Risk, Responsibility and The Global Supply Chain

The State of Corporate Responsibility Today

A few months ago, the world’s largest retailer introduced what may be the most ambitious plan to date for a global, sustainable supply chain. Under its new program, Wal-Mart will require its 57,000 suppliers to certify their compliance with clear environmental, social and regulatory requirements. The plan raises that baseline expectation in several ways, including the requirement that all direct import suppliers and suppliers of private label and nonbranded products provide the name and location of every factory they use to make their products.

Wal-Mart is not the first or only company to focus on sustainability and corporate responsibility (CR). Johnson & Johnson, IBM, 3M and Johnson Controls are among the companies that have stepped to the forefront of sustainable business. These major firms are following in the footsteps of early CR pioneers such as Seventh Generation and Patagonia.

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