Walmart

Sam's Club
Arkansas
Food and Staples Retailing, Retailing

Corprate Bias Ratings

Risk Level:

Rating - Danger
High Risk

Walmart vets vendors according to LGBTQ policies, is part of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, and does not provide its employees with protections against viewpoint discrimination, but has not publicly terminated business relationships based on views or beliefs. Walmart discriminates against religious organizations in its charitable giving and uses its corporate reputation and funds to advance ideological causes and groups hostile to freedom of expression. Walmart is a signatory of the Business Roundtable's 2019 Statement on the Purpose of Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism. Walmart has donated to ideologically focused PAC's not in accordance with business interests. However, Walmart has withstood activist pressure on some issues, including abortion and firearms policy. For these reasons, Walmart receives a High Risk rating.

Criteria
Risk Level
Rationale
Corporate Weaponization
Criteria

Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

Risk Level
Rationale

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).

Criteria

Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.

Risk Level
Rationale

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).

Criteria

Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.

Risk Level
Rationale

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

Corporate Governance and Public Policy
Criteria

Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

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).

Criteria

Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

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).

Criteria

Uses corporate political contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.

Risk Level
Rationale

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

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
November 30, 2023

Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer

Voting History

Date
ESG Category
Proponent
Summary of ResolutionMgmt RecTotal Vote % in Favor
5/31/23GovernanceCynthia MurrayWorkplace Safety and Violence ReviewAgainst23.80%
5/31/23SocialOrganization United for RespectRacial Equity AuditAgainst18.10%
5/31/23SocialOxfam AmericaPrepare a Report on Walmart's Human Rights Due DiligenceAgainst5.80%
5/31/23GovernanceJames McRitchieRequest to Require Shareholder Approval of Certain Future Bylaw AmendmentsAgainst5.70%
5/31/23SocialClean Yield Asset ManagementReport on Reproductive Rights and Data PrivacyAgainst5.20%
5/31/23GovernanceFranciscan Sisters of Perpetual AdorationCreate a Policy to Align Executive Compensation with Worker PayAgainst4.30%
5/31/23SocialNational Center of Public Policy ResearchRacial and Gender Layoff Diversity ReportAgainst1.50%
5/31/23SocialNational Legal and Policy CenterCommunist China Risk AuditAgainst1.30%
6/1/22SocialHumane Society of the U.S.Report on Animal Welfare Polices and Practices in Food Supply ChainAgainst16.39%
6/1/22SocialZevin Asset Mgmt.Report on Lobbying Payments and PolicyAgainst14.40%
6/1/22SocialFranciscan Sisters of Perp. AdorationReport on Alignment of Racial Justice Goals and Starting WagesAgainst13.19%
6/1/22SocialClean Yield Asset Mgmt.Report on Impacts of Reproductive Healthcare LegislationAgainst12.78%
6/1/22GovernanceCynthia MurrayCreate a Pandemic Workforce Advisory CouncilAgainst12.53%
6/1/22SocialNational Legal and Policy CenterReport on Charitable ContributionsAgainst0.98%
6/1/22SocialNational Center for Public Policy ResearchReport on Civil Rights and Non-Discrimination AuditAgainst0.56%

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