Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Standards for Vendor Partners



Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ('Wal-Mart") has enjoyed success by adhering to three basic principles since its founding in 1962. The first principle is the concept of providing value and service to our customers by offering quality merchandise at low prices every day. Wal-Mart has built the relationship with its customers on this basis, and we believe it is a fundamental reason for the Company's rapid growth and success. The second principle is corporate dedication to a partnership between the Company's associates (employees), ownership and management. This concept is extended to Wal-Mart's Vendor Partners who have increased their business as Wal-Mart has grown. The third principle is a commitment by Wal-Mart to the United States and the communities in which stores and distribution centers are located.

Wal-Mart strives to conduct its business in a manner that reflects these three basic principles and the resultant fundamental values. Each of our Vendor Partners, in cluding our Vendor Partners outside the United States, are expected to conform to those principles and values and to assure compliance in all contracting, subcontract ing or other relationships.

Since Wal-Mart believes that the conduct of its Vendor Partners can be transferred to Wal-Mart and affect its reputation, Wal-Mart requires that its Vendor Partners conform to standards of business practices which are consistent with the three principles described above. More specifically, Wal-Mart requires conformity from its Vendor Partners with the following standards, and hereby reserves the right to make peri odic, unannounced inspections of Vendor Partner's facilities to satisfy itself of Vendor Partner's compliance with these standards:

1. COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS

All Vendor Partners shall comply with the legal requirements and standards of their industry under the national laws of the countries in which the Vendor Partners are doing business. Should the legal requirements and standards of the industry conflict, Vendor Partners must, at a minimum, be in compliance with the legal requirements of the country in which the products are manu factured. If, however, the industry standards exceed the country's legal re quirements, Wal-Mart will favor Vendor Partners who meet such industry standards. Vendor Partners shall comply with all import requirements of the U.S. Customs Service and all U.S. Government agencies. Necessary invoices and required documentation must be provided in compliance with U.S. law. Vendor Partners shall warrant to Wal-Mart that no merchandise sold to Wal -Mart infringes the patents, trademarks or copyrights of others and shall pro vide to Wal-Mart all necessary licenses for selling merchandise sold to Wal -Mart which is under license from a third party to protect intellectual property rights in the United States or elsewhere. All merchandise shall be accurately marked or labeled with its country of origin in compliance with the laws of the United States and those of the country of manufacture. All shipments of merchandise will be accompanied by the requisite documentation issued by the proper governmental authorities, including but not limited to Form A's, import licenses, quota allocations and visas and shall comply with orderly marketing agreements, voluntary restraint agreements and other such agree ments in accordance with U.S. law. The commercial invoice shall, in English, accurately describe all the merchandise contained in the shipment, identify the country of origin of each article contained in the shipment, and shall list all payments, whether direct or indirect, to be made for the merchandise, including, but not limited to any assists, selling commissions or royalty pay ments. Backup documentation, and any Wal-Mart required changes to any documentation, will be provided by Vendor Partners promptly.

EMPLOYMENT

Wal-Mart is a success because its associates are considered partners and a strong level of teamwork has developed within the Company. Wal-Mart expects the spirit of its commitment to be reflected by its Vendor Partners with respect to their employ ees. At a minimum, Wal-Mart expects its Vendor Partners to meet the following terms and conditions of employment:

Compensation

Vendor Partners shall fairly compensate their employees by providing wages and benefits which are in compliance with the national laws of the countries in which the Vendor Partners are doing business and which are consistent with the prevailing local standards in the countries in which the Vendor Partners are doing business, if the prevailing local standards are higher.
Hours of Labor

Vendor Partners shall maintain reasonable employee work hours in compli ance with local standards and applicable national laws of the countries in which the Vendor Partners are doing business. Employees shall not work more hours in one week than allowable under applicable law, and shall be compensated as appropriate for overtime work. We favor Vendor Partners who utilize less than sixty-hour work weeks, and we will not use suppliers who, on a regularly scheduled basis, require employees to work in excess of a sixty-hour week. Employees should be permitted reasonable days off (which we define as meaning at least one day off for every seven-day period in other words, the employee would work six days and have at least one day off during a seven day period) and leave privileges.
Forced Labor/Prison Labor

Vendor Partners shall maintain employment on a voluntary basis. Forced or prison labor will not be tolerated by Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart will not accept products from Vendor Partners who utilize in any manner forced labor or prison labor in the manufacture or in their contracting, subcontracting or other relationships for the manufacture of their products.
Child Labor

Wal-Mart will not tolerate the use of child labor in the manufacture of prod ucts it sells. We will not accept products from Vendor Partners that utilize in any manner child labor in their contracting, subcontracting or other relation ships for the manufacture of their products. For a definition of "Child", we will look first to the national laws of the country in which the Vendor Partner is doing business. If, however, the laws of that country do not provide such a definition or if the definition includes individuals below the age of 15, Wal -Mart will define "Child", for purposes of determining use of illegal child labor, as any one who is:

a. less than 15 years of age; or
b. younger than the compulsory age to be in school in the country in which the Vendor Partner is doing business, if that age is higher than 15.

Wal-Mart supports legitimate workplace apprenticeship education programs for younger persons.
Discrimination/Human Rights

Wal-Mart recognizes that cultural differences exist and different standards apply in various countries, however, we believe that all terms and conditions of employment should be based on an individual's ability to do the job, not on the basis of personal characteristics or beliefs. Wal-Mart expects its Ven dor Partners to have a social and political commitment to basic principles of human rights and to not discriminate against their employees in hiring prac tices or any other terms or conditions of work, on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation or political opinion.

3. WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT

Wal-Mart maintains a safe, clean, healthy and productive environment for its associ ates and expects the same from its Vendor Partners. Vendor Partners shall furnish employees with safe and healthy working conditions. Factories working on Wal -Mart merchandise shall provide adequate medical facilities, fire exits and safety equip ment, well fit and comfortable workstations, clean restrooms, and adequate living quarters where necessary. Wal-Mart will not do business with any Vendor Partner which provides an unhealthy or hazardous work environment or which utilizes men tal or physical disciplinary practices.

4. CONCERN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

We believe it is our role to be a leader in protecting our environment. We encourage our customers and associates to always Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. We also en courage our Vendor Partners to reduce excess packaging and to use recycled and non-toxic materials whenever possible. We will favor Vendor Partners who share our commitment to the environment.

5. BUY AMERICAN COMMITMENT

Wal-Mart has a strong commitment to buy as much merchandise made in the United States as feasible. Vendor Partners are encouraged to buy as many materials and components from United States sources as possible and communicate this informa tion to Wal-Mart. Further, Vendor Partners are encouraged to establish U.S. manufac turing operations.

6. REGULAR INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION BY VENDOR PARTNER

Vendor Partner shall designate, on a copy of the Wal-Mart Vendor Partner Inspection and Certification Form, one or more of its officers to inspect each of its facilities which produces merchandise sold to Wal-Mart. Such inspections shall be done on at least a quarterly basis to insure compliance with the standards, terms and conditions set forth herein. The Vendor Partner Officer designated to perform such inspections shall certify to Wal-Mart following each inspection that he or she performed such inspection and that the results reflected on such compliance inspection form are true and correct.

7. RIGHT OF INSPECTION

To further assure proper implementation of and compliance with the standards set forth in this Memorandum of Understanding, Wal-Mart or a third party designated by Wal-Mart will undertake affirmative measures, such as on-site inspection of produc tion facilities, to implement and monitor said standards. Any Vendor Partner which fails or refuses to comply with these standards is subject to immediate cancellation by Wal-Mart of all its outstanding orders with that Vendor Partner as well as refusal by Wal-Mart to continue to do business in any manner with that Vendor Partner.

As an officer of _______________________, a Vendor Partner of Wal-Mart, I have read the principles and terms described in this document and understand my company's business relationship with Wal-Mart is based upon said company being in full com pliance with these principles and terms. I further understand that failure by a Vendor Partner to abide by any of the terms and conditions stated herein may result in the immediate cancellation by Wal-Mart of all outstanding orders with that Vendor Part ner and refusal by Wal-Mart to continue to do business in any manner with said Vendor Partner. I am signing this statement, as a corporate representative of _____________________, to acknowledge, accept and agree to abide by the stan dards, terms and conditions set forth in this Memorandum of Understanding between my company and Wal-Mart. I hereby affirm that all actions, legal and corporate, to make this Agreement binding and enforceable against ___________________ have been completed.

 

VENDOR PARTNER COMPANY NAME Representative Name:
ADDRESS, TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER Title:
  Date:

 


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