Walmart Inc., one of the world’s biggest retail corporations, pays significant attention to public reputation. In this regard, Walmart’s Code of Conduct reflects the company’s approach to professional ethics. According to Walmart (n.d.), ethical conduct is vital for building trust in three essential aspects: associate relationships, customer relationships, and overall business image (p. 9). Therefore, nobody at Walmart is exempt from the Code, starting from the CEO and ending with a line employee. Everyone is expected to put justice, fairness, and integrity at the heart of their actions.
It is possible to divide Walmart’s Code of Conduct into three fundamental areas, according to the essential aspects of trust. Firstly, the company dedicates a section to building trust with its associates. Walmart (n.d.) strives to create a safe and respectful workplace environment for its employees (p. 23). In return, Walmart’s partners and employees are expected to act with integrity — respect safety policies, report all types of discrimination, and strictly follow the local labor laws. Trust with the customers is built through selling safe food and products, protecting the environment, and delivering quality healthcare (Walmart, n.d.). Finally, Walmart (n.d.) creates trust in its business via fair competition in strict accordance with all international trade rules (p. 34). Overall, a combination of three aspects of trust serves as an ethical foundation of Walmart’s business.
In conclusion, one can claim that Walmart’s Code of Conduct can be considered integrity- rather than compliance-based. Whereas adherence to the laws is frequently mentioned in the Code’s articles, Walmart emphasizes integrity in each of the fundamental areas of business ethics. Trust is built through fair, just, and consistent performance; compliance with the legislation stems from a strong commitment to moral principles. As a result, Walmart’s Code of Conduct combines two simple ideas: one should do the right thing and speak up when something is wrong.
Reference
Walmart. (n.d.). Integrity builds trust: Our Code of Conduct. Web.