Kathleen McLaughlin

Riccardo Savi—Getty Images for Concordia Summit
  • Title
    Chief sustainability officer
  • Affiliation
    Walmart

McLaughlin is responsible for ensuring that Walmart, the world’s largest company, meets its ambitious environmental goals. Those include deriving half its energy needs from renewable sources by 2025; reducing the chemical footprint of products like household cleaners; and getting suppliers to cut their greenhouse-gas emissions. The benefits extend beyond Walmart’s walls: The retail giant’s clout has prompted many rivals to follow suit.