Walmart A Green Brand? Seriously?

Here are the 10 greenest brands according to the 2009 Global Brands Survey.

Top 10 Greenest U.S. Brands

1. Green Works (Clorox)

2. Burt's Bees

3. Tom's of Maine

4. SC Johnson

5. Toyota

6. Procter & Gamble

7. Walmart

8. Ikea

9. Disney

10. Dove

Source: "2009 Global Green Brands Survey" conducted by WPP agencies Landor Associates, Cohn & Wolfe, and Penn, Schoen & Berland and independent consulting firm Esty Environmental Partners.

Tom’s of Maine, Burt’s, and Green Works are expected. But Wallly World? Did not see that one coming.

Back in 2005, CEO Lee Scott surprised everyone by embracing sustainability in a speech announcing ambitious initiatives on "all the issues that we've been dealing with historically from a defensive posture." Since then, Walmart has implemented an aggressive sustainability strategy, much of it employee led. Just last week, they unveiled plans to measure the sustainability of every product they sell.

The cynic would see this as a shameful PR attempt to blunt their constant negative press and to box in their critics. Whatever the motivation, it is amazing how far they have pushed this and how much they have accomplished in the past three years.