Edelman Defends Wal-Mart Against Yet Another Environmental Charge

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Wal-Mart has turned to the Edelman public relations firm to help it deal with its latest environmental black eye. The retail giant is charged with selling wood products made from timber harvested from protected Russian forests. Chinese suppliers are using that less expensive wood to meet Wal-Mart's tight pricing structures. The charges were levied by The Environmental Investigation Agency in a lengthy report. Edelman responded for its client by saying that the company will "continue to encourage and advise our supplier partners to source from sustainable and ethical sources." They also asserted that by 2010 they would achieve full transparency regarding its wood suppliers. This goal is part of Wal-Mart's guidelines for their Wood Furniture Supplier Preference Program, but they refused to provide a copy to the public, saying it is an internal document.