Wal-Mart announces new ethical and environmental principles

[DuaneBidoux]

Source: The International Herald Tribune

Wal-Mart announced Wednesday in Beijing that it would require manufacturers supplying goods for its stores to adhere to stricter ethical and environmental standards, the latest effort by the world's biggest retailer to answer criticism of its business practices.

At a gathering of more than 1,000 suppliers, Chinese officials and advocacy groups, Wal-Mart executives revealed a new supplier agreement that would require manufacturers to allow outside audits and to adhere to specific social and environmental criteria. The agreement will be phased in beginning in January, Wal-Mart said.



Read more: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/10/22/business/walmart.php

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Could they be preparing for the new wind that will soon be blowing in Washington?

[Nambe]

1. Dearest Obama, we promise to be good from now on.

[dipsydoodle]

2. new ethical and environmental principles

So they're closing down are they ?

[tosh]

3. Whoop-de-doo. Tough requirements, those, I'm sure.

Just anotyher typical publicity play.

[Kolesar]

4. coordinated with an ad-buy in that newspaper, no doubt

:sarcasm:

[Randomthought]

5. Too little

and way too late

[Javaman]

6. Does this mean that china will stop building a new coal plant each week?

I'm soooooooooo holding my breath.

[Robbien]

7. Please note they are starting with clothes. Not food, not toys but clothes

And WalMart still has yet to test any of its products for Melamine although most of its products which contain milk solids come from China.

Testing clothes. Yeah, that is the biggest threat.

[Posteritatis]

11. You'd be surprised at some of the environmental issues behind clothing these days (nt)

[MrsBrady]

8. so what does that mean...

50% less lead in their toys?

less melamine in their cat food?

[ElectricGrid]

9. Couple this with

their rooftop solar experiments along with their serious consideration of converting to NG for their fleet and Wal-mart is almost progressive on the environment.

[madrchsod]

10. unless it raises the price of the goods......

[laconicsax]

12. I'm going to guess that their 'new ethics' don't include anything for their employees

...Lee Scott, Wal-Mart's chief executive, said at the Beijing meeting. "I firmly believe that a company that cheats on overtime and on the age of its labor...

They'll cheat 'em here so their suppliers don't have to cheat 'em over there.