Given Walmart’s global reach, you may wonder – is Walmart ethical? We have compiled all the information we have been able to find regarding Walmart’s business practices.
About Walmart
Wal-Mart Corporation is one of the largest international American retailers in the world, with a chain of hypermarkets, department stores, and grocery stores based in the United States, with its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Is Walmart Ethical?
In regards to Walmart’s status as an ethical brand by the year 2022, there are conflicting reports. Despite Walmart’s contributions to local organizations and charities, the company pays low wages to its employees and does not offer them access to health insurance policies. In the future, Walmart plans on becoming more sustainable by providing sustainability training to employees.
Is Walmart An Ethical Place To Shop?
Walmart is ethical to some extent, so whether you shop there or not ultimately comes down to your choice. Walmart provides significant financial support to local charities on a year-round basis, including Youth Build and Higher Education Policy. Bloomberg published that Walmart is one of the biggest philanthropic organizations in the country. This is not to say that Walmart does not engage in unethical practices that contribute to increasing the amount of air pollution and water pollution and the loss of natural ecosystems and habitats. One of the unethical methods Walmart employs is building stores on land that used to be occupied by several endangered and critically endangered species.
Aside from that, the company has also abandoned several locations, leaving behind several empty buildings.
Where Does Walmart Stand on Ethical Issues?
Walmart has been in the news for some ethical infractions concerning its commitment to environmentally friendly practices, including the following:
Keeping wages low by paying staff low wages and actively striving to maintain them and not providing employees with health insurance that is affordable or accessible. In addition, the company frequently locates its stores on virgin land (which is home to a variety of microcosms and ecosystems).
As Walmart’s demand for meat products has increased, many farmers have been replaced by larger corporations. It is in opposition to “sustainable agriculture”.
What Is Walmart’s Code Of Ethics?
Walmart does not have a public code of ethics. Nonetheless, it does have a code of conduct that is incorporated into every aspect of its business and consists of the following principles:
Individual respect
Aim for excellence
Service to customers
Maintain integrity
Walmart has donated how much money to charity?
Media reports indicate that Walmart has donated over $500,000,000 to local charities and not-for-profit organizations in the United States. According to Walmart FYE, the following data have been used to calculate this figure:
As a result of the increase, Walmart has contributed $378 million more to local organizations since 2008.
According to Walmart, in 2009 the company donated $45.5 million to international markets and charities. This was an increase from the amount reported in 2007 of $41 million.
Through its in-store donation programs and charity programs, Walmart customers and associates have donated upward of $106 million globally.
Retail giant Walmart predicted in 2010 that 1.5 million hours would be volunteered through its volunteer programs by both employees and customers.
Does Walmart’s Clothing Meet Ethical Standards?
There have been reports that Walmart does not treat its workers fairly when sourcing its clothing. A recent report from The Business Insider described Walmart as continuing to source clothing from a Bangladeshi manufacturer called Mars Apparels. Since Mars Apparels had been exposed for forcing staff to work long hours for very little pay in 2011, Walmart canceled its contract with the garment manufacturer. According to U.S. shipping records, the Bangladeshi owners said they were still working with Walmart two years after Walmart terminated their contract. Walmart’s clothing is not ethically made as a result of this.
How Does Walmart Ensure Sustainability?
The following goals were published by Walmart this week to ensure that its future is more sustainable:
Responsible sourcing of goods
helps reduce emissions
and reduce waste
to protect the environment and ecosystems
ecosystems
Decarbonize the company
Walmart’s sustainability initiatives: what has it done?
To increase its level of sustainability, Walmart has taken the following steps:
Wind and solar energy installations
Eighty-one percent of its waste will not end up in landfills by 2020 as it becomes a regenerative company
You might also find it interesting to explore whether Walmart is unionized, what Walmart’s target market is, or why people dislike Walmart if you wish to learn more about it.
Conclusion
In terms of ethical engagement with Walmart, there are mixed reviews when it comes to the retailer. Despite this, Walmart has clearly expressed its willingness to become a sustainable and ethical company in the future. Wal-Mart plans to switch its product packaging over to 100% recyclable and compostable by the end of the 2025 fiscal year. Also, Walmart hopes to reach its zero carbon emissions target by 2040. In addition, Walmart is also expecting to reach its renewable energy target by 2035.
What are Walmart’s ethical and social responsibilities?
“Global Responsibility” is the term used by Walmart to describe its social responsibility. For the past 15 years, Walmart has contributed to global responsibility. Initiatives under global responsibility can contribute to a positive change in the corporate culture by enabling people to share values and contribute to a more unified business environment.
