Better Health for All
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Walmart accrued a liability of approximately $3.3 billion in fiscal year 2023 for opioid-related settlements, indicating multiple serious safety incidents and major health-harming externalities.
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This also points to insufficient addiction controls despite high-risk products. The company demonstrates strong reach to vulnerable populations, with approximately 90% of the U.S. population living within 10 miles of a store or club, 4,000 stores located in U.S. medical professional shortage areas, and acceptance of SNAP benefits in all 50 states.
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Walmart also launched a Healthcare Research Institute to improve care for underserved communities.
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For mental health, Walmart offers comprehensive behavioral and mental health services, including virtual care with psychiatrists and psychologists, expanded to cover about 1 million employees and their families.
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Fair Money & Economic Opportunity
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No specific, quantitative data points were found in the provided articles to assess Walmart against the defined Key Performance Indicators for Fair Money & Economic Opportunity. While the articles mention initiatives such as the 'Grow with US' program
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and Walmart Marketplace Capital for small businesses,
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grants for Black-owned businesses,
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and funding for financial literacy initiatives for underserved communities,
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,
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none provide the required percentages of customers, APRs, revenue shares, measured outcomes, or other specific metrics to score any of the KPIs according to the rubric's quantitative thresholds. The company's primary business is retail, and the financial-related activities mentioned lack the granular data needed for evaluation against the strict rubric criteria.
Fair Pay & Worker Respect
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Walmart employs approximately 2.1 million associates worldwide.
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Less than 1% of its global workforce is covered by collective bargaining agreements, with 14,000 workers in Chile
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and an unspecified number at a Mississauga warehouse being unionized.
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Unifor filed complaints in late 2023 alleging unfair labor practices by Walmart Canada, including a wage freeze for unionized workers while non-unionized workers received increases,
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and accusations of distributing anti-union materials and holding captive audience meetings.
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In 2014, the National Labor Relations Board filed a complaint alleging Walmart illegally fired and disciplined employees for participating in protected union activities.
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The company faces other allegations and lawsuits: In December 2024, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed a lawsuit alleging illegal pay practices affecting over a million delivery drivers in Walmart's Spark program, requiring costly deposit accounts.
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In October 2024, the National Women's Law Center filed complaints alleging Walmart fired a pregnant employee in Ohio, indicating a pattern of discrimination.
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A lawsuit was also filed in July 2022 alleging violations of Philadelphia’s Fair Workweek ordinance due to unexpected schedule changes.
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Walmart denies these allegations.
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,
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,
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,
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Walmart states it regularly reviews fair-pay practices and offers benefits including 401(k) match, paid parental leave, and health services.
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The company introduced a program for skilled tradespeople and offers up to $1,000 in annual bonuses to 700,000 eligible frontline workers.
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Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing
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A federal court case found a Walmart supplier guilty of conspiracy to commit forced labor, and a New York Times investigation revealed a Walmart supplier illegally using child migrant labor.
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For high-risk materials, in fiscal year 2025, 48.5% of private brand palm oil and 46.6% of private brand pulp, paper, and timber products were not certified or verified as deforestation-free and conversion-free.
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However, 0.5% of private brand soy products were not verified as deforestation-free and conversion-free.
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For conflict minerals, Walmart concluded that identified gold and tungsten in jewelry originated from conformant smelters or recycled/scrap sources, or did not originate from covered countries, with no reason to believe they financed armed groups.
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Honest & Fair Business
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Walmart has a robust Global Anti-Corruption Policy that prohibits bribery by associates and third-party intermediaries, available in multiple languages.
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Following past FCPA violations, the company significantly strengthened its program by enhancing policies, procedures, internal controls, risk assessments across international markets, and on-site global anti-corruption audits.
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It also enhanced internal controls on the selection and use of third-party intermediaries, implemented an automated global license management system and a global donation management system, and enhanced its Global Anti-Corruption Training and Awareness Program, with 97% of assigned associates completing Code of Conduct training.
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The program is overseen by the Board's Audit Committee and a Global Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer.
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Walmart was recognized by NYSE Governance Services in 2016 for its "Best Governance, Risk, and Compliance Program."
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For transparency, Walmart scored 17 out of 100 on the KnowTheChain ICT 2025 index.
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The company has a formal whistle-blower policy that prohibits retaliation against associates who raise concerns, treats reports as confidentially as possible, and allows anonymous reporting to the extent allowed by law.
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Multiple channels are provided, including a 24/7 global helpline available in most local languages.
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Additionally, 75% of Walmart's Board of Directors members are independent, and all members of the Audit, Compensation and Management Development, and Nominating and Governance Committees are independent.
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Kind to Animals
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Walmart's animal agriculture practices are characterized by extreme confinement, specifically the continued use of gestation crates in its pork supply chain.
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Despite a 2012 investigation revealing severe animal cruelty at a supplier,
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and a decade of "review" since 2015,
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Walmart has not set measurable targets for transitioning to group housing, unlike competitors who have committed to or achieved 100% group sow housing.
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Walmart's fresh pork suppliers abide by the National Pork Board’s Pork Quality Assurance Plus Program, which does not prohibit gestation crates.
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In terms of public policy engagement, Walmart opposed a May 2024 shareholder proposal to transition from gestation crates,
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arguing its current policies meet requirements.
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For cage-free sourcing, 27.7% of Walmart U.S. shell eggs and 65.0% of Sam's Club U.S. shell eggs were cage-free as of FY2025.
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In wildlife conservation, Walmart's Acres for America program has protected over 2 million acres of wildlife habitat
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and contributed to documented population increases for American oystercatchers (18% from 2018-2023),
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black-footed ferrets (55% from 2016-2022),
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and Southwestern Willow Flycatchers (from 13 to 79 nesting pairs from 2018-2022).
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No War, No Weapons
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Walmart does not derive revenue from arms or defense contracts, and its Walmart.com platform prohibits the sale of "military/police related" products.
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The company has codified ethical red lines, discontinuing the sale of military-style rifles in 2015, and handguns, ammunition for handguns, and short-barrel rifles as of September 2019.
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While these actions limit exposure to controversial weapons, there is no independent verification of zero exposure, and the company continues to sell other firearms. For conflict minerals, Walmart's 2024 reporting shows that 100% of identified tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold (3TG) in its private brand products were sourced from 228 Conformant Smelters certified by the Responsible Minerals Initiative or Responsible Jewelry Council, with no reason to believe these minerals financed armed groups.
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Walmart's human rights due diligence program reflects the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, with the Board reviewing progress annually.
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The company's AI systems are not indicated to have military uses, and there is no defense business for the board to oversee.
Planet-Friendly Business
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Walmart aims to achieve zero emissions by 2040.
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In 2023, 48% of its global electricity needs were supplied by renewable sources.
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Operational emissions (Scopes 1 & 2) decreased by 19.3% relative to 2015
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but increased by 3.9% in 2023.
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In December 2024, the company acknowledged it may miss its interim operational emissions reduction targets of 35% by 2025 and 65% by 2030, compared to 2015 levels, citing external challenges.
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However, through Project Gigaton, Walmart achieved its goal of avoiding one billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from its supply chain by early 2024, six years ahead of its 2030 target.
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In March 2024, Walmart committed to nearly 1 gigawatt of new clean energy projects in the U.S., contributing to its 2030 goal of adding 10 gigawatts of clean energy.
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The company is also exploring drone delivery technology, which can reduce emissions by up to 94% compared to car deliveries.
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Respect for Cultures & Communities
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Walmart demonstrates strong local procurement practices, with 82.8% of merchandise sold in Mexico purchased within the country.
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The company also supports language inclusivity by providing a Walmart Translator app, available in 44 languages, to over 1.6 million associates.
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Safe & Smart Tech
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Walmart experienced a minor data breach in April 2024, affecting 1,800 participants in its 401(k) plan due to a third-party error, which was promptly disclosed and remediated.
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The company demonstrates good compliance with privacy regulations, adhering to laws in 19 U.S. states
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and supporting Global Privacy Control signals.
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However, it is subject to an ongoing FTC and New Jersey Attorney General order for its acquired VIZIO related to data collection and use.
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Walmart has a Responsible AI Pledge
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and an AI governance steering committee with human oversight to prevent biases.
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Users have good control over their data, with rights to access, delete, correct, and opt-out of sale/sharing,
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though opt-out processing can take up to 15 days.
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Additionally, specific platforms are part of the Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Safe Harbor Program.
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Zero Waste & Sustainable Products
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Walmart achieved an 83.5% global operational waste diversion rate by the end of 2024.
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In 2024, 66.1% of its global private brand packaging was designed to be recyclable, reusable, or industrially compostable, while global private brand plastic packaging contained 7.6% post-consumer recycled content.
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The company claims a 21% reduction in the total annual weight of single-use plastic bags across North America since 2020.
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Walmart has implemented several waste reduction initiatives, such as transitioning to recyclable paper mailers (expected to eliminate 65 million plastic bag mailers or over 2,000 tons of plastic),
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offering customers an opt-out for single-use plastic bags, and using right-sized packaging technology in approximately half its fulfillment network (reducing filler by 60% and waste from oversized boxes by 26%).
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It also implemented Denali's Zero De-Pack technology in 1,400 stores, increasing organic content recovery by 60% and reducing trash by 12%.
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Walmart has company-wide waste reduction targets for 2025, including 90% operational waste diversion and 100% recyclable, reusable, or industrially compostable private brand packaging, but does not anticipate meeting its recycled content and virgin material reduction goals for 2025,
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reporting a 5.4% increase in private brand virgin plastic packaging in 2024 from its 2020 baseline.
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Comprehensive waste requirements for suppliers include materials to avoid and fines for non-compliance via its Supplier Quality Excellence Program.
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Additionally, 93.1% of Walmart U.S. food and consumables private brand sales featured the How2Recycle® label in 2024.
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The Walmart Foundation also provided $1.5 million to the Accelerating Circularity initiative to scale textile recycling systems.
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