A new batch of industry associations has been uploaded onto the InfluenceMap system and the relationship scores recalculated accordingly.
We adjusted the terminology used to describe the queries running down the left-hand side of our scoring matrix and added additional explanatory text to the info-boxes. This has no impact on the scores and methodology. It has been done following user feedback to improve clarity.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Walmart is a member of REBA's leadership circle, Board of Directors, and Advisory Board (as of January 2022)
Bruce Harris, Vice President of Federal Government Affairs; Steve Chriss, Director of Energy & Strategy Analysis
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Walmart is a member of REBA's leadership circle, Board of Directors, and Advisory Board (as of January 2022)
Bruce Harris, Vice President of Federal Government Affairs; Steve Chriss, Director of Energy & Strategy Analysis
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Walmart is a member of Business Roundtable, though its CEO is no longer Chairman (as of January 2022)
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Walmart CEO is incoming chairman for 2 years starting Jan 2020
Douglas McMillon
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Walmart CEO is on Executive Committee
Douglas McMillon
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Walmart is a member of Business Roundtable, though its CEO is no longer Chairman (as of January 2022)
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Walmart CEO is incoming chairman for 2 years starting Jan 2020
Douglas McMillon
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Walmart CEO is on Executive Committee
Douglas McMillon
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
The President and CEO of Walmart International serves on the Global Board of Directors of the U.S. - India Business Council (as of January 2022)
Judith McKenna
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Exec of Walmart India sits on the Advisory Council of the US India Business Council
Krish Iyer
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Exec. is on the board of directors of US-India Business Council
Judith McKenna
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Walmart is a member of the U.S.-UK Business Council, a council within the US Chamber of Commerce
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
The President and CEO of Walmart International serves on the Global Board of Directors of the U.S. - India Business Council (as of January 2022)
Judith McKenna
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Exec of Walmart India sits on the Advisory Council of the US India Business Council
Krish Iyer
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Exec. is on the board of directors of US-India Business Council
Judith McKenna
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
Walmart is a member of the U.S.-UK Business Council, a council within the US Chamber of Commerce
In this section, we depict graphically the relationships the corporation has with trade associations, federations, advocacy groups and other third parties who may be acting on their behalf to influence climate change policy. Each of the columns above represents one relationship the corporation appears to have with such a third party. In these columns, the top, dark section represents the strength of the relationship the corporation has with the influencer. For example if a corporation's senior executive also held a key role in the trade association, we would deem this to be a strong relationship and it would be on the far left of the chart above, with the weaker ones to the right. Click on these grey shaded upper sections for details of these relationships. The middle section contains a link to the organization score details of the influencer concerned, so you can see the details of its climate change policy influence. Click on the middle sections for for details of the trade associations. The lower section contains the organization score of that influencer, the lower the more negatively it is influencing climate policy.
Open PDF file of Data Source
Open PDF file of Data Source
Climate Lobbying Overview: Walmart appears to have limited but mostly positive engagement with climate change policy. The company offers top-line support for global climate action and the energy transition, but appears to have engaged with very few specific climate policies in 2018-20.
Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Walmart clearly accepts the science of climate change. In a 2020 press release, Walmart communicates broad support for urgent global action to reduce GHG emissions without specifying a preferred timeline. In December 2020, Walmart signed a joint letter calling on the incoming Biden administration to implement strong national climate policies. In early 2021, a spokesperson stated that the company will continue to encourage science-based national and international policies to address climate change. Walmart clearly supports the Paris Agreement, with CEO Doug Millon opposing US withdrawal in 2017 and the company signing a joint letter in 2020 urging the incoming Biden administration to rejoin.
Engagement with Climate-Related Regulations: Walmart appears to lobby on a limited number of specific climate policies. Previously, in 2016, the company supported fuel economy standards for large trucks, buses and other heavy-duty vehicles. While its 2020 CDP response lists support for market-based policy to drive corporate renewable energy procurement, Walmart’s corporate website does not appear to disclose positions toward, or engagement with, various strands of climate policy.
Positioning on Energy Transition: Walmart appears generally supportive of a clean energy transition. A page on its corporate website in 2021 endorses rapid decarbonization of global economic systems but does not list specific policy measures that Walmart would support toward this aim. Previously, in 2017, Walmart submitted a comment to the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission opposing the Grid Resiliency Pricing Rule, a measure widely understood as an attempt to safeguard coal assets in the energy mix.
Industry Association Governance: Walmart discloses a list of its memberships to industry associations in its 2020 ESG report but has not disclosed information about the groups’ positions, potential issues of misalignment with its own positions, or any attempts to address misalignment. Walmart appears to be an indirect member of the US Chamber of Commerce, which has engaged negatively on most forms of climate policy. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon is currently Chair of the Business Roundtable, which demonstrates mixed positions.