, building on its 2025 sustainable sourcing initiative while preparing its workforce for AI, automation, and omnichannel retail.

The company said it is investing in skills development, internal career mobility, and responsible technology, guided by digital trust principles focused on transparency, security, ethics, and the responsible use of data as it advances its next phase of sustainable growth.