Walmart Ethics and Compliance

The author of “Working At Wal-Mart,” a case study, provides a stunning overview of a day in the life of a Wal-Mart employee. The sheer number of ethical issues that present themselves for the average Wal-Mart worker are beyond astounding, as Barbara Ehrenreich covers in her study. The sheer morality and care for Wal-Mart staff that is far from evident in this piece speaks to the way that corporate culture has become ethically and morally bankrupt in numerous ways.

The values and attitudes in Walmart’s business situation deals with a lot of the overall ethics. This paper will discuss some situations that comes in walmart .ethics. This paper will include clear definitions of organizational values and a description of the organizational values of Wal-Mart. This research is conducted to understand the success of Walmart’s employment rate. The values and attitudes will be related to some examples of other companies and how Walmart was successful. Some arguments that will be addressed in this research paper is basic and common.

An ethical audit is important to establish the company’s current weaknesses and strengths concerning how it conducts itself in an ethical manner. An ethics audit will involve evaluating the company’s standard of ethic, it ethic climate, and how well the company’s employees follow ethical standards. One of the first things to evaluate in an ethics audit is if a company has a written code of ethics and how comprehensive it is. Moreover, the written code of ethics should apply to everyone in the company from the top down with a clear zero tolerance policy in place for ethics violations. Included in a comprehensive ethics code should be a method for

The CEO and all senior financial officers also have an additional code of ethics. They are responsible for full, accurate, and timely disclosure in reports required to be filed by the SEC. Each member is also required to report any material untrue fact that comes to their attention or any deficiency in the design/operation of internal controls. Each member must report any violation of their code of ethics or any violation of other laws, rules, or regulations (Walmart 9). This additional codes of ethics is important because it holds all of the executives accountable for their actions. This should aid in preventing fraudulent reporting by management because this code can be cited when looking at disciplinary action.

The policy indicates that at any time of a particular case if violations of the code of ethics, the ethical committee will call for an investigation into the case in question. Various actions recommend include;

The term “ethics” is defined as moral principles that govern a person’s or group’s behavior. When speaking of business ethics, one is referring to the study, and examination of moral as well as social responsibility relating to business practices, also including its application to the four functions of management as well as the decision-making process in business (Batesman, pg.167). This internal factor can easily influence the how an organization goes about accomplishing the four functions of management. Wal-Mart, like most businesses believe they uphold ethical standards in their business practice. According to Wal-Mart’s statement of ethics, leading with integrity in a workplace is key to running a business (Wal-Mart Ethics pg.10). Leading with integrity, and expecting teammates to work with integrity is one of their main focuses- Wal-Mart’s original founder Sam Walton said,” that it has always been an ethically led company” (Wal-Mart Ethics pg.4). They follow their three basic beliefs: respect for individuals, service to the customers, and striving for excellence (Wal-Mart Ethics pg.5). Although organizations may have their code of ethics, they still come across the occasional ethical problem in the company. Wal-Mart for example, had an issue with an employee named, Chalace Epley Lowery. Lowery believed that another

With Wal-Mart being the site of various lawsuits little perplexity is left surrounding the multitude of cases involving discrimination and violations of the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) laws. In 2006, there was an average of 5,000 lawsuits per year, or about seventeen suits per day; as well as, a video documentary, that was made public knowledge of the aspects involving Wal-Mart’s policies and procedures, and the company’s regard for respect of its employees (Brantner, 2006). After reviewing, two of the most recent cases of Wal-Mart’s discrimination of the company’s employees, one is left to wonder if there is ever going to be a change in Wal-Mart’s compliance with the EEOC laws?

Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the world; however they are not exempt to acting ethically. In December 2008, Wal-Mart settled 63 laws suits that spans over several years across 42 states accuses Wal-Mart of cheating workers on pay. The settlement cost Wal-Mart $352 million. Based on comments

People know and choose Wal-Mart because of its daily low prices. Wal-Mart sells its bargains every opportunity it gets, and convinces customers forgetting about everything except the low prices. Undoubtedly, Wal-Mart is one of the most successful corporations of all time. However, the tremendous success of Wal-Mart certainly comes with a correspondingly massive amount of responsibility. The strategy of low prices usually comes at a deadly unethical cost. Although some of its business practices such as “Low prices, always”, and helping in saving money are ethical, most of its business practices are unethical.

Wal-Mart was started over fifty years ago in Arkansas and within those fifty years has emerged into the largest retailer in the world. Wal-Mart operates in many countries with thousands of stores and millions of employees. One reason for Wal-Mart’s is the value and hard work they put into upholding their code of ethics. Wal-Mart has three basic beliefs – respect for the individual, service to their customers, and striving for excellence. Of the five key elements that I believe are key foundations for the ethics and character for the company, three come from their basic beliefs. The five key elements of Wal-Mart’s code of conduct are – respect, service to customers, striving for

The following report will discuss American retail giant, Wal-mart’s current ethical and business objectives. The report will look at Wal-mart’s employee relations in regard to discrimination and other various issues involving their employees. It will look at how their ethical stance contradicts with what has gone on in the past regarding associates (employees) and management.

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.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is the world 's largest retail enterprise, with total revenue of $421.8 billion and a net income of $16.4 billion in 2011. 1 It is also the world 's largest employer, with 2.1 million employees worldwide in 2010 2, not including workers hired by its providers. In my opinion, Wal-Mart provides a clear illustration through which to look at how many multinational companies (MNCs) take part in an illegal and unethical behavior. They use their bargaining power and market control to pressure countries to overlook environmental degradation and violation of national labor laws. They dictate expected pricing for products, particularly through imports from overseas countries. Labor is fulfilled mostly by underage and underpaid employees. In the United States, since 2005, Wal-Mart has paid about $1 billion in damages to U.S. employees in six different cases related to unpaid work. 3 Furthermore, Wal-Mart opposes any form of collective action, even when employees are not seeking unionization, but simply more respect. 4 The fact that Wal-Mart opposes unions exist. The company has a long history of fighting them, to the point of closing stores after employees organize. Managers have been instructed to talk to their teams about why unions are so unwanted in their business. Overseas, the company was involved in a series of scandals, including multiple cases of bribery. In April 2012, The New York Times published a story that

If Wal-Mart has such little regard for their own employees, it would make it difficult for a company to have minimal regard to where their merchandise is coming from. On the documentary, The High Price of Low Cost, informs of the countries and Wal-Mart’s effects on these countries, including its presence for manufacturing in China. The workers work in conditions of extreme temperatures from morning until dawn and provided boarding, which is shared with several others and lined with bunk beds. The board and utilities are deducted from their wages even if the workers choose not to stay on the facilities the board is still deducted from their pay. These workers that are looking for employment to make a better future for their families are

Wal-Mart, the big giant, the place where a lot of people usually do their shopping for the low prices and the variety of products were founded by Sam Walton. Walton was an entrepreneur with an innovative vision started his own company and made it into the leader in discount retailing that it is today. In fact, Wal-Mart is considered to be the biggest company in the U.S. and it has stores worldwide. According to PBS, “Wal-Mart employs more people than any other company in the United States outside of the Federal government, yet the majority of its employees with children live below the poverty line.”(www.pbs.org) In addition, Wal-Mart likes to portray itself as a seller of U.S. manufactured goods