Walmart's Views on Social Responsibility

Wal-Mart is well known as a socially responsible company, and is constantly trying to improve upon their track record. Because Wal-Mart purchases product from so many suppliers around the word it is very difficult to police all of them. Not only is it difficult logistically, but it also requires a large portion of the budget to make sure that their suppliers are behaving in the standard that Wal-Mart deems necessary based on their Ethical Standards for Suppliers document. It is due to this high regard for social responsibility, in keeping with Wal-Mart’s credo, that the company goes to such great lengths to enforce these standards, not only on their employees, but on their suppliers as well.
Wal-Mart has set forth specific ethical principles that it believes all of its suppliers should adhere to. They require there suppliers to be in compliance with all national, state, or local laws with regards to such things as labor, health and safety, and environment. They also are adamantly opposed to child labor. All labor must be voluntary, and work hours must be reasonable. Wal-Mart’s suppliers must also pay their employees’ wages that at least match what the lowest allowable wages are according to their government, whether it is local or national.
Wal-Mart also places a major emphasis on safe workplaces from their suppliers. Many of the infractions that the Wal-Mart Social Responsibility Team finds are in reference to safety violations in the workplace. This could be a violation from an extremely hazardous nature, such as improperly maintained dangerous equipment to employees lifting loads that are slightly heavier than what is acceptable. Along with employee safety, there is also Wal-Marts standard of environmental safety. This will include such things as the reduction of pollution, by creating better methods for the disposal of potentially hazardous materials, and making sure that this is done in accordance with all local laws.
An anti-corruption policy is also