Target, Walmart Get Behind Natural Brands in Major CSR Push

By Sheila Shayon

Steadfast retailing rivals Target and Walmart came together earlier this month under one uniting topic: sustainability. The pair co-hosted the Beauty and Personal Care Products Sustainability Summit in Chicago alongside Forum for the Future to help “improve sustainability performance in the personal care and beauty industry.”

“We think it’s the right time to have a discussion” and come to a collaborative point of view, said Christina Hennington, Target’s SVP of health and beauty, the Chicago Tribune reported, adding the demand for such products over the last five years “has been staggering,” but, “it’s a complicated value chain.”

Target has seen a 20-percent growth in natural and organic products, which 97 percent of its shoppers purchase in some form or another. Walmart, meanwhile, created a sustainability index for hundreds of product categories and has pushed its suppliers to eliminate or reduce 10 toxic chemicals from beauty products, household cleaners and cosmetics. Similar commitments have been made by Avon and Procter & Gamble.

“We need to move faster toward that goal because the expectations are changing,” said Rob Kaplan, Walmart’s director of product sustainability. “We’re looking for our suppliers to demonstrate voluntary leadership and to make commitments and to move from a conversation to action.”

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