Walmart helps women to take control of their lives: Supermarket trains more than 60,000 working in the factories of its suppliers

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to describe numerous ways in which supermarket Walmart is seeking to improve the lives of women across the world.

Design/methodology/approach

It looks in particular at the Women in Factories program, which is helping to train more than 60,000 women working in factories in India, Bangladesh, China and Central America that supply products to the supermarket giant and other retailers.

Findings

It charts how the program, launched in Bangladesh and India in 2012, will reach 150 factories in India, Bangladesh, China and Central America by 2017.

Practical implications

It explains that by educating and empowering women in factories and creating a stronger supply chain, suppliers realize greater efficiencies in their factories, which should result in higher-quality products, lower prices and more reliable product availability for customers.

Social implications

It reveals that Walmart is sharing the Women in Factories curriculum with other retailers who can choose to implement it in their own supply chains.

Originality/value

It details various ways in which Walmart seeks to improve economic and social conditions for women around the world.

Citation

(2015), "Walmart helps women to take control of their lives: Supermarket trains more than 60,000 working in the factories of its suppliers", Human Resource Management International Digest, Vol. 23 No. 2, pp. 16-18. https://doi.org/10.1108/HRMID-01-2015-0015