RALEIGH, N.C., May 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Walmart has released
its 10th annual Global Responsibility Report,
highlighting milestones in its global progress toward creating
shared value for people, business, and society. The report
looks back at the company's progress during fiscal year 2017 in
advancing the key areas of opportunity, sustainability and
community. Following are local examples illustrating
Walmart's local impact in each of these three areas of the Global
Responsibility Report:
Opportunity
Walmart is addressing barriers that can
impede career advancement for associates. In FY2017, Walmart
completed a $2.7 billion investment
in U.S. associates that included increases in training, education
and higher wages. North Carolina
achievements include:
- Opening the first Walmart Academy in Garner in November
2016. Since February 2017,
Walmart has opened four additional academies in Denver, Morganton, Morrisville and Fayetteville with plans for expansion
throughout the year. These facilities have trained more than 2,400
associates to date.
- Awarding a total of more than $28
million in quarterly bonuses to North Carolina associates in FY17.
- Continuing its commitment to hire military veterans for a total
of more than 7,000 veterans hired in North Carolina since launching the Walmart
Veterans Welcome Home Commitment in May
2013.
In addition to investing in its own associates, Walmart and the
Walmart Foundation in 2015 launched the Retail Opportunity
Initiative, a five-year, $100 million
sector-wide effort aimed at strengthening the transferability of
skills of the U.S. retail workforce and developing ways to make it
easier for front-line workers to advance their careers.
Through the end of FY2017, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation
invested more than $59 million and
collaborated with leading nonprofits, employers, government
agencies and educational institutions such as the The League of
Innovation and the Aspen Institute.
Community
In FY2017, Walmart and the Walmart
Foundation invested more than $1.4
billion in communities worldwide, including more than
$52 million in cash and in-kind
contributions to non-profits throughout North Carolina.
Local non-profits awarded grants from the Walmart State Giving
Program, one of several Foundation giving programs that play an
essential role in the Foundation's mission to create opportunities
so people can live better, include:
- Support Military Spouses received $25,000 for the Military Community Job Fair and
Employment Readiness Program
- Urban League of Central
Carolinas received $100,000 for the
ULCC's Continuum of Opportunity program
- Food Bank of Central and Eastern
North Carolina received $166,000 for their Restoring Hope and Health with
food program
- Communities in Schools of Wake
County received $25,000 for
the Smart Academy
As the nation's largest grocer, Walmart is uniquely positioned
to support organizations that are on the front lines in the fight
against hunger. In addition to donating more than 28 million
pounds of food to local North
Carolina food banks – equivalent to 23 million meals –
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation donated more than $50 million toward hunger relief in FY2017,
including more than $306,000 for
after school and breakfast in the classroom programs in
North Carolina.
Walmart also engages customers across the country in making an
impact on hunger in their local communities. In the U.S.,
Walmart stores and Sam's Club locations teamed up with customers
and participating suppliers to support Feeding America through the
"Fight Hunger. Spark Change." campaign, raising more than
$17 million in funds in FY2017,
including funds for the following North Carolina Feeding America
affiliate food banks:
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, Charlotte, NC, $185,043
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest
North Carolina, Winston-Salem,
NC $173,191
- Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast
North Carolina, Fayetteville,
NC, $55, 673
- Food Bank of Central & Eastern
North Carolina, Raleigh,
NC, $189,352
- Food Bank of the Albemarle,
Elizabeth City, NC $32,552
- Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, Raleigh,
NC, $56,334
- MANNA FoodBank, Asheville, NC,
$82,367
Walmart associates are deeply engaged in their communities and
in FY2017, associates overall volunteered more than 1.2 million
hours generating more than $12
million in Walmart donations, including more than 17,000
hours with local non-profits and charitable causes in North Carolina, marking another way in which
the company supports and impacts the local communities it
serves.
In FY2017, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation supported
communities after 30 disasters. A total of $6.8 million in cash donations was given
specifically for disaster preparedness and relief, including
$170,000 in North Carolina to assist with food supplies
following Hurricane Matthew, as an example.
2017 North Carolina Innovations and
Investments
Walmart's most recent earnings report shows
continued positive momentum in U.S. sales, customer traffic and
customer feedback, which is attributed to many of the innovations
and investments the company has been making in store operations and
its workforce.
Walmart is planning the following investments in North Carolina this year:
- Open three new stores/clubs across the state creating
approximately 700 new jobs statewide.
- Recently opened four training academies with plans for
additional academy openings across the state.
- Multi-million dollar capital investments in improving existing
stores/clubs by remodeling more than 18 locations across the
state.
-
- Walmart Supercenter, 701 Hawley Ave, Belmont
- Walmart Supercenter, 125 Bleachery Blvd, Asheville
- Walmart Supercenter, 2010 Kildaire Farm Rd, Cary
- Walmart Supercenter, 150 Concord Commons Pl SW, Concord
- Walmart Supercenter, 1830 Galleria Blvd, Charlotte
- Walmart Supercenter, 1015 Lewis St, Oxford
- Walmart Supercenter, 4424 W Wendover Ave, Greensboro
- Walmart Supercenter, 200 Watauga Village Dr, Boone
- Walmart Supercenter, 9820 Callabridge Ct, Charlotte
- Walmart Supercenter, 25 Northridge Commons Pkwy, Weaverville
- Walmart Supercenter, 1226 E Dixie Dr, Asheboro
- Walmart Supercenter, 8180 S Tryon St, Charlotte
- Walmart Supercenter, 1318 Mebane Oaks Rd, Mebane
- Walmart Supercenter, 1876 Main St W, Locust
- Walmart Supercenter, 3105 Dr. M L King Jr. Blvd, New Bern
- Walmart Supercenter, 805 Town Centre Blvd, Clayton
- Walmart Supercenter, 705 Retail Way, Louisburg
- Walmart Supercenter, 3209 Pineville-Matthews Rd, Charlotte
"2017 is going to be an exciting year for Walmart in
North Carolina as we continue to
focus on how to better serve our customers through innovation and
investments so they can save both time and money," said
Kate Mora, Walmart Regional Manager
in North Carolina. "We've had a
sharp focus on making our store experience second to none and our
customers are telling us that our plan is working. Our team is
energized and we're looking forward to exceeding our customer's
expectations for what a great Walmart shopping experience can be
like."
Walmart's 2017 investment plans build on Walmart's growth last
year in North Carolina. 2016
Highlights included:
- Opened a Global Shared Services Center in
the Charlotte area creating more than 1,000 new jobs with a total
investment of $10 million.
- Opened 6 new stores
- Remodeled 14 stores across the
state
|
- Launched Online Grocery Pickup Service
currently serving 38 markets
- Opened the first training academy in the
state
- Launched Walmart Pay statewide
- Opened a Distribution Center in
Mebane
|
About Walmart in North
Carolina
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps
people around the world save money and live better – anytime and
anywhere – in retail stores, online and through their mobile
devices. In North Carolina we
serve customers at 218 retail units and online through Walmart
Grocery Pickup, Walmart.com and Jet.com. We are proud to employ
over 59,000 associates in North
Carolina. Walmart supports local businesses, spending
$11.9 billion with North Carolina suppliers in FYE17, which
supported more than 67,000 supplier jobs. Learn more at the Walmart
Today blog, and our Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram
channels.
Media Contact:
Ashley
Messier
Ashley@capresults.net
804-771-5303
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SOURCE Walmart