While Walmart raised the limit to purchase a firearm to 21, the company has not bowed to pressure to entirely stop selling firearms, nor has it used its institutional might to force changes on the firearm industry, as a New York Times contributor publicly requested (1)(2). Walmart is a member of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, which aims to demonetize advertisements and suppress content that “vilifies” individuals based on sexual orientation and gender identity, discusses “debated social issues in a negative or partisan context” or spreads “hate speech” (3)(4)(5). The company received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign. Among other requirements, this means Walmart has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies (6).

Walmart gives grants to organizations where employees volunteer, but it will not give grants that support the internal activities of a church (1). It has similar restrictions on its Local Community Grant Program, discriminating against faith-based charities (2).

Walmart does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (1).

Walmart opposed an important Arkansas religious freedom bill in 2015. It regularly promotes LGBTQ Pride Month with statements, social media posts, and apparel sold in the stores and online (1)(2)(3). These items include clothing and books for children. Walmart also promotes critical race theory training for “inclusive leadership” (4). Walmart has implemented ESG practices into its business, including unconscious bias training and a 2040 net-zero pledge (5). However, Walmart did stand up to shareholder activists pushing for the company to focus its time, attention, and money on abortion policy (6). CEO Doug McMillon is a member of the Business Roundtable and signed its 2019 Statement on the Purpose of Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism over traditional obligations to shareholders and customers (7)(8). Walmart CEO Doug McMillion is a signatory of the CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion pledge (9).

Walmart is a member of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (1)(2)(3). The company has given to numerous ideological groups hostile to free expression, including PolicyLink, an organization focused on “racial equity” through promoting the tenets of critical race theory in the corporate world (4)(5). Walmart’s grant “helps support the launch of the Racial Equity through Corporate Actions Initiative, which will drive the creation and adoption of corporate standards on racial equity that will be freely available to companies” (6)(7). Walmart also funds PFLAG and Love Has No Labels (8). Walmart is a Bronze sponsor of Out and Equal (9). After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Walmart announced that it would expand its medical benefits to cover abortion-related travel expenses. However, in contrast to other companies, Walmart will only fund abortions in the case of sexual assault, incest, or a significant health risk to the mother (10). Walmart has a perfect score on the HRC’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index. This score indicates the company covers the cost of “medically necessary transition-related care” for its employees and their children (11)(12).

Walmart has donated the Equality PAC (1)(2).