Walmart: Value Chain, Sustainability, and Social Responsibility

This report examines Walmart's approach to integrating sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) into its business operations. It analyzes Walmart's value chain, dividing it into primary and supporting activities, and suggests ways to incorporate sustainability and social responsibility into each area, including infrastructure, human resource management, technology development, and procurement. The report also addresses the company's strategic value proposition, emphasizing the importance of environmentally friendly products, employee well-being, and community engagement. The report highlights how Walmart can leverage green marketing and sustainable practices to enhance its brand image, increase customer loyalty, and drive revenue growth. It concludes that by aligning its value chain and value proposition with sustainability and CSR, Walmart can achieve both operational success and positive social impact. The report references multiple sources to support its findings.

Running head: WALMART
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Name of the Student
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Author Note

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Introduction
Sustainability can be referred as a concept which is essentially focused on ensuring that a
business is successfully being able to integrate the ability to perform a business well and
undertaking various steps and procedures which help them to achieve their overall objective and
in association with this, also allows the future generation to fulfill their overall needs
successively (Crane, Matten & Spence, 2019). Hence, for the purpose of this paper, the Walmart
has been chosen as an organization with the help of which the paper will aim to highlight the
manner in which the social responsibility of a business can be integrated with the strategic value
proposition and in the value chain.
Discussion and analysis
Value chain
Figure 1: The value chain of Walmart
(Source: Dyck et al., 2019)

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The value chain can be rightfully described as the overall operational chain which is
usually adopted by an enterprise in order to ensure that it is successfully being able to fulfill its
goals in an adequate manner. The value chain divides the operations of an organization into the
Primary activities and the supporting activities (Dyck et al., 2019). Hence, if the firm will be able
to integrate sustainability and overall social responsibility in these activities, its responsibility
towards the organization and the society can be achieved in the right manner. Hence, with
association to this, it needs to be mentioned that, the following objectives and steps can be
undertaken by the firm to achieve sustainability and social responsibility in its value chain
activities:
 Firm infrastructure: The infrastructure of the Walmart as an enterprise can be stated to be
in the form of the shopping centers and the warehousing systems. In association with this,
it is integral to mention that the store design and the firm infrastructure needs to be in a
manner such that the emission is at the least and that the environmental friendly aspects
need to be maintained accordingly (Grayson & Hodges, 2017).
 Human resource management: The human resource management team forms one of the
most integral part of the firm and in association with this, it becomes effective to mention
that, the human resource management of the firm needs to be such that they are being
able to work adequately for the overall operations of the firm. As the employees are a key
aspect of the firm and its overall environment, it is important that the firm engages in
adequate social responsibility programs which will accompany the firm in performing
adequately well and to be able to engage in effective sustainability programs as well
(Wang et al., 2016).

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 Technology development: The technology development makes the systems rather
advance. In association with this, it becomes effective to ensure that, the technology
development aspects are such that they are being able to contribute to the overall goal of
the enterprise (Jamali & Karam, 2018). In addition to this, it is also relevant that when the
technology will make the lives of the customer easier, the value proposition can increase
and the emission to the environment and waste generation can improve to a great extent.
 Procurement: The procurement aspect can be referred as to the suppliers and the
arrangement of the various goods and services to the customers. Hence, the procurement
of the enterprise has to be carried out in a manner such that sustainable suppliers are
chosen those with ecofriendly products or vegan products are associated with. Once the
supply chain aspect of the firm will improve, the firm will be able to involve in
considerate in social responsibility and key sustainability (Walmart.com ,2020).
The primary activities of the firm can be stated to be as follows:
 Inbound logistics: The Inbound logistics of the firm operates in a manner such that the
best products can be brought in within the firm. In association with this, it becomes
critical to understand that the Inbound logistics need to be made smartly and all orders to
be made in a manner such that the products can be procured at once which will thereby
reduce the power consumption of the various vehicles used to get the products into the
market. In line with this, it is integrate to understand that, when the smart choices will be
made, the responsibility can be carried out accordingly (Lins, Servaes & Tamayo, 2017).

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Figure 2: The Walmart initiatives
(Source: Walmart.com ,2020).
 Outbound logistics: While carrying out the outbound logistics, the firm needs to
undertake initiatives in a manner such that, the goods can be taken to the stores at once so
that the minimum resources can be made use of and in association with this, the
contribution to the environment can be made accordingly and minimum wastage or
emission is present (Morrar, Arman & Mousa, 2017).
 Operations: While making the operations sustainable, the firm needs to undertake
initiatives such that the stocking of the products, the overall management of the stores
and related operations are such that they are contributing to the overall goals of the firm.
The firm must try to stock environmental friendly products; ensure minimum light usage

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and energy wastage, stock vegan products to conserve the environment and such related
activities. When the operations will be integrated accordingly then in consideration of
this, the operations turn out to be well.
Figure 3: The Walmart Initiatives
(Source: Walmart.com ,2020).
 Marketing and sales: The marketing and sales of the organization need to be such that,
they are contributing effectively to the overall purpose of the enterprise. In consideration
with this, it is essential to ensure that the procedure of Green marketing is being adopted
with the help of which, the firm is being able to perform well (Walmart.com ,2020). In

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line with this, when it practices sustainable activities and associated practices, it would be
required to ensure that, the practices align with its goals.
 Service: The service of the firm needs to be such that the firm is being able to provide
considerate activities to the different customers as present (Schrempf-Stirling, Palazzo &
Phillips, 2016). This means that the customers need to be educated accordingly and the
after sales service should ensure minimum carbon emission.
Strategic value proposition
The strategic value proposition can be described as the overall offerings which the
enterprise makes. Hence, to make the strategic value proposition sustainable and CSR oriented,
the following steps can be undertaken:
The products need to be made environmental friendly in nature. In consideration with
this, it is effective to ensure that, when the firm would be required to undertake the lineup of the
products, it would be required to line up just environmental friendly products which will reflect
its overall commitment (Walmartsustainabilityhub.com ,2020).
Additionally, the employees need to be treated in a manner such that, the CSR aspect of
the firm can be maintained accordingly. When the employee needs will be met with accordingly
and the wellness programs will be promoted then in such a case, the firm would perform well
(Walmart.com ,2020). Lastly, the firm can also associate itself with several charities, women
welfare and associated pollution initiatives which will improve the brand image of the enterprise
and additionally engage in strong sustainable activities and the environmental friendly
procedures. In consideration with this, when the proposition will be undertaken adequately, the

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customers would like to associate themselves with the services of the firm and this will ensure
considerate operational success and increase in the revenue systems of the organization.
Summary
Therefore, it can be successively mentioned that, the given report highlighted the overall
manner in which a company will be able to integrate the value proposition and the value chain
with sustainability and Corporate social responsibility activities. In line with this, the firm which
has been selected for the purpose of the report can be mentioned to be the Walmart. The report
followed a structured format and highlighted the manner in which the firm can integrate
sustainability into the operations of the firm and ensure effective social responsibility as well.

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References
Crane, A., Matten, D., & Spence, L. (Eds.). (2019). Corporate social responsibility: Readings and
cases in a global context. Routledge.
Dyck, A., Lins, K. V., Roth, L., & Wagner, H. F. (2019). Do institutional investors drive
corporate social responsibility? International evidence. Journal of Financial
Economics, 131(3), 693-714.
Grayson, D., & Hodges, A. (2017). Corporate social opportunity!: Seven steps to make corporate
social responsibility work for your business. Routledge.
Jamali, D., & Karam, C. (2018). Corporate social responsibility in developing countries as an
emerging field of study. International Journal of Management Reviews, 20(1), 32-61.
Lins, K. V., Servaes, H., & Tamayo, A. (2017). Social capital, trust, and firm performance: The
value of corporate social responsibility during the financial crisis. The Journal of
Finance, 72(4), 1785-1824.
Morrar, R., Arman, H., & Mousa, S. (2017). The fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0): A
social innovation perspective. Technology Innovation Management Review, 7(11), 12-
20.
Schrempf-Stirling, J., Palazzo, G., & Phillips, R. A. (2016). Historic corporate social
responsibility. Academy of Management Review, 41(4), 700-719.
Walmart.com (2020). Walmart Sustainability [online]. Available at:
https://corporate.walmart.com/global-responsibility/environment-sustainability/
sustainability-index-leaders-shop (Retrieved on: 17 Feb. 2020).

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Walmart.com (2020). Walmart Sustainability [online]https://corporate.walmart.com/media-
library/document/2019-environmental-social-governance-report/_proxyDocument?
id=0000016c-20b5-d46a-afff-f5bdafd30000 (Retrieved on: 17 Feb. 2020).
Walmartsustainabilityhub.com (2020). Walmart Sustainability [online]. Available at:
http://www.walmartsustainabilityhub.com/ (Retrieved on: 17 Feb. 2020).
Wang, H., Tong, L., Takeuchi, R., & George, G. (2016). Corporate social responsibility: An
overview and new research directions: Thematic issue on corporate social responsibility.