Climate Lobbying Overview: Walmart appears to have 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 2019-22.

Top-line Messaging on Climate Policy: Walmart has positive top-line messaging on climate policy. The company signed numerous joint letters in 2021 endorsing global emissions reductions in line with IPCC recommendations, as well as ambitious government policy and strong nationally determined contributions to the Paris Agreement to achieve this aim. On its corporate website, accessed February 2022, Walmart states that it advocates for “1.5°C-aligned, science-based national and international climate policies that are consistent with achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.” In September 2021, Walmart published a post on LinkedIn stating it was “encouraged” by the climate policy proposals in Congress, including those in the Build Back Better Act. Walmart has also consistently supported the Paris Agreement, as evident in CEO Doug McMillon’s statement opposing US withdrawal from the Agreement in 2017, and the company’s support for the U.S. decision to rejoin in a C2ES joint letter in January 2021.

Engagement with Climate-Related Policy: Walmart appears to engage on a limited number of specific climate policies. Its 2021 CDP response states that the company engages actively on energy efficiency-related policy, which it supports with minor exceptions, though the examples it provides are outdated. Similarly, Walmart states in its 2021 CDP response that it supports policy to reduce transport sector emissions with minor exceptions, without providing recent examples of policy engagement and noting a preference for one national standard to provide the industry with certainty. Its response also notes support for renewable energy policy, particularly “policies that allow market-based solutions like PPAs.”

Positioning on Energy Transition: Through various sign-on letters, such as the We Mean Business letter in April 2021, Walmart appears to support the transition to a low-carbon economy. That letter specifies the need for sustainable infrastructure and zero-emissions vehicles and buildings, among other policy measures, to advance decarbonization in the U.S. Walmart’s corporate website, accessed February 2022, also notes participation in coalitions such as the Retail Breakthrough Campaign on the Race to Zero, which advocates for net-zero emissions in the retail sector by 2050.

Industry Association Governance: Walmart discloses a list of its memberships to industry associations on its website but has not disclosed details about the groups’ positions on climate policy, potential issues of misalignment with its own positions, or any attempts to address misalignment. Walmart participates in the leadership circle of the Clean Energy Buyers Alliance, which shows positive engagement on policies related to clean energy markets and renewable energy purchasing. Walmart CEO Doug McMillon is a member of the Business Roundtable which demonstrates mixed positions on climate policy, including the climate provisions in the Build Back Better Act. McMillon was also chair of the Business Roundtable from 2019-2021.