Walmart CEO Mike Duke announced plans to develop a global sustainable product index to foster sustainable consumption on July 16th 2009. The index, according to Duke, will be a global opensource database with data on product sustainability. This database will contain information about the entire lifecycle of a prodcut including the materials, production method, disposal process etc.
Walmart plans to launch this initative by surveying its 100,000 global suppliers. The survey has 15 questions focusing on four areas:global energy and climate; material efficiency; natural resources, and; people and community.
Duke,the CEO, said "we want to spur the development of a common database that will allow the consortium [of universities] to collect and analyze the knowledge of the global supply chain.The index will bring about a more transparent supply chain, drive product innovation and, ultimately, provide consumers the information they need to assess the sustainability of products. If we work together, we can create a new retail standard for the 21st century."
I wonder if CPSC can encourage development of a global database of childrens product suppliers to help with the CPSIA Compliance. Much like folks at CPSIA-Compliance Blog are trying. I think, wikipedia /opensource type approach, to creating a database of compliant suppliers & materials would have been a more useful route. Any thoughts?
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Walmart sustainable product fact sheet
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