Walmart started out with a single discount store in Northwest Arkansas and in less than 50 years grew to become the world’s largest retailer, with thousands of stores and clubs and millions of associates. Our culture of ethics and integrity has been a constant throughout that transformation. From the beginning, it has defined who we are as a company, and how we as associates treat each other, our suppliers and our customers.

 

 

The values that set us apart from others -- respect for the individual, service to our customers and striving for excellence -- rest on the foundation of personal integrity and responsibility. Associates in all areas and levels of our business are responsible for understanding and complying with our State- ment of Ethics. I encourage you to be a champion for integrity by engaging fellow associates in conversation and setting an example through your words and actions.

We also expect and need you to speak up if you have concerns about any inappropriate behavior you observe. It’s important for us to know about issues upfront so we can work to resolve them immediately. We recognize the responsibility that comes with that requirement. And we know that the decision to speak up can be a difficult one. Silence can condone questionable behavior -- and the actions or inactions of just one associate who makes a poor choice can impact our entire company. That’s why we’re committed to sharing the responsibility with you. We encourage you to use the resources available to you such as the Open Door process and the Global Ethics Help- line. The Global Ethics Helpline is a tool that is available for you to raise your concerns confidentially and anonymously, without fear of consequences.

A strong commitment to ethics and integrity isn’t just the right way to do business. It’s how we earn the trust and respect that is critical to our success, and our ability to help more people live better. Our customers trust us to be their advocate. Our suppliers trust us to be an equitable partner. And as Walmart associates, we trust each other to uphold the highest standards of conduct every day. I am confident that our commitment to ethics and integrity will continue to guide us well as we continue on our journey together.

Each business organization Walmart operates is expected to have a complete set of policies providing guidance to associates for whatever country they are working in. Walmart also publishes several “global policies,” which are designed to give associates a set of rules that are the same for all locations. This Statement of Ethics is an example of a global policy.

If any part of this Statement of Ethics goes against local policies or laws, then the local policy or law must always be followed. It’s our responsibility to know all of the local laws and policies that might affect our area of business. If you’re not sure about any local laws or policies, please talk to your manager, the Walmart in-country Legal Department, or the Global Ethics Office.

If you’re not sure about any local laws or policies, please talk to your manager, the Walmart in-country Legal Department, or the Global Ethics Office.

Some local laws, practices, or even local customs could be more relaxed than our Statement of Ethics. If you find yourself in this kind of situation, you should always rely on our Statement of Ethics.

This Statement of Ethics is going to introduce you to the types of attitudes and conduct that create an honest, fair, and legal workplace. You’re going to learn how to recognize situations that might come up on your job that could be a violation of our company ethics. Plus, you’ll learn what to do if you have any questions or concerns about what is correct and ethical conduct. Our 3 Basic Beliefs and Guiding Principles at the beginning of this Statement of Ethics will give you a general idea of correct company ethics. But, remember no guide or manual can give you a complete set of rules. So, in the end, we all must trust our own good judgment of right and wrong.

• Inside the front cover is a letter from Mike Duke, our president and CEO of Walmart Stores, Inc. He points out how important it is for all of us to follow our Statement of Ethics, and how important it is to report anything we feel might be a violation of those ethics.
  
  
• On the next page are our Guiding Principles. These are a good starting point as a set of guidelines for ethical behavior.
  
  
• The Introduction section explains that it’s your responsibility to comply with our Statement of Ethics and to report what you feel might be any violation of policy or law.
  
  
• The section Raising Concerns & Speaking Up tells you how to request an opinion before you take action and how to report what you think might be a violation of ethics, including a way to make a report in private and without giving your name.
  
  
• This guide gives you an overview of many policies. Some commonly asked questions are included to help explain each policy better. There are also examples of how this Statement of Ethics and other Walmart policies apply in all countries.