Corporate Social Responsibility : Walmart

The evolving practices around corporate social responsibility (CSR) provide dynamic, and complex opportunities for business. Overall, businesses are modifying their core purpose from creating shareholder profit toward creating shared value across their stakeholders, with shareholders being only one of the many stakeholders. This paper analyzes the 74th ranked 2014 Fortune Global 500 Company Kroger. Kroger started in 1883 as a local Cincinnati, Ohio grocery store, and has expended to be the second largest retail grocery store in the United States, and fifth largest in the world, owning retail food and drug stores, jewelry stores, and convenience stores in the United States (Kroger, 2015). Kroger remains headquartered in Ohio. An overview of Kroger, and specifically Kroger’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy and implementation will be discussed, followed by a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) CSR analysis informing a concluding plan to enhance Kroger’s CSR maturity.

It is said that “The only social responsibility that there is, is to obey laws and pay taxes,” but according to Milton Friedman, “social responsibility is to increase profits.” This kind of responsibility also a form of giving back. Many people believe that the future of Wal-Mart is sustainability. Wal-Mart Stakeholders are the associates, otherwise known as employees, the suppliers, and the investors of this company. I believe that Wal-Mart is doing enough to become more sustainable both locally and globally by the resources, its key stakeholders.

Social responsibility is an ethical framework which suggests that an organization or individual has an obligation to act for the benefit of society at large. Social responsibility is a duty every organization has to perform so as to maintain a balance between the economy and the environment

Social responsibility is a moral principle that an organization or individual act towards betterment of society at large. It is a duty that every firm and individual should perform to maintain the balance between the environment and economy. Their actions should lead towards sustainable development and safeguard the interests of the coming generations and at the same time fulfilling the needs of present population. The responsibility can be active, by performing activities that directly advance social goals, or passive, by avoiding any engagement in socially harmful act. Walmart being one of the nations largest retailers, corporations, and largest private employer with over a million employees is often targeted for many issues. These issues

Although prices at Wal-Mart are considered as reasonable they are still having their own issues in relation to ethical issues and unethical practices consists of consumers were complaining about how they were not paying what they consider a fair prices for their groceries. Wal-Mart use to cover up what they were doing to their customers the advocate group followed the Food Chain Workers Alliance in order to investigate the root of the problem in the outsourcing ethical systems. Wal-Mart worker are currently complaining they are not being treated fairly because they are overworking their employees and they are not receiving enough pay based on their skills and qualifications they should determine how qualified their employees are for the job of their choice. Wal-Mart just followed existing law.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a sense of responsibility towards a community and the environment which can include contributing to educational and social programs, saving the environment, and volunteering. Companies in high competition with one another often strive to stand out and benefit their reputation for corporate social responsibility by engaging in cause-related marketing. In 1915, M.B. Skaggs, an ambitious young man in the small Idaho town of American Falls, purchased a tiny grocery store from his father. M.B.'s business strategy, to give his customers value and to expand by keeping a narrow profit margin, proved spectacularly successful. In the 1930s, Safeway introduced produce pricing by the pound, adding “sell by” dates on perishables to assure freshness, nutritional

At one time, Sears prided itself as “Where America Shops” by staying in touch with consumers and upholding high product, employer, and customer standards. Today, Sears is struggling to remain a prominent American retailer. The company’s present business model reflects a poor grasp of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Riddled with lawsuits, workplace issues, and a poor reputation with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Sears consumers know today is undesirable.

Walmart has created the Global Ethics to promote its ethical culture to all associates, customers, shareholders, suppliers, and any company or individuals conducting business with them. The Global Ethics provides a Statement of Ethics which serves as a guide and resource in order to reach an ethical decision. Walmart is one of the largest corporations in the United States with a social responsibility to both the customers and the people it employs which is outlined in their Statement of Ethics.

As Sears Holdings has continued to grow so rapidly there has been some down falls within the company, this is not to say that due to the downfalls they cannot have a stronger rising. As the down size to help increase their profits once again, it is seen to be helpful that they have such a great business ethics as their backbone. Being able to rely on the knowledge of creating such a huge corporation should help Sears Holdings to regrow even stronger after a downsize. The course of actions Sears Holdings interprets from the triple bottom line is what is making it possible to regrow not only financially but also sustainably.

Companies today are heavily influenced by the demands of customers and stakeholders. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) refers to the social and environmental responsibility policies and practices developed by an organization to increase its positive influence and reduce its negative activity towards society (Parks, 2008). The business approach and corporate philosophy of an organization is easily altered due to economic pressures, technological improvement and stakeholder needs and demands. "Going green" or being eco-friendly is one such demand. Environmental and sustainability concerns originate most often from governments, consumer activists, and the general public (Schlosser, 2008). Thus, organizations must implement sustainability into daily practices. In addition, sustainability alters the nature of competition and drives companies to think differently about products, processes, and technologies (Parks, 2008).

Corporate social responsibility is very important in a business. Millions of Wal-Mart shoppers feel Wal-Mart is socially responsible for their actions and provides high value (Carroll and Buchholtz 779). As issues of environmental awareness grew, Sam Walton began to think environmentally and made commitments to “land, air and water” (Carroll and Buchholtz 774). Wal-Mart began to be socially responsible for the environment by making shelf tags from “100 percent recycled paper” in hopes of informing customers about Wal-Mart‟s efforts to be environmentally safe (Carroll and Buchholtz 774). On the other hand, some business and communities dread “the winds of the „Wal-Mart Way‟” (Carroll and Buchholtz 774). Carroll and Buchholtz, quoting Kennedy Smith, state that „“downtowns will never again be the providers of the basic consumer goods and services they once were”‟ (774). One of the biggest complaints of communities is that Wal-Mart “kills” small “mom and pop” downtown merchants because they cannot compete with Wal-Mart‟s low prices (Carroll and Buchholtz 774). These small stores have been around for years, and Wal-Mart just comes and takes over. Carroll and Buchholtz say that some retailers believe the methods that Wal-Mart uses/d to compete with their competitors left “bad tastes” in their mouths (775). Retailers told Atlanta

After analyzing the video on whether or not Jim's actions were ethical by not reporting the injury incident, I would have to imply that his dilemma was not only morally unethical, but lawfully unethical as well. By utilizing the deontology model that states to uphold certain underlying principles whether right or wrong and regardless of the circumstances, it is clear this ethical stand-point of "rule-based" approaches has been breached and a company's standard operating procedures were not met. This scenario and terrible decision could possibly result into a world of trouble for Wal-Mart Corporation that can be timely, expensive, and disruptive. Whether illegal or not, because the proper steps were not taken, the injured employee can legally

CSR is the concept that businesses should balance profit-making with activities that benefit society, as Bruce Dayton believed “businesses should act in the best interest of society” (Target, 2015). Accordingly, Target’s commitment is to design tomorrow’s Target through our value chain, building community and creating a great workplace. As such, its 5 core beliefs: innovation, leadership, growth, inclusivity, and community influence its ongoing commitment to CSR. Furthermore, they achieve this by concentrating on:

One of the major shortcomings of the report is that some of Walmart statements regarding its CSR and sustainability activities differs greatly from what some outside advocacy groups and activists are saying about the company’s CSR efforts. The Food Chain Workers Alliance on June 4th , 2015 published a 120 page report about Walmart called “Walmart at the Crossroads, the Environmental and Labor Impact of Its Food Supply” where it questions a lot of Walmart’s practices. The Food Chain Workers Alliance is an advocacy group with more than 300,000 members who work in all-different stages of the food chain from the farm to the restaurant. Its goal is to develop a more sustainable food system while at the same time fight for the rights of workers.

Owing their financial success to a huge volume of low-cost products, Walmart is the largest retailer in the whole world. Perhaps it is Walmart’s immense success that makes it such a controversial company. While it is reported to be a key player in combatting poverty in America, Walmart’s existence in a given community can also be threatening to smaller businesses. Additionally, there is some debate regarding whether Walmart’s treatment of its employees – internationally as well as in the United States – is ethical. This paper will analyze whether Walmart is good for Americans as a whole, or if its existence benefits only an elite few. Does the presence of Walmart present a net cost or net benefit to society?