Wal-Mart's Corporate Social Responsibility Report: Issues and Analysis

This report provides an analysis of Wal-Mart's corporate social responsibility (CSR), examining key issues related to personnel, environmental impact, and sound business practices. The introduction defines CSR and its importance for stakeholders. The report then delves into specific issues, including Wal-Mart's personnel relations, the impact of its operations on the environment (both positive and negative), and its adherence to sound business practices. The analysis includes discussions on stakeholders like government, customers, and suppliers, as well as the company's efforts in areas such as energy reduction, waste management, and employee benefits. The report also highlights instances where Wal-Mart faced criticism and legal issues regarding environmental pollution. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of ethical business practices and environmental protection for the company's long-term success and positive image. References to academic journals and online resources are provided to support the analysis.

Wal-Mart stores inc
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Analysis of issues.............................................................................................................................3
A. Personnel...........................................................................................................................3
B. Environmental...................................................................................................................3
C. Sound business practice.....................................................................................................4
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................5
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Introduction
Corporate social responsibility is a business approach that contributes to sustainable
development thorough delivering economic, environmental and social benefits for all
stakeholders. CSR also becomes one of the standard practice of our time and the overall aim of
the form to accomplish positive impact on society as a whole through increase the creation of
share value for the owner if the business, and its stakeholders. The present report is based on
Wal-Mart Stores Inc which operates retail stores in different formats on all over the world. Along
with this firm also has discount stores, warehouse club, supermarket especially electronic stores
etc. The organisation face issues due to its lack of responsible behaviour towards the society.
Analysis of issues
Irresponsible business hurts community, society and everyone. Wal-Mart is not involved in
sustainable tourism. Wal-mart is not charging fair price from its customers. However, through
facing public pressure company has started developing a guideline for ethical and sustainable
sourcing (Cheng, Ioannou and Serafeim, 2014). One of the long-term goals of Wal-Mart is to
supplied renewable energy but there is no contradiction between its sustainability objective and
its bottom line.
A. Personnel
1. Major stakeholders: The main stakeholders of Wal-Mart are government, customers and
suppliers.
2. Personnel relation: Wal-Mart ensures that it provides benefits to its employees and the
community in which they conduct their business. Along with these human resources
manager of the total bottom line also concerned not only because of providing
compensation to the employees but also think about their health and safety at the
workplace (Slack, Corlett and Morris, 2015). Along with this Wal-mart mostly think of
positive way for contributing toward the society through different types of activities such
as charity, equal opportunity and education program.
B. Environmental
Positive impact on the environment: two positive impacts on the environment as a result
of Wal-Mart company is that it has reduced energy intensity and emissions on their business
operations. Along with this it also decided to reduce wastage and operate a business with 100%
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renewable energy. It also sales product that protects the resources as well as the environment
(Hopkins, 2016).
corporate irresponsibility or responsibility: It is identified that Wal-Mart is illegally
disposing of pesticides, chemical and fertilizer. However, there are some of this toxic material
that has made their way into a sewage system which leads to polluted clean water. It is the one
example in which Wal-Mart was held responsible for harming the environment and public
health. However, Walmart plead guilty and it paid charges for its improper care of handling
Toxic material (Pérez and Rodriguez del Bosque, 2015).
Apart from this Wal- Mart is also become a corporate leader in the environmental movement
through slashing its carbon emissions. Due to its improper activity, the emission has increased up
to 14% and Wal-Mart becomes one of the biggest environmental polluters in the country.
However, Wal-mart has decided to become a 100% renewable energy but it shifter up to 4
confidence at this point.
3.) Wal-mart is trying to help its employees for the next several years and it ties to satisfy its
customers through delivering them environmental friendly product at reasonable price. Further
Wal-mart has taken a step to destroy all the wastage that can pollute air and water. It has
introduced policies for saving the environment from getting harm (Chernev and Blair, 2015).
Apart from this, it also introduced new products and services that do not harm the environment
and liked by customers. Walmart also stated that it will seek to minimize emission in its
operations till 18%. It is also working toward powered by 50% clean and renewable energy
sources (Chernev and Blair, 2015).
C. Sound business practice
Stakeholder of Wal-mart is customers, community, government, supplier, shareholder
etc. who can be affected by the company profit. In the business company should have ability to
meet the needs and wants of customers which is one of the key success (Lim and
Greenwood,2017). Customers lead to provide profit and cash flow to the firm so that they can
operate and earn a profit. Therefore it is important for Wal-Mart to understand the needs and
wants of customers and provide them product accordingly. Apart from this community leader
and activist also lead to holding a company responsible in respect to act with the environmental
and social responsibility. Hence it can be stated that if Walmart is involved in the community
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activities and give charity then it can easily create positive image in front of customers (Tai and
Chuang, 2014).
Employees are an important part of the company as they work hard and make innovative
products for accomplishing the goals and objectives (Brammer, He and Mellahi, 2015). It is
essential for the Wal-mart to provide them compensation and different types of benefits so that
they can easily retain them for a longer time. Along with this Wal-mart should involve its
employees in the decision-making process so that they can easily get innovative ideas and
enhance sales. Through motivating employees with fair benefits help in delivering a better
customers experience (Saeidi, Sofianand Saaeidi, 2015). At last empowering employees at
different level can help in making more decision and make them feel responsible and valued.
This can profit the firm as because it improves efficiency of responding the customers’
requirements.
Cultural of the organisation of this company can be reflected through mindset of mutual
growth track because company care about human resources and its impact on others and wider
system (Gerffi, and Christian, 2009). Performance of the firm can be improved through
collaboration. Ramification of specific action which is taken my Wal-mart is that it helps in
improving negatives impact that can be occur on the environment, business and society. Along
with this company can focus on ensuring that all the business activities are carried out in a proper
manner. Action taken by the firm is that it started focusing on improving the company culture
Wal-Mart focus on providing quality services to its customers as it focusses on listening
customers issues and deliver them products and services according to their needs and wants
(Opportunity & Advancement 2018). Along with this Walmart also has long history of providing
health care benefits to its employees and proud of quality plan which is offered by them. At last
Walmart culture is one of high performance and values its customers.
Conclusion
From the above report, it is concluded that company should be responsible for keep
environment safe and to carrying out fair business practices. It is essential for the firm to ensure
that from its business activities environment do not get polluted. There are different types of
environmental policy that firm should adopt so that they can protect the environment from
getting hard and make a good image in the market. Further, it is concluded that firm should also
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provide benefits to its stakeholders so that it can easily enhance its own profit and accomplish
success.
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Reference
Books and Journals
Brammer, S., He, H. & Mellahi, K., (2015). Corporate social responsibility, employee
organizational identification, and creative effort: The moderating impact of corporate
ability. Group & Organization Management, 40(3), pp.323-352.
Cheng, B., Ioannou, I. & Serafeim, G., (2014). Corporate social responsibility and access to
finance. Strategic Management Journal, 35(1), pp.1-23.
Chernev, A. and Blair, S., (2015). Doing well by doing good: The benevolent halo of corporate
social responsibility. Journal of Consumer Research, 41(6), pp.1412-1425.
Hopkins, M., (2016). The planetary bargain: corporate social responsibility comes of age.
Springer.
Lim, J.S. & Greenwood, C.A., (2017). Communicating corporate social responsibility (CSR):
Stakeholder responsiveness and engagement strategy to achieve CSR goals. Public
Relations Review, 43(4), pp.768-776.
Pérez, A. & Rodriguez del Bosque, I., (2015). Corporate social responsibility and customer
loyalty: exploring the role of identification, satisfaction and type of company. Journal of
Services Marketing, 29(1), pp.15-25.
Saeidi, S.P., Sofian, S., Saeidi, P., Saeidi, S.P. & Saaeidi, S.A., (2015). How does corporate
social responsibility contribute to firm financial performance? The mediating role of
competitive advantage, reputation, and customer satisfaction. Journal of Business
Research, 68(2), pp.341-350.
Slack, R.E., Corlett, S. & Morris, R., (2015). Exploring employee engagement with (corporate)
social responsibility: A social exchange perspective on organisational participation.
Journal of Business Ethics, 127(3), pp.537-548.
Tai, F.M. & Chuang, S.H., (2014). Corporate social responsibility. Ibusiness, 6(03), p.117.
Online
Opportunity & Advancement 2018. [Online] Available through:
<.https://corporate.walmart.com/our-story/working-at-walmart
Gerffi. G., and Christian. M., 2009. The Impacts of Wal-Mart: The Rise and Consequences of the
World’s Dominant Retailer [pdf] Available through
<http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev-soc-070308-115947>
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