BENTONVILLE, Ark., May 23, 2007 – Working Mother magazine today announced that Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is a 2007 Best Company for Multicultural Women. Now in its fifth year, the Working Mother Best Companies for Multicultural Women initiative celebrates employers that are establishing groundbreaking diversity policies and programs to encourage the hiring and advancement of African-American, Hispanic, Asian-American and Native-American women.
“Working Mother magazine is making a difference in the way corporate America views diversity and its multicultural employees,” said Suzanne Riss, editor in chief, Working Mother magazine. “They’re holding managers accountable for helping workplace diversity thrive. We have the good fortune to live in one of the most culturally rich countries in the world, and Wal-Mart recognizes that this richness is a workplace asset. Harnessing the wealth of talents and perspectives that people of different backgrounds have to offer is helping Wal-Mart excel in our increasingly global and competitive world. Wal-Mart is truly leading by example.”
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. places a diverse workforce among its top priorities and demonstrates its ongoing commitment to women, both internally and externally. As a company of choice for more than 826,000 females, Wal-Mart’s diverse associate base reflects more than 237,000 African-Americans, 154,000 Hispanics, more than 41,000 Asian-Americans and more than 15,000 Native Americans.
“At Wal-Mart, we are committed to empowering all women to succeed in every aspect of their lives,” said Esther Silver-Parker, senior vice president, Diversity Relations Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. “We recognize that we are in a position to be a driver of change in this area, and we are proud to be honored by Working Mother Magazine for embracing and reflecting multiculturalism among our associates.”
Profiled in the June issue of Working Mother magazine, Wal-Mart is recognized for its unique programs for multicultural women. Wal-Mart has established initiatives to further advance the growth and development of women and minorities within the company which have steadily increased the percentage of women in its management. In fact, nearly 40 percent of the company’s managers are women.
Through its Women in Leadership and Minorities in Leadership seminars, Wal-Mart is able to enhance the skills-sets of women and minorities for management positions, as well as increase their awareness of diversity best practices and inclusion in the workplace. Additionally, the company’s Diversity and Inclusion Training programs teach associates how to work with and value all cultures and backgrounds.
As a result of its dedication to diversity within its organization, Wal-Mart has received several honors for its diverse workforce and support of women. In 2007, Hispanic Business Magazine honored Wal-Mart Vice President and Regional Manager Gisel Ruiz as one of its “Elite Women”. Each year, the magazine honors 20 notable Hispanic women who are making significant contributions in business, public service and academia. Additionally, Wal-Mart was also recognized by DiversityInc as one of the “2007 Top 50 Companies for Diversity.” Other accolades received by the company for its support of women, include the National Association of Women Lawyers 2006 President’s Award for Diversity Initiatives and LATINA Style Magazine’s 2006 “50 Best Companies for Latinas.”
Methodology
Working Mother selected the 2007 Working Mother Best Companies for Multicultural Women based on the detailed application completed by each company. Private and public firms based in the United States are eligible to apply for the initiative. Companies supplied 2006 data about hiring, pay and promotion of multicultural employees. Application questions cover workforce profile (such as number of women of color, women in top positions, top earners); culture (programs for women of color, manager behavior); external programs (diversity activities); and work/life programs (child care, elder care, time off following childbirth). This year, Working Mother gave the most weight to questions involving representation, recruitment and retention of women of color.
The complete 2007 Best Companies for Multicultural Women—including profiles of the winning companies and more stories on diversity in corporate America—appears in the June issue of Working Mother, now available on newsstands.
About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)
Every week, millions of customers visit Wal-Mart Stores, Supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam’s Club locations across America or log on to its online store at
www.walmart.com. The company and its Foundation are committed to a philosophy of giving back locally. Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) is proud to support the causes that are important to customers and associates right in their own neighborhoods, and last year gave more than $270 million to local communities in the United States. To learn more, visit www.walmartfacts.com,
www.walmartstores.com, or
www.walmartfoundation.org.
About Working Mother
Founded in 1979, Working Mother magazine reaches nearly 3 million readers and is the only national magazine for career mothers. Its 21-year signature initiative, Working Mother 100 Best Companies, is the most important benchmark for work/life practices in corporate America. The publication also releases the annual list of the Best Companies for Multicultural Women in the June issue. Working Mother is published by Working Mother Media (WMM), which also owns the National Association for Female Executives (NAFE), NAFE Magazine, the annual 100 Best Companies WorkLife Congress, as well as the Best Companies for Multicultural Women Conference and regional Town Halls. In 2006, WMM acquired Diversity Best Practices and the Business Women’s Network, making Working Mother Media the largest media company in the country focused on diversity and the advancement of women.