Integrity Builds Trust
Our Code of Conduct guides us in making ethical decisions that build trust
with associates, customers and members, and within our business.
Walmart Ethics
Walmart is a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer dedicated to helping people save money and live better. Our Code guides us in making ethical decisions that build trust with our associates, customers and members, and within our business. At its heart is a simple guideline: do the right thing and speak up whenever you have a concern or see something wrong. Please read our Code and refer to it often.
Report a Concern
Concerns are treated as confidentially as possible, and if you choose, you may report your concern anonymously to the extent allowed by law.
Ask a Question
Need ethics advice?
Find the various ways to
contact Ethics & Compliance.
Follow-up
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ethics concern? Check
the status of your report.
Integrity in Action
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Frequently Asked Questions
Building trust requires us to do the right thing and speak up if we have questions or concerns. If you do not know the right thing to do, ask for advice from your manager, people partner, or Ethics & Compliance. Make your voice heard and get the answers you need. If you see, suspect, or are told about activity that violates our Code, company policies, or the law, report it promptly. Most concerns can be reported to your manager or people partner. However, the concerns listed below must be reported directly to Ethics:
- Bribery;
- A company officer or a direct report of a company CEO violating the Code of Conduct;
- Falsifying financial records or interfering with financial controls;
- Discrimination & Harassment – Salaried member of management are required to report violations of the Global Discrimination and Harassment Prevention Policy to Ethics. All other associates can report concerns to salaried members of management, people partners, or Ethics.
Some concerns do not require ethics oversight and are best handled by another party. Some examples include:
- Concerns regarding work schedule or attendance points
- Respect for the individual concerns involving profanity, general rudeness or disrespect
- Questions about benefits
- Questions about rehire eligibility
- Concerns about customer service or online orders
Many of these instances are best handled by talking to your manager, People Partner, visiting your local office / store or contacting customer service.
You may contact Ethics & Compliance to ask for advice or submit a concern through the following channels:
- Phone: 800-963-8442 (1-800-WM-ETHIC) in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, or your local phone number listed here. The Ethics Helpline operates 24/7 and is available in most local languages.
- Email: ethics@walmart.com
- Mail: Walmart Inc., Attention: Global Ethics, Trust Building, 811 Excellence Drive, Bentonville, AR 72716-0860.
1. Keep your case number and password
Use the case number and password you receive from the Helpline or walmartethics.com to check your report's status or provide additional details. Ethics & Compliance will follow up with most concerns within 72 hours. If you need an immediate response, you should contact your supervisor, HR, or market Ethics office. Customers should contact a store manager
2. Follow-Up with Ethics
Ethics & Compliance will follow-up in a way that is most likely to be received by the reporter. If you provide an email address, we will respond through email. If you wish to remain anonymous and do not provide contact information, updates or follow-up questions will be submitted on your online report status. If you have filed an anonymous report, periodically check-in online to look for updates to your case.
3. The Investigation
You may be contacted to assist with the investigation. If you are asked to participate, give honest and complete answers. Walmart does not tolerate retaliation for reporting a concern or participating in an investigation. If you feel that you have been retaliated against for reporting a concern, contact your People Partner or Ethics & Compliance.
4. Closing Your Case
If a problem is found, Ethics & Compliance will work with the business to resolve it. If necessary, disciplinary action will be taken against an associate. For reasons of confidentiality and respect for the individual we will not share details about the investigation, but you will be informed when the case is closed.
Walmart prohibits retaliation against anyone who reports a concern or participates in an investigation. Discouraging associates from reporting ethics concerns is also prohibited. Reporting a concern in good faith will not get you in trouble, even if you make an honest mistake. Retaliation or knowingly reporting false information will lead to disciplinary action.
“…There’s no substitute for hard work, integrity, and a dedication to leaving this world a little better place than when we came into it.”
Sam Walton, Founder, Walmart Inc.
