“No one will serve the Next Generation Customer with more passion and greater purpose than Walmart associates.” – Mike Duke, President and CEO of Walmart
On any other morning, I would have rather slept in than wake up at 4 am (Central Time, mind you) for a 4-hour business meeting. But this was no ordinary meeting…and no ordinary company. I knew Walmart’s annual Shareholders’ Meeting would be informative…lively… After all, the meeting has a reputation for bringing some of the best talents in the music industry together in Arkansas. What I didn’t expect was to be moved…inspired…compelled to make a difference.
Before the meeting started we were tapping our feet to the tunes of a local band. By the time the Black Eyed Peas closed, we were up on our feet singing and dancing. Will Smith was the MC…because that’s totally normal for a business meeting right? : ) He was funny and entertaining and provided a nice balance, particularly when things started to get technical with numbers and such. As a side note, did you know he’s currently filming Men In Black III? Before I talk about the heart of the meeting, I want to share a few pictures from the musical talent.
The goal of the meeting is to discuss how the company has done financially over the last year, it’s growth and expansion (particularly globally), it’s sustainability efforts, and contributions to local communities. Understandably, there was a lot of information shared. But here are some highlights of what Walmart has done over the last year and how they are looking forward:
Sustainability
As a leader in sustainability, it’s been a part of Walmart’s culture from the beginning. Efforts include buying from small and medium farmers and offering locally sourced items.
Community Outreach
Walmart associates clocked in over 1.5M hours of volunteering in 2011.
Shortly after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, a store manager rode his bike 10 hours to give needed supplies to the community.
Joplin employees displaced by the devastating tornado are all currently working at present (amazing!).
Walmrt has adopted 800 food banks to help America end hunger
Sam’s Club (the membership-only retail warehouse clubs owned and operated by Walmart) exuded passion and dedication to their customers. One of the associates working in the pharmacy recognized the signs of a stroke in a regular customer & called 911.
Low Prices
Bill Simon says EDLP is about rebuilding trust with customers and never letting them down on price
Walmart’s Great Value brand plans to lead the way in lowering salt and sugars n foods.
Walmart plans to save customers 1 billion dollars on produce this year
Expansion
Bill Simon announces that the first Walmart Express, the company’s newest small format, will open soon.
Walmart has been working to expand globally, offering value-priced products.
I’ve only touched the surface of all that Walmart has done in the past year and what they are planning to do in the coming year. If you’re interested in watching some of the meeting, you can visit their website for a replay.
Walmart tops the charts as the leading Fortune 500 company in the US. However it’s stories like the ones shared over the weekend that remind me of how much Walmart does locally…in communities.
While the weekend was largely focused on Shareholders’, the 11 of us spent some time at their Layout Center getting a sneak peak at some of their up and coming products. I’m excited about the expansion of their greener more sustainable beauty products, their improved holiday section, and some of THE hottest toys expected to resonate with children this holiday season.
For more recaps, visit my fellow Walmart Moms:
- Tara of Deal Seeking Mom
- Tina of Mommy’s Kitchen
- Roxana of Spanglish Baby
- Denise of Wholesome Mommy
- Melissa of Consumer Queen
- Jenn of Frugal Upstate
- Heather of The Domestic Diva
- Liz of Hoosier Homemade
- Lori of My Wooden Spoon
- Jennae of Green Your Decor
Disclosure: Walmart invited me to Shareholder’s and provided travel, meals, and accommodations.
Photo Credit: Rockin’ Mama. All rights reserved.
- Discover Luxury at Sonesta Irvine: Your Ideal Staycation - August 8, 2024
- CHOC Walk Returns to the Disneyland Resort – Special Events and Ways to Support - June 28, 2023
- Beastly Ball Returns to the Los Angeles Zoo - May 8, 2023
Leave a Reply