Walmart Canada to accelerate change towards sustainability by hosting top CEO Summit

VANCOUVER, Oct. 14 /CNW/ - Walmart Canada announced today that it will host the Green Business Summit which will bring together business leaders, government officials, NGOs and environmentalists on February 10, 2010 at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver.

    Some early examples of case studies that will be showcased at this unique
gathering include:

    -   Walmart Canada drives energy-reduction program which saves close to
        $8 million annually;
    -   Maple Leaf Foods converts food processing and restaurant waste into
        biodiesel for sale;
    -   Coca-Cola Bottling Company brings the new PlantBottle to its Richmond
        production facility, a bottle made of up to 30% plant-based material
        and is 100% recyclable.

Walmart suppliers, competitors and high-level executives from the technology, telecommunications, retail, finance, education, architectural and environmental sectors will share business initiatives that are good for the planet and good for the bottom line.

"We believe business can change the world faster than anyone," said David Cheesewright, President & CEO of Walmart Canada. "We are bringing some of Canada's top business leaders together to accelerate change for a better environment."

The full-day Summit will feature plenary discussions, workshops and networking events that are designed to stimulate the sharing of best practices and new ideas. Emphasis will be on Energy, Waste & Material Management, Green Products & Solutions and Employee Green Engagement. Industry leaders will be challenged to implement changes in their daily operations.

Award winning environmentalist, scientist, author and broadcaster Dr. David Suzuki will provide the keynote address. "Business, like every other sector in society, must understand that being green is about sustainability," said Suzuki. "First we have to understand that it is nature that should set the bottomline. I applaud Walmart for taking leadership because business must lead the way to a better, healthier planet."

Confirmed attendees include David Suzuki, Walmart Canada CEO David Cheesewright, Maple Leaf Foods, Alcan Packaging, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, McDonalds, The Home Depot Canada, SC Johnson and Simon Fraser University. Reporters and bloggers who wish to attend are required to confirm their attendance and coordinate press passes with the media contact listed below prior to January 30, 2010.

Both Suzuki and Cheesewright agree: "It's time to share green."

                     See a Summit introduction video at:
                     www.walmartgreenbusinesssummit.com

About Walmart Canada

Headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, Walmart Canada operates 313 retail outlets nationwide and serves more than one million customers daily. The company's vision is to demonstrate environmental leadership by reducing the ecological impact of its operations through company-wide programs focused on waste, energy and products, as well as outreach programs that preserve and enhance local environments. Walmart's global goal is to generate zero waste, to be powered 100 percent by renewable energy, and to provide products that conserve natural resources.

For further information: Media Contact: Allison Murray, Walmart Green Business Summit, (778) 839-5278, rlal@walmartgreenbusinesssummit.com; or Walmart Canada Corporate Affairs, (905) 821-2111, ext. 4585