Wal-Mart will launch a major retail-industry effort to improve social, ethical and environmental standards in the factories of its suppliers, CEO and president Lee Scott told a meeting of store managers.
Wal-Mart says it is already demanding that some of its suppliers demonstrate that their factories meet specific environmental, social and quality standards and this will increase in coming years. It will also make certification and compliance part of its supplier agreements and ask suppliers to report on their activities regularly.