Success Story: Strengthening Environmental Compliance for a Global Retail Supply Chain

The Client

A U.S.-based manufacturer of Asian-inspired food products is a supplier to major global retailers such as Walmart and Aldi. The company operates within highly competitive retail supply chains and is known for its people-first culture and commitment to sustainable, responsible operations throughout its supply chain.

The Challenge

Admission into the supply chains of large multinational retailers is a significant achievement and carries ongoing compliance obligations. As a supplier to Walmart and Aldi, the company was required to comply with the 4-Pillar Environmental Self-Assessment (SAQ) standards of the Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA). Requirements included greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting, waste and water management and alignment with Walmart’s Project Gigaton and Aldi’s sustainability initiatives.

While it had environmental practices, the company did not yet have centralized processes to consistently capture and document evidence of execution aligned with SMETA requirements. This created challenges related to audit readiness and the ability to maintain compliance. Without a centralized environmental data framework or documentation process, the company faced gaps in evidence, increased audit risk and limited ability to respond efficiently as retailer requirements evolved.

The Process

Weaver’s team led Phase A: Environmental Impact Analysis, conducting a comprehensive gap assessment and evidence review aligned to SMETA and Sedex requirements. They developed an Environmental Aspects and Impacts Register, organized documentation across energy, water, waste and chemical management and established baseline Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG calculations using repeatable methodologies. The process also included aligning site-level procedures with SMETA environmental categories and providing recommendations for policy integration, employee training and improved data tracking.

The Deliverables

Weaver’s team delivered more than SAQ-ready documentation. The engagement established a durable environmental management foundation designed for repeatability, scalability and audit defensibility. Key deliverables included:

• SMETA-aligned environmental documentation framework that standardizes data collection across energy, water, waste and chemical management
• Environmental Aspects and Impacts Register designed to support consistent year-over-year reporting and third-party audit review
• Audit-defensible evidence structure aligned with Sedex expectations and adaptable to ISO 14001 and retailer-specific programs
• Platform-agnostic reporting foundation that enables the company to respond to evolving requirements-such as Project Gigaton, CDP or future retailer programs-without duplicative rework

Together, these deliverables positioned the company to complete its 2025 Environmental SAQ while enabling efficient expansion of sustainability reporting as expectations continue to evolve.

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Authored by Holly Roozrokh and Ashly Pleasant 

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