Bentonville, Ark., July 5, 2018 – Today Walmart announced it is launching a Supplier Inclusion Showcase on Walmart.com to spotlight products from Walmart’s ever-growing diverse suppliers’ community which includes companies operated by minorities, women, veterans, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, and people with disabilities.
The Supplier Inclusion Showcase will launch at Essence Festival in New Orleans, the largest multicultural celebration in the U.S., which Walmart has sponsored since 2007. The first products featured on the Supplier Inclusion Showcase are from more than a dozen Walmart suppliers attending the festival from a variety of categories including eyewear from Cynthia Bailey to Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry to Positively Perfect Dolls by Dr. Lisa Williams. These suppliers are part of Walmart’s network of more than the 2,600 diverse suppliers who now represent hundreds of thousands of products in Walmart stores and on Walmart.com. After Essence Festival, the showcase will be updated periodically to shine a spotlight on other diverse suppliers’ products at key moments in the future.
"At Walmart, we are proud to be able to use our stores and websites to empower diverse suppliers," said Michael Byron, Senior Director, Supplier Diversity and Inclusion. "Our customers represent all of America, and we want to be sure our suppliers do, too. Supplier inclusion means that we’re able to deliver innovative, quality products and a broader selection to the communities we serve. We encourage diverse companies to explore new possibilities with Walmart and on Walmart.com."
Walmart will also host two conferences at Essence Festival designed to help entrepreneurs and small businesses elevate their e-commerce presence featuring a panel of entrepreneurs, Walmart U.S. and Walmart.com marketers and merchants. Those seeking to attend can visit: http://www.cvent.com/d/ygq8lw.
For more information on Walmart supplier inclusion and how to become and register as a Walmart diverse suppler, please visit: https://corporate.walmart.com/suppliers/supplier-inclusion.
Editor’s Note
*Suppliers featured on Walmart.com Supplier Inclusion Showcase have identified their companies as diverse through Walmart’s supplier set up process or completing their company’s profile in our supplier inclusion portal registration. A diverse supplier is defined as a U.S. privately held company that is 51 percent owned and operated by a woman, minority, veteran, disabled veteran, person with a disability or a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) community. Walmart recognizes and tracks the following diverse classifications: women, African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Native Alaskans, LGBT people, veterans, disabled veterans and people with disabilities.
About Walmart
Walmart 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. Each week, nearly 270 million customers and members visit our more than 11,700 stores under 65 banners in 28 countries and eCommerce websites. With fiscal year 2018 revenue of $500.3 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.3 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart.
