Running head: TITLE OF YOUR PAPER IN ALL CAPS
Title of your paper
Your Name
The University
1
TITLE OF YOUR PAPER IN ALL CAPS
2
Case Two: Wal-Mart
Question 1: Even though the Supreme Court dismissed the Wal-Mart class action suit, does there
appear to you to be a pattern of discrimination against women in promotion at Wal-Mart? Be sure to
use text concepts when determining discriminatory practices. Cite specific details/statistics from a
minimum of 2 of the articles that were provided.
(Your 2-4 paragraph response goes here…indented)
Question 2: Read the excerpt from Wal-Mart’s Global Responsibility Report (2014 and 2016) on its
Workplace practices. According to your text and its definitions of diversity, does Wal-Mart have a
diverse workforce? Cite specific Wal-Mart programs or statistics to back up your opinion from the GRR.
(Your 2-4 paragraph response goes here…indented)
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3
References
(Citations – double spaced – properly indented)
Wal-Mart's gender bias case: What's at stake?
Page 1 of 6
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CAREERS
GENDER BIAS
Wal-Mart's gender bias case: What's at stake?
by Elizabeth G. Olson
@FortuneMagazine
APRIL 4, 2011, 4:09 PM EDT
http://fortune.com/2011/04/04/wal-marts-gender-bias-case-whats-at-stake/
10/6/2014
Wal-Mart's gender bias case: What's at stake?
Page 2 of 6
The discrimination case, which the Supreme Court is now reviewing, could set a standard for
how
American companies promote and pay their female workers.
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When it comes to pinpointing how women are faring in today’s workplace, there is no
shortage of studies, statistics and sharp differences of opinion. But very few, if any, could
have as much of an impact on the working lives of American women as the massive
discrimination lawsuit against Wal-Mart Stores, the country’s largest employer.
The gender bias case, which the U.S. Supreme Court is now reviewing, could encompass as
many as 1.5 million of the giant retailer’s female employees who claim to have
encountered practices and policies that resulted in lower wages and fewer promotions. And
because Wal-Mart ( )WMT -0.98% is such a huge employer, the eventual outcome could
set an authoritative standard for how numerous companies pay and promote their female
employees.
http://fortune.com/2011/04/04/wal-marts-gender-bias-case-whats-at-stake/
10/6/2014
Wal-Mart's gender bias case: What's at stake?
Page 3 of 6
The justices, though, will not be waving a magic wand to right inequities wholesale. The six
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men
and three women justices will decide sometime before summer begins whether or not
the case can go forward as one massive class
action suit.
And that depends on how the court views Wal-Mart’s actions. If the justices determine that
the retailing behemoth’s centralized policies and practices could have resulted in less pay
and fewer advancement opportunities for female workers, that would clear the way for the
women’s grievances to be considered together — a class action suit. Or, the court could
decide that the pay and promotion discrepancies resulted from decisions by local managers
that affected women individually — leaving each one to fend for herself legally against WalMart. That would wind up costing Wal-Mart far less than a multi-billion dollar award in a
class action lawsuit.
The claims against Wal-Mart
The case’s origins go back to when Betty Dukes, who started as a Wal-Mart cashier in
Pittsburg, Calif. — east of San Francisco — found that her efforts to advance into a
management position were thwarted and even, she claims, punished with a demotion. In
2001, she and five other female employees filed a federal discrimination lawsuit — which
her supporters affectionately call, “Betty v. Goliath.”
Her claims are familiar to many female workers who feel their advancement has been
hindered by discriminatory practices, such as a failure to openly post internal job openings
that would allow all workers to compete. Overall, full-time female workers today are paid
only 80% of what men earn, according to federal statistics.
Such pay gaps are hardly new, and they are much narrower in certain industries, such as
construction, where a woman earns 92.2 cents for each dollar a man earns, according to
data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, few women are employed in
construction and similar industries.
In the case against Wal-Mart, female workers bringing the suit cite more than 100 specific
instances of discrimination and describe the company culture as biased against women,
including instances where senior managers have called them “girls.” In another instance,
the suit claims that a store executive gave approval to hold management meetings at
Hooters, the restaurant chain with scantily clad waitresses.
http://fortune.com/2011/04/04/wal-marts-gender-bias-case-whats-at-stake/
10/6/2014
Wal-Mart's gender bias case: What's at stake?
Page 4 of 6
Wal-Mart says it has non-discriminatory policies and argues that any unequal treatment
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was
solely at the local level. Managers at its 3,400 stores could not have made uniformly
biased decisions about employees ranging from
hourly workers to full-time salaried
managers, the Bentonville, Ark.-based company contends.
The women bringing the suit said that less than one-third of Wal-Mart managers are
women, while women account for 80% of the company’s hourly employees. They also claim
that the company has favored men when it comes to pay and promotions, underscoring the
gender stereotype of men as the sole breadwinner of a household.
Ironically, the number of single mothers or wives who support a household — at 14.2% of
U.S. households as of 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics — has increased
since the recession began, adding another layer of economic significance to any limits on
pay and promotions for women.
The evolution of the gender pay gap
Even though Congress passed the Equal Pay Act of 1963 almost 50 years ago, the pace of
pay and promotion equality for working women has been uneven. Women have made
strides, with recent federal data showing that female workers under 35 years old generally
experience a less dramatic difference in pay from their male colleagues — likely because
they are college educated. Women working full-time also have seen their weekly wages
jump between 1979 and 2009. Their paycheck rose 31%, compared to 2% for men during
that same period. And women working part-time are earning more than men in the same
situation, other studies show.
Even so, large disparities in wages and advancement persist in many occupations and
cannot be explained by variations in education, experience, personal preferences, job
responsibilities or race, according to legal views submitted to the court in the Wal-Mart
case by the National Women’s Law Center and the American Civil Liberties Union.
“There is little doubt,” Laura D’Andrea Tyson, former chairwoman of the Council of
Economic Advisers in the Clinton Administration, writes in a recent New York Times’
Economix blog post, “that discrimination and implicit biases against women, even in jobs
requiring college or postgraduate education, continue to play a role,” referring to the
gender-based earnings gap.
http://fortune.com/2011/04/04/wal-marts-gender-bias-case-whats-at-stake/
10/6/2014
Wal-Mart's gender bias case: What's at stake?
Page 5 of 6
Potential benefits of class action gender bias suits
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The current Supreme Court has largely sided
with companies in its rulings, but earlier this
month it gave workers a boost when the justices decided that a company may not retaliate
against an employee who orally complains to the company about its practices. A number of
large companies, including giants like Costco (
)COST -0.50% and Microsoft
( )MSFT -0.43% , support Wal-Mart, arguing that such sweeping class action suits could
pressure them into settling spurious discrimination claims rather than risk a large and
expensive verdict.
Groups supporting the women filing the suit against Wal-Mart argue that companies need
to put in place mechanisms to ensure that women are treated equally in the workplace.
And some argue that a class action suit of this kind could do precisely that.
The Institute for Women’s Policy Research submitted a report called “Ending Sex and Race
Discrimination in the Workplace: Legal Interventions That Push the Envelope” to the
justices that notes that about two-thirds of all employment-discrimination related class
action settlements in the past decade wound up requiring companies to set objective and
transparent criteria for job assignments and promotions.
Most settlements also require companies to commit to open posting of job vacancies,
perform analysis of its promotion and compensation decisions for potential sex or race bias
and hold supervisors accountable for preventing discrimination.
“Having good human resource management and diversity policies is important, yet our
study shows that, without clear measurement, policies alone do little to prevent bias and
discrimination in the workplace,” writes Ariane Hegewisch, lead author of the study.
“Monitoring of the gender and race outcomes of policies,” she adds, “is essential to making
real change.”
Also on Fortune.com:
• How can more women land spots on company boards?
• A female quota at Davos? Really?
http://fortune.com/2011/04/04/wal-marts-gender-bias-case-whats-at-stake/
10/6/2014
Wal-Mart's gender bias case: What's at stake?
Page 6 of 6
• Biz school rankings leave minorities behind
——
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You Can’t Fire Everyone – Job jumping:
Are you a job hopper yourself or dealing with staffers who can’t fight the itch to switch?
Tell us your stories. Email us at fired@fortune.com. We’ll highlight the most interesting
and instructional ones.
Comments
http://fortune.com/2011/04/04/wal-marts-gender-bias-case-whats-at-stake/
10/6/2014
10/6/2014
Wal-Mart Sued by Wisconsin Women for Gender Bias - Bloomberg
Wal-Mart Sued by Wisconsin Women for Gender Bias
By Andrew Harris - Feb 26, 2013
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT), the world’s largest retailer, was sued by five Wisconsin women who
claim the company denied them and other female employees equal pay and equal opportunities.
“Women at Wal-Mart were told by management that women deserved less pay and fewer promotions
than men because men had families to support,” Jim Kaster of Minneapolis-based Nichols Kaster
PLLP, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in a statement announcing the filing.
Their complaint, on behalf of workers at stores in parts of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan,
was filed in federal court in Madison, Wisconsin, on Feb. 20. The same day, a federal judge in
Nashville, Tennessee, dismissed a similar case as untimely.
Those cases and two more like them were filed after a 2011 U.S. Supreme Court decision rejecting a
national gender- discrimination class action, or group lawsuit. The high court’s majority in that case
found “no convincing proof” of a companywide discriminatory pay and promotion policy.
“A Tennessee court last week came to the same conclusion as a Texas court ruling last October -- that
these class action claims are not appropriate,” Randy Hargrove, a spokesman for Bentonville,
Arkansas-based Wal-Mart, said today in an e-mailed statement.
Paid More
Sandra Ladik, the lead plaintiff in the Wisconsin case, worked at the company’s Portage store from
1992 to 2006, according to the complaint.
She claims that while serving as a maintenance department manager, she learned that a male coworker, whom she had trained to become a maintenance supervisor, was being paid more than she
was. Ladik had more experience and responsibility than her colleague, she alleged.
She and the other women who joined in her case are seeking to proceed on behalf of all women now
working in the stores in Wal-Mart’s region 14, or who have worked there since Dec. 26, 1998. They are
seeking compensatory awards of back-pay, front- pay and punitive damages, plus other relief.
A federal judge in Dallas threw out another of the regional cases in October. U.S. District Judge Reed
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2013-02-26/wal-mart-sued-by-five-wisconsin-women-for-gender-discrimination.html
1/2
10/6/2014
Wal-Mart Sued by Wisconsin Women for Gender Bias - Bloomberg
O’Connor also concluded the plaintiffs’ claims were untimely. Dukes v. Wal- Mart, the case in which
the Supreme Court issued its decision, is still pending in San Francisco federal court. A fifth federal
case was filed last year in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Individual Claims
“We’ve said all along that if someone believes they have been treated unfairly, they deserve to have
their timely, individual, claims heard in court,” Hargrove said in his e- mailed statement.
“Wal-Mart has been successful in making technical legal arguments preventing courts from reaching
the merits of women’s claims, and we expect more of these arguments here,” the plaintiffs’ lawyer,
Kaster, said. “Nevertheless, we hope that the court in Wisconsin will, after this long period of waiting,
finally allow their claims to be heard by a jury.”
The case is Ladik v. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., 13-cv-123, U.S. District Court, Western District of
Wisconsin (Madison).
To contact the reporter on this story: Andrew Harris in the Chicago federal courthouse at
aharris16@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Hytha at mhytha@bloomberg.net
®2014 BLOOMBERG L.P. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2013-02-26/wal-mart-sued-by-five-wisconsin-women-for-gender-discrimination.html
2/2
So many opportunities to
make a
difference
2014 Glob
al Respon
sibility Re
port
About this report
Content materiality
Currency exchange
The scope and boundaries of the 2014 Walmart
Global Responsibility Report encompass our
corporate efforts related to workplace,
compliance and sourcing, social and
environmental responsibility, while also
providing snapshots into each of our individual
markets around the globe. The report reviews
our progress and performance during FY2014,
reflects areas where we’ve achieved tremendous
positive results and specifies areas of opportunity
we continue to focus on. The social and
environmental indicators were obtained by
internal survey and checks without the
participation of external auditing. The reporting
timeline covers the period of Feb. 1, 2013–
Jan. 31, 2014, and builds on our last report,
issued April 2013. Unless otherwise noted, all
currency is in U.S. dollars.
In addition to tracking media activity and
customer feedback, we engage with internal
and external stakeholders, including government
and NGOs, to define the content included in
this report. We incorporate this input prior to
and during editorial development to ensure
continuous dialogue, relevancy and transparency.
For example, this engagement resulted in the
expansion and positioning of our Workplace
section, influenced our decision to turn
Compliance and Sourcing into its own section,
and to detail our commitment and progress
related to water stewardship.
Foreign currency conversions have been made
using the average exchange rate from
Feb. 1, 2013–Jan. 31, 2014. As a global company,
we highlight the performance of our global
markets, as well as the efforts taking place
throughout our supply chain.
Workplace
18
22 Celebrating a decade of
diversity and inclusion
26
Meeting the needs of our associates
26 Benefits and compensation
29 Associate engagement
30
Committed to ethics and integrity
Social
Compliance
and sourcing
40
Compliance
62
64 Food
64 Hunger relief
66 Healthier foods
40 Compliance program
44 Labor and employment
46
Safety
46
47
47
48
Building for the future
30 Recruiting
32 Talent development
36
38
50
Empowerment
Supply chain capacity building
Worker safety and well-being
Audits
Transparency
Global audit results
Collaboration
Opportunity
68 Women’s economic
empowerment
72 Supplier diversity
73 Veterans
74 U.S. manufacturing
Food safety
Product safety
Environmental compliance
Health and safety
Responsible sourcing
52
53
54
55
56
58
60
68
76
Community
76 Disaster relief
78 Associate volunteerism
79 Local communities
Executive summary
80
Environment
2
3
6
14
15
16
17
Message from Doug McMillon
A conversation with Doug McMillon and Kathleen McLaughlin
The Walmart way
Stakeholder engagement
Political engagement
Governance
Public Policy
Local markets
108
82
166
Our progress
Sustainability 360
83 Sustainable Value Networks
84
Greenhouse gas
86 Energy and facilities
88
91
93
94
96
98
100
110 Our company
166
112
Local markets – International
167 Commitments and progress
112
116
120
124
128
132
136
140
144
148
152
174 Global Reporting Initiative index
Renewable energy
Energy efficiency
Refrigerants
Water
Fleet
Waste
Products
101
102
104
105
106
Sustainability Index
Sustainable food
Consumables
Packaging and materials
General merchandise
Africa
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
Central America
Chile
China
India
Japan
Mexico
United Kingdom
156
Walmart – U.S.
162
Sam’s Club – U.S.
Giving
Message from Doug McMillon
About ten years ago, I asked my sons at dinner: “Do you think Walmart should be working on protecting
the environment?” They were about six and eight at the time. I hardly had the words out of my mouth
when my youngest answered: “Duh, dad.”
It had only taken him a few seconds to reach the right conclusion. Most of us took a little longer.
My version of Walmart’s Global Responsibility story is that we had a legacy of serving certain
stakeholders really well. We served customers well. We served associates well. And it was our belief
that if we took care of those groups then the rest would fall into place.
But slowly, with the help of some very smart advisors, we realized we weren’t
doing enough. We started asking ourselves: What if we needed to change?
What if we started listening to NGOs and even our critics more closely? And
what if we simply recommitted ourselves to making our company even better?
We went through a significant change in our perspective.
At first, there were some awkward conversations – frank meetings with folks we
had never met with before. But what came out of those conversations was
exhilarating. In fact, some of our critics then are some of our best advisors now.
We’re in a much different place today. We have seen over and over how this
work benefits the environment and our business – whether it’s running our truck fleet more efficiently
or putting more innovative products on our shelves. We have seen we can make a difference for the
environment on energy and on waste, and we’re now really leaning into our work on our supply chain.
Our questions today are about how we can move faster and tackle more big challenges in three core
areas: sustainability, opportunity and local communities. I’m excited to lead Walmart as we write this
next chapter. There are so many ways Walmart can make a difference, and we will.
I share with you all of this history because I want you to know how personally we take what you’ll read
in these pages. We care deeply about the people who are touched by our business, and we want to do
right by them. We’re the world’s largest retailer, but we’re also moms and dads, and we have sons and
daughters who will need this planet long after we will.
And we need your help. We publish this report as part of our commitment to building trust with you
through transparency. We ask in return that you keep engaging with us, keep critiquing us and keep
challenging us. Keep telling us what we can do better – and help us get there.
Doug McMillon
President and Chief Executive Officer – Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
2 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
A conversation with
Doug McMillon, President and Chief Executive Officer
Kathleen McLaughlin, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, and President, Walmart Foundation
Q: As more people around the world aspire to a higher standard of living,
can Walmart’s business model ever be called “sustainable”?
Doug: People everywhere want a better quality of life, and it’s our mission to help them achieve it. We don’t think
Walmart or anyone else should tell those aspiring to join the middle class that they can’t have a refrigerator or a
cell phone or any of the other things we take for granted in some parts of the world.
But we do want the products we sell to be not only affordable, but safe, responsibly made or grown, and more
environmentally sustainable. No one should have to choose between products they can afford and products that are
good for the planet. That’s why the Sustainability Index matters so much. By improving how products are made and still
selling them at Walmart prices, we can make a better life both attainable and sustainable for people around the world.
Q: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned during your first year at Walmart?
Kathleen: I have learned that good intentions, high aspirations, passion and tenacity can help people break through
even the toughest challenges. I joined Walmart for two reasons. First, I believe in the core mission of providing
affordable food, apparel and other goods to people around the world. Second, the merchants and field operations
teams in this company work hard every day to carry out that mission in a way that is sustainable, creates economic
opportunity for Walmart associates and people all along our supply chain, and strengthens the communities where we
live and work. I wish others could sit in on the leadership meetings, working sessions and team huddles that take place
here and see that in action.
Q: The recent tragedies in apparel factories in Bangladesh raised questions about
the responsibilities of retailers for their supply chains. What is your view?
Doug: Our hearts go out to the families of those affected by those tragedies. The safety record of Bangladeshi factories
is very troubling, and we are doing something about it. In addition to our own safety audits, the Alliance for Bangladesh
Worker Safety that we announced last July with other retailers and suppliers is providing a results-oriented, measurable
and verifiable way to dramatically improve factory safety conditions. And because transparency is an effective way of
driving accountability in Bangladesh, we have made the results of more than 200 Bangladesh factory safety assessments
publicly available as of March 2014.
Our customers want products that are safe, well-made and produced by people treated with dignity and fairness – and
we will use our leverage to move toward higher standards. We should be able to shine a light on any part of our supply
chain and be proud of what we find. That is our goal, and it’s one worth having.
3
2 Executive summary
|
19 Workplace
|
38 Compliance and sourcing
|
62 Social
|
80 Environment
|
108 Local markets
|
166 Our progress
Q: You recently announced you were removing certain legal chemicals from
the products you sell. Is it the role of business to act when government
can’t or won’t?
Kathleen: At Walmart, we take our direction from our customers. They told us they want to be even more confident in
the products they bring home to their families. So we worked with The Sustainability Consortium, the EPA and NGO
partners like the Environmental Defense Fund to develop our sustainable chemicals policy, which works to reduce or
eliminate certain chemicals for which we believe there are more sustainable alternatives.
Now we are working closely with our suppliers to bring enhanced transparency to the ingredients in products and to
transition to better options where appropriate. We’ll report our progress publicly in the next two years.
Q: What are you doing to strengthen your compliance programs?
Doug: In all parts of the world, we’ve found that our people want to do what’s right, and we’re continuing to give them
the tools to do so – especially as we operate across so many complex and varied markets. I credit our previous CEO,
Mike Duke, with launching and investing in a series of significant initiatives to further strengthen our formal compliance
programs, including increased staffing, training and monitoring to help ensure we’re doing the right thing.
Q: You’ve made a lot of progress on big issues, but there is still concern
about your own jobs and wages. What is your reaction to those critics?
Doug: You know, I started out in an entry-level position with this company. Most of us start out in entry-level jobs
somewhere. This is a company that will take you in for your first job, even if you don’t have a lot of skills, and provide
you opportunities to build those skills and advance in your career. In the U.S., for example, 75 percent of our store
management teams started as hourly associates, and we promote about 190,000 people each year. We also offer
bonus opportunities, health care benefits, a 401(k) plan, and a discount on merchandise to our eligible store associates.
But we learn from our critics, and we’re always working to make our jobs better. Right now, we’re clarifying the career
pathways for associates, adding more flexibility to our scheduling system and piloting training that will accelerate the
development of our associates within Walmart. I’ve seen so many associates grow and develop at Walmart – in fact, it’s
my favorite part of my job, and I’m excited about what we can do for them and for retail employment in our markets.
4 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
the challenge…
accelerate the pace of innovation through sustainability
Q: Last year you announced new plans for renewable energy and energy
efficiency, but you’re still a long way from 100 percent renewable energy,
your longer-term goal. Are you really leading?
Kathleen: When our energy team started on our 100 percent goal in 2005, we were in uncharted territory. Today, we
have more than 300 renewable energy projects underway around the world, and we are rapidly scaling this work. In
Mexico, for example, we’ll go from two stores powered by renewables in 2010 to more than 1,200 stores this year. Between
our own new projects and the renewables we get from the grid, we will be getting 24 percent of our electricity needs
worldwide from renewables. What’s more, our renewable energy meets or beats market prices from traditional sources.
We hope our commitment to renewables will encourage innovation and new market entries into the sector, which will
help us accelerate our sourcing of renewables while maintaining everyday low cost. There are many markets where
regulatory or market hurdles make it challenging for Walmart to drive change. In those places, we are actively working
with NGOs to overcome these.
At the same time, we are reducing our energy consumption per square foot every year, which could reduce our energy
bill by an estimated $1 billion by 2020. We will achieve our goal of being powered 100 percent by renewable energy
when these two curves – declining energy intensity and rising renewables sourcing – intersect.
Q: Are you comfortable with the pace of progress the world is making
on sustainability? Is change happening quickly enough?
Kathleen: No. Take food, for example. Already, our forests, oceans, waterways and prairies are under pressure. In the
next 40 years, the world population will grow to 9 billion. How will the world produce enough safe, affordable and
nutritious food, in a way that is environmentally and socially sustainable? We are working hard on this problem with
suppliers, NGOs and other partners by pursuing innovation along the entire food chain, from farms and oceans to our
customers’ kitchens. For example, we are reducing food waste, developing and piloting technologies that can enhance
crop yields while reducing fertilizer and pesticide usage, experimenting with new business models and collaborations
with farmers and fisheries, and putting in place policies to prevent deforestation and preserve fish stocks. Increasing
the resilience of the food supply chain – from the farm to the shelf – is right for our business, our customers and future
generations, and you can expect us to move faster here.
Q: What’s next for Walmart?
Doug: My hope is that this will be a year of innovation for our customers, driven by our global responsibility efforts.
When I was raised as a merchant, we focused on basics like price leadership, in-stock and strong inventory management.
But it wasn’t until we started to step back and look at the whole system – from the raw material to the supplier to how
the people involved were treated to the waste that was created – that we really started unlocking innovation in a
different way.
It was another key perspective change for us. What I challenge all of us to do today, especially around the supply chain,
is to figure out how to accelerate the pace of innovation by looking through a sustainable lens. That will result in not
only a better planet tomorrow but more inspiring merchandise for our customers today.
5
2 Executive summary
|
19 Workplace
|
38 Compliance and sourcing
|
62 Social
|
80 Environment
|
108 Local markets
|
166 Our progress
The Walmart way:
Where we started
When Sam Walton founded Walmart in 1962, his
mission was to save people money so they could
live better. That mission, in and of itself, creates
tremendous social good. With every one of us
working together – from associates and our
global supply chain, to the very customers and
communities we serve – we accomplished even
more. We drove innovation and reinvented how
the world moves products, from the point of
production into the hands of the people who
use them every day.
6 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
7
Continuing to evolve
A new opportunity
emerges
Then, Hurricane Katrina hit. As we mobilized
to provide meals, supplies and cash to support
recovery efforts, our eyes were opened to an
even broader opportunity to make a difference.
We recognized the significance of emergency
preparedness at the local level and how our
experience and expertise in global logistics could
be utilized to provide fast and efficient relief in the
wake of disaster. We asked ourselves, “What if we
used our size and resources to make this country –
and this planet – an even better place for all of us?
And what if we could do that and build a stronger
business at the same time?”
An agenda for the future
We reflected on our heritage of reinvention, our
success, scale and resources and established a bold
vision of what leadership meant for Walmart in the
21st century. Many of the issues our customers and
communities care about most – hunger, access to
healthier food, environmental sustainability, career
opportunity and women’s economic empowerment –
are the same ones where we can make a positive
difference. So Walmart and the Walmart Foundation
have undertaken several ambitious initiatives. Our
executive leadership has set the tone and – in true
Walmart fashion – our associates continue to work
together to embed it in our day-to-day business,
our culture and the collaborations we forge.
2 Executive summary
|
19 Workplace
|
38 Compliance and sourcing
|
62 Social
|
80 Environment
|
108 Local markets
|
166 Our progress
The Walmart way:
The Walmart way = Sustainable Value Networks + Special
To tackle environmental and social issues, we’ve created Sustainable
Value Networks (SVNs), which are global networks of Walmart merchants,
operators and finance leaders. For example, we’ve set up SVNs in food
and agriculture, softlines, general merchandise, consumables, energy and
facilities, transportation, waste and women’s economic empowerment,
among others. SVNs draw on Walmart experience as well as expertise from
suppliers, academia, governments and NGOs to set aspirations and define
initiatives across our markets and product value chains. Example initiatives
include fleet efficiency, chemicals, sustainable seafood, factory energy
efficiency, factory safety, sourcing from women-owned businesses and
product reformulations across our Great Value™ private-label brand and
many national brands.
8 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
How we do it
Walmart makes a difference in the
lives of people all over the world
every day.
teams + The Walmart Foundation
Special teams and functions such as food safety,
responsible sourcing, energy, women’s economic
empowerment and product sustainability support
the initiatives launched by the SVNs. These teams
work closely with Walmart associates to develop
solutions and embed them in our day-to-day
operations. For example, our Global Women’s
Economic Empowerment team has developed
a Supplier Academy to remove unique barriers
faced by women-owned businesses in preparing
to become Walmart suppliers. And what gets
measured gets done, so we’ve implemented tools
like the Sustainability Index to measure our progress
and hold merchants and operators accountable
for progress.
While the company naturally takes the lead on
internally powered initiatives such as fleet efficiency,
the Walmart Foundation pursues philanthropic
initiatives that extend beyond Walmart’s operational
sphere of influence. The Foundation can draw on
Walmart’s skills and assets, but is free from the
day-to-day pressures and constraints faced by any
business. The Foundation has its own unique and
valued relationships with partners and grantees
across civil society, the government and the private
sector. Through programs in food security, work
opportunity and local community building, the
Foundation helps people live better – one
community at a time.
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The Walmart way:
As we’ve continued to lead from the front, three core focus
areas – sustainability, opportunity and local communities –
have emerged. Often, our efforts in the sustainability arena
intersect with the work we’re doing in local communities.
And our initiatives in local communities cross over with our
commitment to providing people with the skills and resources
they need to open the door to opportunity and a better life.
Fertilizer reduction
Sustainable chemistry
We encourage our suppliers
to develop optimization
plans with the potential
to reduce fertilizer use
on 14 million acres of
farmland in the U.S.
by 2020.
supply chain
We’ve made a priority of
working with our suppliers
to develop chemical products
and processes that help reduce
or eliminate the use of potentially
hazardous substances.
Sustainability
Opportunity
with the planet with the planet with the planet with the planet with the planet with the planet with the pla
Bangladesh fire safety
Access
We’re driving significant reform of
the garment industry in Bangladesh
by focusing on factory safety,
worker empowerment and supply
chain transparency.
The Walmart Foundation
provided thousands of people
globally with the training and
support they need to access
jobs that lead to a better life.
U.S. manufacturing
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation
have leveraged their resources to bring
manufacturing jobs back to the U.S.
10 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
Empowering women
Walmart launched an online platform to
connect small, women-owned businesses
with a global customer base.
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
11
Our contributions
These principles are working for us – and we’re showing
others that taking on large social issues can be compatible
with building a stronger business. The following represents
a sampling of ways Walmart and the Walmart Foundation
made a difference in 2013:
Renewable energy
Sustainability Index
We’re expanding the
Sustainability Index
and measurement to
international markets
with the goal of improving
product sustainability
at a global level.
Building on the momentum
of becoming the largest on-site
green power generator in the
U.S., we pledged to increase our
supply of renewable energy
globally by 600 percent by the
end of 2020.
Local communities
anet with the planet with the planet with the planet with the planet with the planet with the planet
end-of-life cycle
Fighting Hunger Together
Associates
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation
delivered on their commitment of
$2 billion in cash and in-kind giving
to fight hunger in America one year
ahead of schedule.
In addition to promoting about
190,000 U.S. associates in 2013,
51 percent of our new hires were
women and 49 percent were
people of color.
Veterans
Volunteerism
Collectively, our U.S. associates
volunteered more than 1.8 million
hours, resulting in $17 million in
donations in support of local
organizations in FY 2014.
We hired more than
32,000 U.S. military veterans
within the first eight months of
announcing our Welcome
Home Commitment.
Emergency preparedness
We collaborated with the United
Nations Office for Disaster Risk
Reduction to leverage our best
practices in helping build resiliency
in communities around the world.
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The Walmart way:
Looking forward
While we’re proud of the progress we’ve made, we recognize
this is a journey. Walmart wants to, and can, make a significant
contribution to the world’s social and environmental challenges.
And as we continue to learn, we’re committed to connecting the
dots among our business, our philanthropic involvement and
the efforts of our partners to lead in bold and transformative ways.
12 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
Walmart makes a difference in the
lives of people all over the world
every day.
Turn to page 167 for a full index
of progress on each of our public
commitments in the areas of
hunger, healthier food, global
women’s economic empowerment,
veterans, U.S. manufacturing,
energy, waste and products.
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Stakeholder
engagement
We’re committed to engaging all
our stakeholders, both internally
and externally, to become the most
sustainable, responsible company
we can be. By listening to, partnering
with and considering the perspectives
of our associates, customers, shareholders,
academic leaders, government, NGOs
and even our competitors, we’re truly
saving our customers money so they
can live better.
Our engagement with each stakeholder
group differs and, in an effort to
adapt to changing needs and issues,
continues to evolve. As we pursue
our corporate responsibility goals,
we intend to further strengthen
these relationships. Together,
we’re establishing transparency
and enhancing our relevancy with
the customers and communities
we serve.
14 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
Associates
NGOs
Regular communications and engagement, via
channels that include our WalmartOne.com
site, monthly associate magazine, Associate
Engagement Surveys and the Open Door
Policy. Based upon hire date and position,
associates may become eligible to be formally
evaluated on their performance each year.
Through the performance management
program, managers and associates engage in
open, transparent and ongoing conversations
to provide clarity on performance expectations
as well as to identify learning and growth
opportunities for the associate.
Regular meetings with NGOs to find common
solutions in order for our efforts to exceed
anything we could achieve alone. We
discuss strategy development, execution
and best-practice sharing.
Customers
Daily engagement with customers in our
stores and clubs, and through select social
media outlets, including our sustainability
blog, walmartgreenroom.com. In some
markets, we also conduct customer
satisfaction surveys on a regular basis.
Shareholders
Quarterly and annual financial reporting,
annual meeting of shareholders, periodic
individualized mailings and conference calls
among senior management, investors, and/
or analysts and rating firms. In addition, we
hold three full-day interactive meetings with
the investment community each year to
discuss company strategies.
Suppliers
Regularly engage with suppliers to promote
and institute sustainability solutions. One
example includes our Women-Owned
Business Advisory Council, which consists
of suppliers working with our Women’s
Economic Empowerment team to unlock
sourcing opportunities. Major projects from
2013 include the Sustainability Index, supply
chain greenhouse gas (GHG) program and
sustainable agriculture.
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
15
Political engagement
Stakeholders are encouraged
to learn more about our
corporate responsibility by
going to our website at
corporate.walmart.com/
global-responsibility.
In addition, we encourage
people to contact us at
cassr@wal-mart.com.
Sustainable Value Networks
(SVNs)
Our SVNs are teams of associates, suppliers,
academic leaders, government, NGOs and
others who help us better understand
sustainability challenges and create marketbased solutions.
Live Greener Working Group
(LGWG)
The LGWG is a group of NGOs that Walmart
collaborates with monthly to make progress
in the areas of energy, waste and products.
We’re proud of our part in this continuing
movement of cooperation between companies
and sustainability experts.
Multi-stakeholder
collaborations
We actively support industry efforts to drive
sustainability in consumer goods supply
chains. These efforts, involving groups such as
The Sustainability Consortium (TSC), Retail
Industry Leaders Association (RILA), Clinton
Global Initiative (CGI) and Consumer Goods
Forum (CGF), allow us to collaborate with
and engage our suppliers and competitors
in industrywide sustainability initiatives.
Over the past several years, we’ve worked to strengthen our
commitment to provide additional transparency into our political
engagement, including coverage in our Global Responsibility
Report as of 2013. On Feb. 8, 2013, the Walmart Board of Directors
voted to amend the charter of the Compensation, Nominating
and Governance Committee, adding to its responsibilities and
obligations the review and oversight of the company’s legislative
affairs and public policy engagement strategy, including
information about political contributions.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Political Action Committee for Responsible Government
(WALPAC) is the primary vehicle for financially contributing to the political process.
WALPAC is solely funded with voluntary contributions from eligible associates.
To access information about contributions made from WALPAC, please go to
www.fec.gov and search the appropriate disclosure database for “Walmart.”
Walmart is a member of certain U.S.-based trade associations that the company
believes can assist Walmart in achieving its long-term strategic objectives. Some
of these U.S. trade associations engage in political activities, including the making
of political and lobbying expenditures. Walmart periodically reviews its memberships
in such trade associations.
In addition, we have policies and oversight in place to comply with federal,
state and local laws and regulations relating to the reporting requirements of
corporate political contributions. Links to other publicly available information
concerning our federal policy-oriented activities in the United States, such as
federal lobbying disclosure reports, can be found at lobbyingdisclosure.house.gov
and soprweb.senate.gov, which are maintained by the U.S. House of Representatives
and the U.S. Senate, respectively.
Additional information can be found in our statement on Political and Policy
Oriented Engagement available on our corporate website.
The above links, as well as a link to our
corporate government relations policy, are
available on our Walmart corporate website,
corporate.walmart.com.
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Governance
We continually benchmark with other companies around the world and across industries, consult with corporate governance
experts and engage with key stakeholders to ensure world-class processes at Walmart. We’re proud of our corporate
governance policies and continue to strengthen our practices where appropriate.
In our governance structure, the CEO is responsible for the general management, supervision and control of the business and affairs of
our company, including the execution of all board directives and resolutions. Our chairman presides over all meetings of the board
and shareholders, and advises and counsels the CEO and other officers regarding our business and operations.
We believe our separate CEO/chairman structure is the most effective leadership structure for Walmart shareholders. It allows our CEO
to focus on managing our complex daily operations and our chairman to address matters related to the responsibilities of the board.
Our board met a total of six times in 2013 to perform its oversight functions and to address matters relating to the creation of longterm value for shareholders.
We recognize the importance of board independence. The majority of our
directors are independent in accordance with the requirements of the
New York Stock Exchange.
Our directors serve on one or more of the six committees of the board:
(1) Audit Committee,
(2) Compensation, Nominating and Governance Committee,
(3) Global Compensation Committee,
(4) Executive Committee,
(5) Strategic Planning and Finance Committee; and/or
(6) Technology and eCommerce Committee.
Board and
committee oversight
Consistent with our commitment to
sustainability, charitable giving and
leading on social issues important to our
customers and shareholders, and with
our responsibility as a global corporation,
our board has assigned oversight of these
areas to the Compensation, Nominating
and Governance Committee.
Each committee is governed by a written charter that outlines its specific roles
in our company’s governance and achieving our company’s business objectives.
Consistent with our commitment to sustainability, charitable giving and leading on social issues important to our customers
and shareholders, and with our responsibility as a global corporation, our board has assigned oversight of these areas to the
Compensation, Nominating, and Governance Committee. This committee advises management regarding social, community,
and sustainability initiatives, as well as our company’s charitable giving strategy and legislative affairs and public policy
engagement strategy. Our directors hold us to a high standard of integrity and transparency in our service to our customers,
associates, and shareholders.
Our board regularly reviews our corporate governance policies and practices to identify areas in which we can enhance our
company’s corporate governance profile. For example, in 2013, our board increased the stock ownership guidelines applicable to our
CEO and certain other executive officers of the company to further align the long-term interests of our executives and our
shareholders. In addition, the board recently amended our bylaws to allow shareholders owning 10 percent or more of Walmart
common stock to call a special shareholders’ meeting. The board also amended our Corporate Governance Guidelines to more fully
articulate (and, in some instances, expand) the role of the independent director who presides over executive sessions of our nonmanagement directors and independent directors.
From the beginning, our values – integrity, opportunity, family and community, purpose and responsibility – have served
as our core strengths and will continue to drive our success moving forward.
For more information go to:
stock.walmart.com/corporate-governance
16 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
17
The following represents a sampling of our involvement in the U.S.:
U.S. Manufacturing Summit
Public policy
Walmart works with communities,
academia and NGOs in our markets
around the world to help improve
our customers’ lives through greater
access to safe and affordable goods
and services. We shape public policy
through platforms such as the World
Economic Forum, where we worked
with industry leaders to study
disruptive innovation as a means
for meeting customers’ shifting
expectations. At meetings of the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
(APEC), Walmart participated in
discussions with 21 economies regarding
the economic empowerment of women,
food security and environmental
sustainability. In addition, we actively
support World Trade Organization
negotiations, such as the recent Trade
Facilitation Agreement, which is
intended to help effectively and
efficiently move goods to consumers
around the world.
In August 2013, Walmart held the first U.S.
Manufacturing Summit to build on our
announcement to purchase an additional
$250 billion in products supporting U.S.
manufacturing over the next 10 years. More
than 1,500 attendees, including 500 suppliers,
representatives from 34 states and other
government officials, joined us at the summit.
During the Summit, governors and state
officials connected directly with manufacturers
to learn about potential projects and present
the resources available in different states.
As of the end of 2013, our suppliers have
announced extraordinary commitments to
inject more than $100 million into factory
growth and create more than 2,000 U.S. jobs.
U.S. Conference of Mayors’
Climate Protection Awards
Since 2007, we’ve sponsored the U.S.
Conference of Mayors’ Climate Protection
Awards. These awards recognize cities for
their efforts to curb global warming through
energy efficiency measures. Cities that
displayed exceptional mayoral leadership,
creativity and innovation, reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions and improved
quality of life were awarded the highest
honors. Recipients are chosen by an
independent panel of judges appointed by
the conference. The 2013 winners included
Salt Lake City, Utah, and Asheville, N.C.
Alliance for
Main Street Fairness
We’re a member of the Alliance for Main
Street Fairness, a coalition of small and
large retailers, business organizations and
community leaders dedicated to ensuring
sales tax laws are up to date and fair for all
businesses. An online-only sales tax loophole
currently disadvantages local businesses and
puts those businesses at risk; the Alliance is
working to level the playing field. Twenty-six
states have enacted e-fairness and/or
consumer-use laws since 2008. Legislation
has also been introduced in Congress to
clarify the realities of modern commerce,
allowing government policy to treat all
businesses equally. The work done by the
Alliance helps protect local companies
that create jobs and make investments in
our communities.
New Jersey League
of Municipalities
Educational Foundation
In 2013, the New Jersey League of
Municipalities Educational Foundation
allocated $425,000 in grants to launch a
Walmart-branded funding cycle of the
highly successful Small Grants Program.
The Sustainable Jersey grants help local
governments make progress toward a
sustainable future, including renewable
energy and green building design, waste
reduction, a sustainable master plan, water
conservation, natural resources management,
energy management and transportation
issues. This latest grant is reflective of the
sustained commitment Walmart has made to
advancing sustainability in local communities in
New Jersey. Walmart’s corporate commitment
and leadership in promoting environmental
sustainability and modeling green business
practices sets a high standard for the business
community and communities in New Jersey.
Since 2009, Walmart has contributed more
than $1 million to the New Jersey League of
Municipalities Educational Foundation toward
advancing sustainability in local communities
in New Jersey through the Sustainable
Jersey grants program. Walmart’s corporate
commitment and leadership in promoting
environmental sustainability and modeling
green business practices sets a high standard
for the business community and communities
in New Jersey. To learn more about Sustainable
Jersey and its Small Grants Program, visit
sustainablejersey.com
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Workplace
So many ways to
make a difference
in our workplace
18 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
Walmart associates are the heart of our business. As Sam Walton said, “Our people
make the difference.” We’ve worked hard to build an environment that emphasizes
integrity, respect, open communication and innovation. Whether it’s a part-time
job or the career of a lifetime, working at Walmart means opportunity.
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
In this section
22
Celebrating a decade of
diversity and inclusion
26
Meeting the needs of our associates
26 Benefits and compensation
29 Associate engagement
30
Building for the future
30 Recruiting
32 Talent development
36
Committed to ethics and integrity
Walmart makes a difference in
the lives of people all over the
world every day.
19
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Championing our
Around the world, we’re hard at work serving our customers
and supporting our associates – and our culture. Our culture
is incorporated into every aspect of our business, is unique
and not easily copied by competitors. We might do our jobs
differently from location to location, but the spirit of how
we get things done is remarkably similar.
20 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
Service to our customers
Respect for the individual
We’re here to serve customers,
support each other and give
to our local communities.
We value every associate, own the
work we do, and communicate by
listening and sharing ideas.
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
21
culture
As diverse as we are, we’re bound together by a common
way of doing business that serves our customers, drives
performance and creates a positive place for us to work.
Our beliefs are at the heart of our culture and guide us
on how we do our jobs.
Strive for excellence
Act with integrity
We work as a team and model
positive examples while we
innovate and improve every day.
We act with the highest level
of integrity by being honest, fair
and objective while operating
in compliance with all laws and
our policies.
These principles – as
relevant today as they
were when our first
store opened in 1962 –
help define the Walmart
culture and empower us
to save people money
so they can live better.
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Celebrating a decade
We’re very intentional about our efforts to attract and grow
a diverse associate population, while offering an engaging
and inclusive workplace. As Walmart has grown in the U.S.
and internationally, the face of our company has evolved to
better serve our customers by meeting their unique needs
and wants. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion
continues to drive business success through innovation,
customer relevance and talent impact.
Diverse headcount growth 2003–2013
U.S. officers
U.S. associates
+163%
+46%
women
African-American
+224%
+45%
+192%
+48%
people of color
African-American
+255%
Hispanic
+286%
Asian
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Hispanic
Asian
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
of diversity and inclusion
In November 2003, we formally established our Office
of Diversity. Today, Walmart is celebrating a decade of
specific focus on diversity and inclusion. We continue to
be encouraged by our progress and remain committed
to being a destination for great talent around the world.
Diverse representation growth (percent of total) 2003–2013
U.S. women
U.S. people of color
Over the past
10 years
approximately
19% 31%
11% 23%
5,000
20% 29%
10%
12% 33%
10% 23%
Management Trainee Program
graduates over the past decade
35,000
associates
promoted to store manager
29%
officers
executive vice president
senior vice president
officers
17%
executive vice president
senior vice president
women
24%
people of color
Women
25,000
People of color
23
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Walmart today
More than
1.3 million
U.S. associates
More than
800,000
International
associates
Walmart is one of the most diverse
Our associates
57% – women 39% – people of color
Management associates
45% – women 29% – people of color
24 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
employers in the U.S.
Our workforce
760,000
258,000
172,000
45,000
women
African-American
Hispanic
Asian
Approximately
3/4
of store and club
management teams started
as hourly associates.
25
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Meeting the needs of our associates
Associates are our company’s greatest asset – the cornerstone to our continuing
success. As one of the world’s largest employers, we understand the significance
of taking care of our associates. From the competitive wages and market-relevant
health plans we offer, to our commitment to open communication across our global
operations, meeting the needs of our associates is a top priority.
Benefits and
compensation
We all share a common goal: to make the best choices for ourselves
and our families. Walmart recognizes this. Globally, we offer competitive
and equitable compensation and provide more than 1.5 million
associates and their dependents with competitively priced health
insurance options.
U.S. health plans
We continue to listen to our associates and work to keep costs as low as possible. Like other companies, continually rising health care costs
have required us to adjust the cost of our plans. Controlling the cost of coverage isn’t just a challenge for Walmart; it’s a national challenge.
$9.20 75%+
Lowest-cost
full-coverage plan
is $9.20 per week
for associate-only
coverage; $36.95
for families.
Portion of premium plan
costs that we pay for our
associates, which exceeds the
average contribution of other
retailers. Our associates pay
about half the average
premium that other retail
employees pay.
100%
Amount of preventive
care covered. Also,
coverage offers benefits
that include no lifetime
maximum and a
company contribution
of $250 to help pay for
medical expenses.
$0
Increases in out-of-pocket or deductibles
in the HRA or HSA plans offered in 2014.
Some associates chose to enroll in plans
with higher deductibles than they were
enrolled in previously. The net effect is
that the total increase for associates,
including premiums, is less than 3 percent.
More than half of our associates are enrolled in Walmart’s health care coverage.
26 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
27
Eligibility requirements
for associates
To help ensure continued compliance with
new federal health care laws, we changed
the requirement for part-time associates in
2012. As of Jan. 1, 2014, eligibility for hourly
full-time associates is less than a 90-day
waiting period. Otherwise, we’ve already
implemented all other Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act (PPACA) requirements,
such as offering coverage for dependent
children up to age 26.
New plan benefits
U.S.: Centers of Excellence
As health care costs continue to rise, we’re
strengthening our health benefits with
innovative new solutions, like our Centers of
Excellence. We expanded our long-standing
program that covers transplants at the Mayo
Clinic to include treatment for certain heart
and spine surgeries at five leading hospital
and health systems in the U.S. To further
expand this Centers of Excellence program,
Walmart is adding hip and knee replacement
surgeries at four U.S. hospital systems.
Centers of Excellence provide consultations
and care covered at 100 percent without
deductible or coinsurance, plus travel,
lodging and living expenses for the patient
and a caregiver. This provides our associates
the opportunity for exceptional care at
hospitals and medical centers across the
country that specialize in heart, spine and
transplant care.
In providing this service at no cost to our
enrolled associates, we’ve worked with
these Centers of Excellence health systems
to offer exclusive and unique bundled
pricing arrangements for procedures.
Through Centers of Excellence, we’re
working with health care organizations to
collectively share best practices that will
allow collaboration around best measures
of service, quality and new industry findings
in comparison to industry practices.
Centers of Excellence
Seattle, WA
Rochester, MN
Cleveland, OH
Cardiac
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, OH
Geisinger Medical Center
Danville, PA
Irvine, CA
Springfield, MO
Scott & White Memorial Hospital
Temple, TX
Virginia Mason Medical Center
Danville, PA
Baltimore, MD
Scottsdale/Phoenix, AZ
Temple, TX Jacksonville, FL
Seattle, WA
Hip and knee replacements
Spine
Transplants
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Mercy Hospital Springfield
Mayo Clinics
Kaiser Permanente Irvine Medical Center
Scott & White Memorial Hospital
Mercy Hospital Springfield
Virginia Mason Medical Center
Scottsdale/Phoenix, AZ
Rochester, MN
Jacksonville, FL
Baltimore, MD
Irvine, CA
Springfield, MO
Virginia Mason Medical Center
Seattle, WA
Springfield, MO
Temple, TX
Seattle, WA
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Meeting the needs of our associates
U.S.: Domestic
partner benefits
In order to remain competitive in terms of
attracting and retaining great talent to our
company, Walmart is including same-sex and
opposite-sex domestic partners in its 2014
benefit plans in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
This means that Walmart has chosen to offer
benefits to an associate’s same- or oppositesex spouse, or to an unmarried partner,
whether of the same or opposite gender.
Given the diverse world we live in, a
comprehensive package that includes
domestic partner benefits appeals to today’s
workforce. We operate in all 50 states, Puerto
Rico and hundreds of municipalities, and as
clarified under the Supreme Court’s decision
to strike down Section 3 of the Defense of
Marriage Act (DOMA), each of these states is
developing different definitions of marriage,
domestic partner and civil union. By developing
a single definition for all Walmart associates
in the U.S., we’re able to enhance consistency
for associates throughout the country.
U.S.: Vision insurance
Our associates have asked for vision coverage,
and, with our significant workforce base,
Walmart is able to offer this and negotiate a
rate that’s less than associates are paying out
of pocket today. Vision coverage is offered to
all associates, including full-time, part-time
and seasonal associates. The plan offers
quality care, beginning with an eye exam
for as low as $10 that includes screening for
vision problems and other health conditions.
The plan also covers lenses, frames and
contacts, with copays for many services
starting as low as $10.
U.S.: Castlight
We’ve consistently believed there’s a need
to make the cost and quality of health care
transparent. The importance of this step was
underscored by the release of wildly varying
hospital prices from Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services (CMS). In an effort to
achieve transparency, Walmart is offering
Castlight free for associates enrolled in the
HRA or HSA plans. Castlight provides
straightforward information about the quality
of a doctor or facility and how much their
28 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
services cost before you visit. Associates can
search and compare doctors and services
based on cost and quality reviews to decide
what works best for them and their family.
International Benefits
Canada: Just Ask program
To help associates take control of their
health, paramedical coverage has been
enhanced to include registered dietitians
and Walmart pharmacists. The Just Ask
program offers personal, confidential
consultation including:
• Comprehensive education related
to specific health conditions such
as diabetes, high blood pressure
and asthma
• Answers to questions about medications
and self-care
• Follow-up management of a condition
• Personalized review of all medications,
including prescriptions and over-thecounter medications
• One-on-one training on home health
care products, such as blood glucose
meters and asthma spacers
• Smoking cessation education
and support
Mexico: Health and
wellness initiatives
Walmart Mexico is collaborating with the
Mayo Clinic to offer and promote health
and wellness initiatives that motivate our
associates to be informed and choose
a healthy lifestyle. Highlights include:
• E-cards for all associates on a
biweekly basis
• Weekly e-messages on simple, healthy
habits that associates can adopt
• Bimonthly newsletter about important
health and wellness updates
• E-guide on how to live healthier
• Bimonthly communications regarding
seasonal topics and World Health Days
• Live Healthier posters to be displayed
in all stores
Additionally, Walmart Mexico has partnered
with the Instituto Mexicano de Seguridad
Social (IMSS) to utilize our communication
platforms, including Walmart TV and our
website, to provide all associates with
valuable information regarding how to help
prevent certain health conditions such as
diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Financial benefits
for U.S. associates
Financial benefits for our eligible full-time and
part-time U.S. associates include 401(k), bonus
incentives and stock purchase plans. We
match contributions made to the Walmart
401(k) Plan dollar-for-dollar up to 6 percent of
annual pay, as well as to the Associate Stock
Purchase Plan by matching up to 15 percent
of the first $1,800 purchased each plan year.
Associates who choose to invest in the
custom-designed target date funds have
access to professional money management
with fees as low as 0.32 percent.
Associate discounts
In 12 countries, we provide a discount
program for full-time and part-time
associates on purchases in our stores,
ranging from 5 to 10 percent. Discounted
categories vary from country to country, and
some provide additional discounts during
the holidays. For example, over the past five
years, we have provided U.S. associates a
10 percent discount on all products during
the Christmas holidays. To align with
our commitment to healthier living, our U.S.
associates also receive a 10 percent discount
year-round on fresh fruits and vegetables, in
addition to most general merchandise within
the stores. Additionally, hourly store associates
who worked the Black Friday event received
a 25 percent discount opportunity.
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
29
“Listen to your associates. The folks on the
front lines – the ones who actually talk
to the customer – are the only ones who
really know what’s going on out there.”
– Sam Walton
Associate
engagement
Engaging our associates
Listen to everyone in your company is one
of Sam Walton’s 10 Rules for building a great
business. One way we continue to build on
his legacy of listening to our associates is
through our global Associate Engagement
Survey (AES). While this aspect of the Grass
Roots process has evolved and improved
over time, what has remained constant is its
purpose: listening to our associates and
continually finding ways to improve.
For more than five decades, our associates
have served as the core ingredient to our
success and growth. From our associates
in the field to those working in our home
offices, we use information gathered from the
global AES and Grass Roots process to build
highly engaged teams and foster a work
environment that helps serve our customers.
In 2013, the survey was made available to
all associates around the globe. More than
2 million participated in the survey, with a
global participation rate of 88 percent.
Even in challenging economic times, most
business units and markets experienced
notable improvements in engagement
scores. Only a few experienced slight declines.
However, most compared favorably to
external benchmark results. Approximately
four of five associates said they are proud
to work for Walmart.
In addition to measuring associate engagement,
the results represent the starting point for
Grass Roots feedback sessions. In these
sessions, managers and associates collaborate
to create detailed action plans to address
opportunities for improvement and identify
strategies to raise and maintain engagement
in their areas. In the U.S. alone, management
implemented more than 16,000 action plans
within three months of the results being
made available. As a result of increases
in action planning activity, we’ve seen a
renewed focus on improving all factors that
drive engagement.
Open Door policy
Our management believes open
communication is critical to understanding
and meeting our associates’ and our customers’
needs. Associates can trust and rely on the
Open Door, as it’s a cornerstone of our
Walmart Culture.
From the beginning, Walmart has maintained
an Open Door policy to provide our
associates an avenue to express their ideas
and concerns without fear of retaliation. As
we’ve grown as a company, we’ve continued
to evolve our Open Door to meet the needs
of our associates.
In April 2011, we implemented the following
three-step enhancement to our existing
Open Door policy for all Walmart U.S., Sam’s
Club, Logistics and Transportation associates:
• Step 1: Associate speaks to the
facility manager.
• Step 2: If the associate feels their
concern is unresolved, they contact
their market or divisional team.
• Step 3: If the associate’s concern is still
unresolved, they contact the Open Door
Helpline, where an Associate Relations
Manager conducts an independent
investigation.
This enhancement of the Open Door policy
has been well-received, with the Open Door
Helpline taking more than 28,000 calls from
February 2013 through January 2014. This
process continues to help us improve our
business and bring closure to concerns in a
timely manner, reinforcing our corporate
culture and instilling Respect for the Individual.
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Building for the future
To align with Walmart’s business needs and the world’s changing demographics, we
continually evolve our efforts to attract the best talent in a fiercely competitive labor
market. By building a robust pipeline of talent and offering our associates unparalleled
growth and career opportunities, we’re building the Next Generation Walmart.
Recruiting
776,000 associates hired across the world, approximately
9,000 of which were hired into management positions
in 2013.
People just beginning their careers choose to join Walmart.
70 percent of new hires last year were Millennials.
Career website enhancements
The importance of creatively reaching top talent in every corner of the globe has never been
greater – and that has driven many of the enhancements made to our career website and
social media platforms. The enhanced website was designed for optimum performance on
a variety of devices, including personal computers, tablets and mobile phones, while taking
into account the habits and tendencies of our target audience. The ability to apply using a
mobile device is increasingly important to our applicants.
Improving our career website content areas around culture, benefits, hiring events and
leadership programs, as well as adding keyword search capabilities, improved the candidate
experience for the 15 million unique visitors that viewed more than 47.2 million pages on our
website. In 2013, we received more than 50,000 applications per month for home office,
distribution center, logistics and field management postitions in the U.S., and approximately
3.7 million applications for store and club hourly positions in the U.S.
30 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
31
walmartcareers.wordpress.com
Recruiting social media presence
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
GlassDoor
Blog
330,572 followers
Awards and
recognition
49,151 fans
19,929 followers
13,623 views
• The Talent Board’s 2013 North American
Candidate Experience Award
• MobileWebAward for Outstanding
219,908 page views
37,220 views in 115 different countries
Mobile Website
• WebAward for Military Standard of Excellence
for Walmartcareerswithamission.com
Social media and mobile
College relations
Virtual interviewing
Sharing relevant career-related content to
multiple social media platforms, including
LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram,
has given job seekers an inside look at what
it’s like to work at our company. We also
launched a Walmart-branded GlassDoor
page and the Walmart Careers blog in 2013
to expand our employment brand and
messaging to external candidates. Together,
those sources provide an opportunity to
connect tech-savvy job seekers looking for
career advice and job opportunities with
our company.
In addition to our standard college recruiting
efforts, we launched a new International
Academy program in 2013. The International
Academy program recruits students who
have completed degrees at American
universities to work in an accelerated
program. It begins with a corporate
position and ends in the international
market that correlates with the student’s
home country in Brazil, China or Mexico.
In addition to face-to-face interviews,
virtual interviewing technology was
leveraged to reduce expenses, while
also allowing recruiters and hiring
managers to meet the candidates. As
a result of using GreenJobInterview
(live two-way interviews) and HireVue
(recorded interviews), we saved more
than $5.5 million in 2013 by conducting
5,000 virtual interviews.
In 2013, more than $5.5 million
saved with virtual interviews
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Building for the future
Talent
development
Developing our talent
Global Learning
Management
System (GLMS)
Our Global Learning Management
System provides delivery, assessment
and reporting on the full scope of
critical learning activities to our
associates. In 2013, we launched more
than 80 million learning activities.
We’re proud of the growth opportunities we provide our associates
through access to optimum training, diverse experiences and
education. We offer career advancement opportunities and grow our
talent aggressively. Our Global Talent Management team develops
existing talent through programs such as Mentor Me, the Business
Leadership Series and Leadership Academy, all of which impact
associates across the globe.
Executive Development
Sessions (EDS)
This speaker series offers all officers exposure
to various speakers and thought leaders.
Sessions are typically held once per quarter
and provide a variety of speakers, including
authors, professors and business leaders. In
2013, topics included innovation, collaboration,
trend spotting and business ethics.
Mentor program
Walmart’s Mentor Me program empowers
associates to take an active role in their
development by providing resources, tools
and events to encourage connectivity and
drive effective mentorships. Open to all
associates, Mentor Me is a self-directed
program designed to assist in creating and
sharing diverse knowledge, experiences and
perspectives around the globe.
Summer internship program
We’re committed to attracting, developing
and retaining diverse talent across the
32 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
organization. Our corporate summer
internship program attracts the highestcaliber students from a variety of colleges
and universities, and provides an exceptional
learning experience. Our interns represent a
great variety of ethnicities and backgrounds,
including African-American, Asian/Pacific
Islander, Hispanic, Native American/Alaskan
Native and Caucasian, and bring unique
perspectives that are extremely valuable to
the success of our program and business.
They participate in a variety of developmental
activities that provide exposure to senior
leaders, mentors, associates across the
organization and community service
opportunities, while they build strong
relationships with each other that can last
throughout their career. The program’s
conversion rate has consistently been a
success, with the majority of those in the
2013 intern class receiving job offers. In the
summer of 2014, we’ll welcome our next
group of 275 interns to Bentonville, Ark.
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
33
Global leadership development
Learn the Business, International
and U.S. Audience: Learn the Business
is a monthly informational series available
to all associates which provides exposure
into various business segments and shows
how those areas impact our company goals
and objectives. Associates benefit from
the enhancement of business acumen
to improve their business decisions and
leadership skills. Learn the Business also
offers senior leadership a forum to share
valuable information about their business
unit and to meet associates who have an
interest in seeking career opportunities
within the area.
Leadership Core: Foundational,
competency-based development for
associates at all career levels to improve
productivity. Leadership Core is composed
of 70 courses and more than 150 hours of
training that every business unit can align in
order to develop its associates and meet its
unique business needs. Leadership Core is
designed to teach leadership skills that are
unique and critical to specific levels in the
organization.
Benefits:
• Integration with functional training
and execution through associate
training plans
• Customized content for Walmart
associates based in the Walmart
leadership context
• Diverse scenarios and case studies from
all business units
• Blended learning delivery: e-learning,
classroom training, self-paced
worksheets, leaders as teachers
• Content directly aligned to Walmart’s
Universal Competency Model and our
Basic Beliefs
Leadership Foundations:
I. Program affiliation
Leadership Foundations is a 12-month
curriculum presented by Global
Leadership Development, a part of the
Global Talent Management Division of
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
II. Relationship to knowledge base
Leadership Foundations is a series of
entry-level leadership courses based
upon the leadership profit relationship
model. These courses present the
participant with theories, concepts and
skills targeting operational leadership
and performance management.
III. Goal
The goal of Leadership Foundations is to
provide participants with the opportunity
to learn and practice operational leadership
skills and associate management skills.
Such skills should lead to an increase in
associate engagement of participants’
direct reports, thus leading to an overall
increase in customer service, organizational
vitality and, in turn, profit.
IV. Content
Leadership Foundations curriculum is
divided into two delivery methods:
classroom instruction and self-directed
learning partnered with participants’
managers. The classes cover a basic
orientation and overview, a behavioral
profiling assessment, multiple courses
focused on intra- and interpersonal
relationships, and a capstone event that
challenges participants to utilize all the
skills acquired during the program
against a variety of leadership challenges.
The program ends with a graduation
ceremony that allows participants to
reflect back on their leadership journey
and prepare for future growth and
development.
HR Development Series: Monthly
one-hour webinars that provide HR
development for all HR associates throughout
the company. The program also provides
no-cost continuing education training to our
HR associates for HRCI recertification hours
for those who have their GPHR/PHR/SPHR
certification. The program allows Walmart to
leverage our internal talent for their personal
development and the development of other
associates. Topics that were discussed in
2013 include: ADAAA, FMLA, Employee
Recognition, Culture, New I-9 Form, Worker’s
Compensation, Military Leave Law and
Policy: USERRA, and Legal Employment Law
Update. In 2013, 2,630 associates attended
the HR Development Series.
Global People Academy: Overall
framework for all HR Development programs.
The Global People Academy provides
education, experiences and exposures to
advance the leadership pipeline within the
organization. As HR, we are always focused
on providing development for the businesses
we support. The academy is designed to help
us focus on developing ourselves. Benefits
to associates: empowers Human Resource
associates at all levels to expand their skill sets
and capabilities in their current positions and
prepares HR associates for future positions.
Benefit to the company: provides an internal
talent pool of highly effective, promotable
HR associates.
Walton Institute: Leads management
associates through an in-depth examination
of leadership in Walmart’s culture. The
program, founded in 1985, centers on
understanding, internalizing, navigating and
perpetuating Walmart culture. In 2013, more
than 2,600 managers and directors from
across the company attended 76 classes in
12 countries.
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Building for the future
Talent
development
continued
52
senior executives completed
37% women 20% people of color
40 participants over 2 years
High-potential programs
Developmental programs designed for top-talent associates provide exposure to all aspects
of Walmart’s global responsibility, including social and environmental issues. Participants are
taught to understand the holistic business and to innovate in expanding the positive impacts
of our global operations and footprint. Participants gain knowledge and form perspective
on topics such as sustainability and women’s economic empowerment, and their impact
on our business, customers and stakeholders. These top-talent programs also focus learning
on specific aspects of our business strategy. For example, a week in Leadership Academy
focuses on the Increase Trust with Stakeholders imperative. By the end of our top talent
programs, all participants have been immersed in understanding Walmart’s unparalleled
reach and potential as a positive force in the world.
Business Leadership Series 2.0: Development opportunity for our top talent from
all divisions, functions and markets around the world. Company officers work together to
develop cross-functional business knowledge and refine their leadership skills to prepare for
expanded roles, build global networks and share best practices. Participants are nominated
by their respective leadership teams, and sessions are facilitated by our CEO and other senior
executives. In 2013, 52 senior executives participated in the program, 37 percent of whom were
women and 20 percent of whom were people of color.
Key Leader Program: Facilitates open conversation on topics relevant to the success
45% women 28% people of color
of Walmart and provides leaders opportunities to grow their networks across the company.
Approximately 40 mid-level leaders from around the world participate in each development
session. In 2013, 45 percent of participants were women and 28 percent were people of color.
18 associates completed
HR Development Program (HRDP): Addresses the development needs of top talent
within Human Resources on leadership competencies and business knowledge. The program
audience consists of vice presidents and senior directors from Global People, International HR,
home offices around the world, Sam’s Club HR and Walmart U.S. Participants are identified
by their respective leadership team and approved by Global People Division leadership. In 2013,
18 associates completed the sessions, of whom 61 percent were women and 39 percent were
people of color.
61% women 39% people of color
28
associates completed
64% women 36% people of color
Emerging Leaders: Delivers the developmental needs of top talent within Human
Resources on leadership competencies and business knowledge. The program audience consists
of senior managers and directors from Global People, International HR, home offices around the
world, Sam’s Club HR and Walmart U.S. Participants are identified by their respective leadership
team and approved by Global People Division leadership. In 2013, 28 associates completed the
sessions, of whom 64 percent were women and 36 percent people of color.
Global Leadership Institute (GLI): A selective program for top talent director and
265 associates participated
12 sessions
Asia, Canada, U.S.
34 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
senior director associates from around the globe with a goal to grow their leadership skills through
participation in assessments, personal coaching and group discussions. GLI was created to help
leaders expand their capabilities and build the skills necessary to lead our company through the
challenges we face globally. The program is in alignment with our Next Generation Walmart talent
focus, as well as with our strategic corporate talent development objectives. This four-day session
focuses on enhancing critical competencies, including strategy, global mindset and execution of
results. In 2013, 265 associates participated in 12 sessions in Asia, Canada and the U.S.
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
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“The Walmart International Academy creates
the path for our leaders of tomorrow. Graduates
hit the ground running.”
– Doug McMillon, president and CEO, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Building Opportunities through Leadership
Development (BOLD) Women’s Program
Walmart International
Academy
Walmart is on a mission to become the best place to work for women at all levels. BOLD is
a global, selective, specialized leadership development program for female directors and
senior directors. It’s designed to prepare selected associates for expanded or next-level roles
by targeting Walmart-specific leadership competencies, practicing skills essential to growth
and development, and leveraging relationships with peers and company leaders.
Walmart’s International Academy focuses on
building talent capabilities at the inception
of an individual’s career and fuels a pipeline
of high-performing talent to critical markets
at a pace that successfully accommodates
growth expectations. The Academy focuses
on four functional areas: Merchandising,
Replenishment, Logistics and Real Estate, and
provides developmental opportunities for
new hires and current associates. Each pillar
of the program adheres to the standardized
framework of on-boarding, training,
experiential learning and capstone, with
a specific focus on developing functional
expertise. Participants receive strategically
designed leadership development that
allows them to return to their individual
markets as Walmart cultural ambassadors
and change agents. More than half of the
program graduates are female, and a
number of Academy graduates who have
returned to market have been promoted or
have shifted to roles where they have been
given greater business responsibility.
The program, piloted in August 2013, is a two-and-a-half-day event, but the BOLD experience
continues throughout the year, as participants complete a Pay It Forward project focused on
advancing and developing Next Generation talent via the pillars of Walmart’s Global Women’s
Strategy. A total of 94 women, representing nine divisions within Walmart, were nominated
and attended in 2013.
BOLD provides exposure to senior leaders and the opportunity to learn unique lessons from
those who have advanced through the company. Nearly 95 percent of the associates who
went through the October 2013 session indicated that BOLD was one of the most valuable
development experiences they’ve had as a leader.
Leadership Academy
This developmental program selects and systematically accelerates top talent leaders.
Leadership Academy identifies top leaders at multiple levels throughout the business,
develops them in a cross-functional environment, connects them to key executives and
injects them back into the business as leader teachers. In addition to developing retail
leaders, the course is designed to prepare participants to lead with a strong sense of global,
environmental and social responsibility through special projects, intentional discussion and
education. All divisions, functions and geographic regions of the organization are integrated
into courses, and graduates are placed in new roles with a heightened sense of awareness
and responsibility soon after completion of the program.
In 2013, Leadership Academy broadened its global reach to include associates from eight
countries: Argentina, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, India, U.K. and the U.S. A total of
134 associates completed the program, 49 percent of whom were women. More than
500 leaders have successfully completed Leadership Academy since its inception in 2008.
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Committed to ethics and integrity
Our culture of ethics and integrity – the attitudes and conduct that create an honest,
fair and legal workplace – has been a constant throughout our history. It defines who
we are as a company, and how we as associates treat each other, our suppliers and
our customers.
“Trust and integrity are what underpin our entire business.”
– Doug McMillon, president and CEO, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Ethics and integrity
Global Ethics continues to ensure tools and resources provided to
associates remain relevant, while promoting and recognizing ethical
decision-making across our operations. In FY2014, we structured our
global teams to provide world-class service through governance,
systems, analytics, ethics training, awareness and corporate-support
programs. In FY2014, we aligned Regional Ethics Officers with our
international regions, EMEA, LATAM and Asia, and increased ethics
staff in our international countries to support implementation and
drive the execution of our ethics work. These changes are a result of
our continued commitment to maintaining our foundation of integrity.
Ethics reporting and case management
Our governance is driven by the following:
Global helpline: Available where we
source and in all operating markets, with
additional local helplines.
My work
Mi trabajo
Walmartethics.com: Website available
Ask an
ethics question.
Hagan preguntas sobre ética.
Report concerns.
Denuncien inquietudes.
Speak up
for integrity!
¡Hablen a favor
de la integridad!
We’re here to help.
Estamos aquí para ayudarles.
walmartethics.com o 1-800-WM-ETHIC 1-800-963-8442
Confidential & Anonymous
Confidencial y Anónimo
Global Ethics Office
36 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
in 14 languages and accessible globally,
where stakeholders can ask questions, read
our Statement of Ethics, submit ethics
concerns and follow up on a previously
reported concern.
Global case management system:
Global Case
Management System
This provides us a global view
to identify trends, spot issues
and identify the appropriate
business leaders we can work
with to implement systemic
controls and prevent future issues.
A repository and a system to manage
our cases.
Consistent case management
process: Our ethics associates are trained
to follow the same procedures globally. This
establishes consistency in the handling of
any concerns raised by stakeholders.
Challenge
We’re overcoming language and cultural
barriers to make the global program more
effective through strengthened relationships
with our international associates.
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
Training
Ethics education aims to deliver a globally
consistent experience for associates through:
New associate orientation materials
for field and home office associates
Statement of Ethics e-learning
modules for new and existing home
office associates
Instructor-led ethics training for new
home office associates, new or recently
promoted officers and select field associates
in the U.S. and international markets.
The Global Ethics Education program
expanded to include further implementation
of these training elements for enhanced
consistency in our U.S. field and corporate
facilities, the majority of our international
field and corporate facilities, as well as our
Global Leverage and eCommerce organizations.
Challenge
Technology and infrastructure constraints
present challenges when deploying learning
globally. To overcome this, Global Ethics has
collaborated with Compliance and Human
Resources to pilot and deploy a Learning
Management System in select international
markets. This multiyear project will yield a
single, consistent platform for learning globally.
37
Statement of Ethics
e-learning modules
• E nsures associates in our
home offices around the
world receive new-hire and
ongoing training.
•P
rovides globally consistent
ethics messages and key
learnings about the Statement
of Ethics.
• Establishes market relevance
via local customization,
branding and translation.
Meet Sanjeev Kumar, Associate, Best Price, India
Sanjeev received the Integrity in Action Award for declining an offer from a competitor for 25 percent
of his annual salary every month in exchange for confidential pricing information. He promptly reported
the incident, and his actions protected shareholder value and our customers.
Awareness
Ethics communications in each of our retail
markets and business units around the world
include the following:
Helpline/gifts and entertainment
posters are provided for display in every
Walmart facility.
Integrity in Action Award associate
recognition program conducted annually.
Leadership Speaks Series, or similar
senior leadership platform, where associates
have the opportunity to hear local leaders
discuss the importance of integrity.
Five-Minute Integrity Focus, or
similar manager discussion tool, to foster
dialogue between associates and managers
about integrity.
Walmartethics.com local content
reviewed and updated at least quarterly.
Our Integrity in Action Award program
recognizes associates who demonstrate
integrity through consistent actions and
words, and inspire other associates to
always do the right thing. By sharing
associate stories, the program fosters
and sustains our culture of integrity that
has and will continue to drive our success.
The program is based on voluntary
nominations received from our associates,
who then vote to determine a recipient from
each market. In 2013, we received more than
3,900 nominations and nearly 200,000 votes
from our associates around the world.
Fourteen recipients from 13 countries
traveled to Northwest Arkansas to be
recognized by Cindy Moehring, senior vice
president and global chief ethics officer, at
the International Associates’ Conference. In
addition, they were recognized by Rob
Walton, Chairman – Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.,
in the opening of the company’s Annual
Shareholders’ Meeting.
Five-Minute
Integrity Focus
Our managers use this
one-page tool to lead
conversations about integrity
with their direct reports and
teams. It can be customized for
different international
countries, and topics are chosen
monthly based on ethics case
trends and business needs. This
fosters an environment where
associates feel comfortable
discussing ethical dilemmas
and questions.
Challenge
Message translation is a challenge across
cultures. We continue to work with our
in-country team members to find the right
words and tone to ensure that our training
and awareness materials are accurate and feel
conversational to facilitate understanding.
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38 Compliance and sourcing
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Compliance and sourcing
So many ways to
make a difference
with our suppliers
Walmart’s culture is built on a foundation of acting with integrity and the highest
ethical standards. Our global compliance program is an extension of Sam Walton’s
belief in personal integrity and accountability for each Walmart associate, vendor
and supplier. He said, “Personal and moral integrity is one of our basic fundamentals –
and it has to start with each of us.”
As we continue to grow globally, those words remain as important today as when
he spoke them. With our growth, this core belief continues to shape our organization
and compliance program. The company remains committed to strong and effective
global compliance in every country where we operate. Recently, we’ve made further
enhancements to the compliance programs in all international markets, focusing on
processes, procedures and people. These steps reflect Walmart’s commitment at all
levels of our leadership to continually reinforce compliance function in our businesses
around the world.
38 | Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
Walmart 2014 Global Responsibility Report
In this section
40
Compliance
40 Compliance program
44 Labor and employment
46
Safety
46
47
47
48
Food safety
Product safety
Environmental compliance
Health and safety
50
Responsible sourcing
52
53
54
55
56
58
60
Walmart makes a difference in
the lives of people all over the
world every day.
Empowerment
Supply chain capacity building
Worker safety and well-being
Audits
Transparency
Global audit results
Collaboration
39
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62 Social
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80 Environment
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108 Local markets
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166 Our progress
Compliance
A global approach
Compliance
program
Walmart has maintained a compliance program in each of our markets
for years. Throughout 2013, we brought together our 11 separate
compliance organizations into a single, coordinated Global Compliance
Program. Each of our 2.2 million associates worldwide has a role to play
in operating a compliant business. A global approach to complianc...
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