Sustainability

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Tuesday it has introduced its first onsite large-scale wind turbine project, unveiled at its DC in Red Bluff, Calif.

The wind turbine, expected to be operational by this fall, will provide roughly one megawatt of power or 15% to 20% of the distribution center's yearly electrical use.

The GE SLE 1.0 megawatt wind turbine, equal to the height of a 20-story building, is projected to produce approximately 2,200,000 kilowatt hours annually.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart has unveiled its first onsite large-scale wind turbine pilot project at  its distribution center in Red Bluff, Calif. The wind turbine, expected to be operational by this fall, will provide roughly one megawatt of power or 15% to 20% of the distribution center's yearly electrical use.

Bentonville, Ark. -- The Walmart Foundation announced Tuesday the launch of its Partnership for Women’s Prosperity, a move to help economically vulnerable women gain financial and economic security through education, job training and employment opportunities.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — The Walmart Foundation alongside six women’s foundations – The Washington Area Women’s Foundation, The New York Women’s Foundation, Women’s Fund of Mississippi, Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis and Women’s Funding Network – has launched the Partnership for Women’s Prosperity. The new national partnership intends to help economically vulnerable women gain financial and economic security through education, job training and employment opportunities.

Asheville, N.C. -- Ingles Markets’ new store in Mills River, N.C., has received an Energy Star certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that recognizes the energy efficiency of the store’s design. The store was awarded the certification after meeting strict EPA guidelines for the estimated energy use of the building.

Oakland, Calif. -- Lucid, a provider of real-time feedback technology for buildings, is spearheading a study of resource consumption and behavior change with Starbucks Coffee Co. The pilot project, developed in conjunction with the Snohomish County Public Utility District and Portland Energy Conservation Inc., will be hosted by 10 Starbucks stores in Snohomish County, Ore., and will serve to test and document measurable energy savings in the stores.

The addition of retired KPMG International chairman Timothy Flynn to the Walmart board gives the retailer some compliance expertise amid ongoing investigations into alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

No company gave more money and products to charity in 2011 than Walmart, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual ranking.

The publication put Walmart at the top of its list of the 10 most charitable companies, indicating that the company donated $342 million in cash and $616 million in products last year. That is the equivalent of 4.1% of the company’s 2010 pretax profits.