Wal-Mart executive speaks on corporate policy (Photo by Christina Parrish, The Daily Campus)
Students and faculty gathered in the Ernst and Young Auditorium in the Fincher Building of the Cox School of Business to hear Rob Kusiciel, Wal-Mart’s vice president of Global Services and Global Procurement, speak about corporate social responsibility and ethical procurement.
Kusiciel said the main objective of Wal-Mart includes improving the standard of living for its customers and community around the world and emphasizing trust between the company and the consumer.
Hosting over 6,000 retail units in a variety of countries, Wal-Mart encourages its associates to “Think the Three” – hold respect for the individual, give good service to its customers and strive for excellence in everyday activities, Kusiciel said.
The presentation focused on Wal-Mart’s new environmental strategies, which include hopes of using 100 percent renewable energy and selling only recyclable and reusable products in their manufacturing.
Kusiciel relayed words from Lee Scott, Wal-Mart’s CEO, saying, “there is virtually no distinction between being a respectable citizen and a successful business . . . they are one and the same for Wal-Mart today.”
Following this quotation, Kusiciel segued into Wal-Mart’s social compliance front, saying that Wal-Mart attempts to verify that all merchandise is produced in an ethical manner.
It has attempted to eliminate the “middle man” and stay in touch with the working climate at every factory worldwide. Wal-Mart does not operate any factories that make their merchandise, Kusiciel said, but they do implement frequent audit inspections.
In 2005, Wal-Mart audited 7,200 factories in 70 countries, making sure each one possessed acceptable working conditions and followed Wal-Mart’s legal minimum age and wage requirement. Wal-Mart holds a zero tolerance for forced and prison labor and demands that employees work no more than 72 hours a week. In terms of minimum age requirements, Kusiciel said Wal-Mart enforces the “law of the land” of each country they operate in and encourages its foreign locations to hire workers over the age of 14.
Overall, Kusiciel said, Wal-Mart strives for the best working conditions for its associates around the world and truly believes that all corporations have a social responsibility to not only their stockholders, but also their consumers and employees both in the United States and abroad.
A question and answer session followed the presentation, with hors d’oeuvres served to all attendees. For more information about Wal-Mart and its policies, go to www.walmartfacts.com.
