Sustainability

Walmart International president and CEO Doug McMillon was given the nod over Walmart U.S. president and CEO Bill Simon to succeed Mike Duke as president of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., the company announced Monday morning.

McMillon, 47, will join the board effective immediately, and succeed Duke, 63, on February 1, when Walmart’s new fiscal year begins. McMillon’s successor will be named before the end of the fiscal year, according to the company.

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores said Mike Duke will retire as president and CEO, effective Feb. 1, 2014, and will be replaced by veteran company executive Doug McMillon. McMillon, 47, president and CEO of Walmart International, was also named to Wal-Mart’s board, effective immediately.

Staples has launched an online ink and toner recycling program. The online program is an expansion of the existing, in-store Staples Rewards ink and toner recycling program.

The online program enables Staples Rewards members to recycle empty ink and toner cartridges by printing a pre-paid shipping label to send their cartridges in for recycling and receive $2 back in Staples Rewards for each one

Sporting two wind turbines, nearly 850 solar panels and a geothermal system burrowed 550 ft. into the ground, Walgreens celebrated the official opening of what the retailer believes to be the nation’s first net-zero energy retail store, anticipated to produce energy equal to or greater than it consumes.

Bangalore, India - Tata Starbucks Limited, the 50/50 joint venture between Starbucks Coffee Company and Tata Global Beverages Limited, opens a new India flagship store in Bangalore on Saturday, Nov. 23.

In addition to the flagship store at Koramangala, Tata Starbucks Limited will open two more stores by the end of the year at Phoenix Market City and Orion Mall at Brigade Gateway in Bangalore.

Former Accenture CFO Pamela Craig has joined the Walmart board and will serve on the retailer’s audit committee involved in a two year old investigation related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Evanston, Ill. -- Walgreens on Thursday opened what is believed to be the nation’s first net zero energy retail store (a net zero building produces energy equal to or greater than it consumes). Located in Evanston, Ill., the store features two wind turbines, nearly 850 solar panels and a geothermal system burrowed 550 ft. into the ground. Engineering estimates indicate that the new Walgreens will use 200,000 kilowatt hours per year of electricity while generating 220,000 kilowatt hours per year.

Washington, D.C. - Earlier this month in Dhaka, Bangladesh, the International Labor Organization (ILO), technical experts from the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, the Accord on Fire and Building Safety, and the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) came to agreement on a common, minimum criterion for fire and structural inspection safety standards, pending a few final modifications.