Creating Opportunity

Walmart began as a dream and with a simple investment – while still wearing his Army uniform, Sam Walton stood in front of the store he bought with $5,000 of his savings and a loan from his in-laws – and that first store has grown into the world’s largest retail company, creating economic opportunity for millions of people around the world in retail and retail supply chains. Since 2015, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have funded over $130 million to support projects designed to advance workers in retail and related sectors. Walmart is committed to a diverse workforce and announced in June 2020 it would commit a further $100 million over 5 years to create the Center for Racial Equity, which will address systematic racism in society head-on and accelerate change. The center will support philanthropic initiatives focused on the social determinants of health, strengthening workforce development and related educational systems, and criminal justice reform with an emphasis on examining barriers to opportunity faced by those exiting the system. Additionally, Walmart works to provide upskilling and educational opportunities for its workforce, including the company’s innovative Live Better U program, which provides associates with access to higher education for as little as $1 per day.

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    Diversity & Inclusion

    In Celebration of National Military Appreciation Month, Walmart Announces the Hiring of Nearly 6,000 Military Spouses Through the Military Spouse Career Connection and a $1 Million Grant to Hire Heroes USA From Walmart Foundation
    Walmart today announced the hiring of nearly 6,000 military spouses since launching the Military Spouse Career Connection (MSCC) on Veterans Day 2018. In its sixth month, the MSCC gives hiring preference to military spouses who seek employment with Walmart or Sam’s Club.

    This announcement comes at a time when more than 75 percent of our nation’s 500,000 military spouses want or need work, according to the Department of Defense Military Spouse Employment Partnership. The MSCC serves as a natural step for Walmart, as the company’s Military Family Promise, now in its ninth year, also guarantees a job at a nearby store or club for all military personnel and military spouses employed by the company who move to a different part of the country as part of their military service.

    Diversity & Inclusion

    She Started at the Bottom. Now, This Store Manager is at the Top of Her Game.
    Amanda made a career of crushing her goals. 10 years after starting as a Walmart cashier, she now manages an Arkansas Walmart supercenter. Read her full story here.

    Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

    How Data Sharing Can Improve Frontline Talent Development
    Frontline workers, or the workers who interact directly with customers and provide services in industries like retail, healthcare, food service and hospitality help make up the backbone of today’s workforce. However, frontline workforce talent development presents numerous challenges. Today, Digital Promise, a nonprofit authorized by Congress to support comprehensive research and development of programs to advance innovation in education, launched “Tapping Data for Frontline Worker Development,” a new, interactive report that shares how the seamless and secure sharing of data is key to creating more effective learning and career pathways for frontline service workers.

    Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

    Army Principles Helped This Walmart Manager Move up the Ranks
    Elise Hackstall no longer wears an Army uniform. But to this day, the military values she learned in her years of service still inform her identity. For Hackstall, commitment, accountability and leadership weren’t abstract principles but essential traits that propelled her through a military career at Fort Knox.

    When she joined Walmart, she quickly noticed a cultural overlap. The company's four basic beliefs had plenty in common with the seven Army values she already knew, sharing an emphasis on respect and integrity.

    Diversity & Inclusion

    How My Disability Is Helping Make Walmart.com More Accessible
    I began as a product copywriter, responsible for writing thousands of item descriptions. I progressed to become a senior manager on our site merchandising and customer experience team. At the same time I was expanding my focus on customer experience, I was also losing my eyesight.

    By 2015, I was in the thick of vision loss, but refused to let anyone see the battle I was fighting inside. I came to work every day without using a white cane or guide dog, because I was afraid of what people would think if they knew I had a disability. Would their perceptions of my abilities change? Would this impact my career growth?

    Education

    Walmart and the Walmart Foundation Announce Nearly $4 Million in Grants to Create Innovative Pathways for Lifelong Learning and Training
    Walmart and the Walmart Foundation have announced nearly $4 million in grants for three organizations working to provide innovative pathways to learning and training to help create mobility for workers: The Foundation for California Community Colleges (the Foundation), Code for America Labs, Inc. and edX.org.

    Diversity & Inclusion

    Walmart Hires More Than 206,000 U.S. Military Veterans and Promotes More Than 30,000 Since the Launch of the Veterans Welcome Home Commitment
    Today, Walmart announced that the company has hired more than 206,000 veterans and promoted more than 30,000 to roles with higher pay and greater responsibility since launching its Veterans Welcome Home Commitment in May 2013.

    Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives

    Walmart Foundation Invests Nearly US $2M in ‘Farmer Market Readiness Program’ in India
    Over 6000 farmers in Andhra Pradesh will move to an improved business model for better value chains and better incomes through an intensive two-year project supported by the Walmart Foundation in partnership with ICRISAT.

    Responsible Business & Employee Engagement

    New York Times: Walmart Says It Will Pay for Its Workers to Earn College Degrees
    Walmart announced plans to offer subsidized college tuition for its 1.4 million workers in the United States, joining a growing list of companies that are helping employees pay for higher education as a perk in a tight labor market.

    Education

    Walmart’s New Education Benefit Puts Cap and Gown Within Reach for Associates
    In partnership with Guild Education, a leading education benefits platform, Walmart associates will be able to access affordable, high-quality associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in Business or Supply Chain Management. Under the program, which will be made available to all Walmart U.S. and Sam’s Club associates, Walmart will subsidize the cost of higher education, beyond financial aid and an associate contribution equivalent to $1 a day.

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