ICYMI: WAL-MART, GM JOINS OTHER MAJOR CORPORATIONS CALLING ON CONGRESS TO PASS THE CLIMATE PROVISIONS IN THE BUILD BACK BETTER ACT

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, both Wal-Mart and General Motors (GM) announced support for the proposed climate provisions in the Build Back Better Act. This statement comes a week after Climate Power, League of Conservation Voters, and other groups sent 24 Business Roundtable CEOs THIS letter calling on them to hold true to their pledges to go “all in” on climate action. 

In a blog post, Wal-Mart’s Chief Sustainability Officer wrote: “Bold domestic climate policy action is needed now if we are to meet the demands of this generational moment. In the U.S., Walmart is encouraged by the many climate-related policy proposals being debated by Congress, including proposals made through budget reconciliation and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Ac, 

A GM press release said: “Build Back Better lays the foundation for sustainability policies that will help address climate change and improve environmental quality and resiliency.  GM supports those goals and, critically, we support those provisions that accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and establish the U.S. as a global leader in electrification today, and into the future.” 

GM and Wal-Mart join Netflix, Workday, Salesforce, and thousands of business leaders in supporting the Build Back Better Act’s climate provisions, while the majority of other Business Roundtable members remain silent.

The Business Roundtable launched multi-million dollar efforts to derail the Build Back Better Act, which is key to stopping the worst of the climate crisis. GM and Wal-Mart are among nearly 200 Business Roundtable corporations that have touted corporate wide plans to cut climate emissions and advance clean energy, and so far the vast majority have remained silent as Congress considers the most critical climate legislation in a generation.

Some brands are speaking up. Patagonia today released a statement saying “Patagonia strongly urges swift passage of the once-in-a-generation opportunity to avoid a worsening climate crisis and to give working families the support they deserve now. To pay for this critical legislation, Patagonia is willing to pay a higher corporate tax rate and we urge Congress to also consider ending subsidies for the extractive industries.” Yet most corporations are not, and customers, climate advocates, environmental justice groups, and others from the business community will chalk up their corporate climate commitments simply as a way to bolster their brands to customers who are increasingly concerned about climate change.