Walmart

The world’s largest retailer, Wal-Mart, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China's Environmental Certification Centre of the Ministry of Environmental Protection on Monday.

The MoU is part of Wal-Mart’s plan for an environmentally and socially sustainable supply chain strategy, according to China Retail News.

China’s Environmental Certification Centre, the only body in the country authorised to give eco-label certification, will work closely on drafting green store standards and certification, according to an ECC press release.

“The signing of the MoU will greatly promote the development and perfection of the green supermarket standards in China, and contribute to China’s sustainable environment development,” said the director of ECC Chen Yanping in the release.

“Wal-Mart’s rich domain knowledge and global network recourses will also help a lot.”

“As the global biggest retailer, Wal-Mart has the responsibility and opportunity to boost the mode and steps for a sustainable development, to help impel the standardisation and progress of green supermarkets in China and advance the whole retailer industry,” said Ed Chan, Wal-Mart China President and CEO.

Wal-Mart’s first prototype green store in China, Wangjing Wal-Mart Market, opened in September. The store uses LED lighting, among other eco-conscious efforts, and uses 23 per cent less power and 17 per cent less water than older stores.

A new store the retailer plans to design aims for 40 per cent less power use, and will reduce power use in existing stores up to 30 per cent by 2010.