Consumer Affairs & Relations

Boca Raton, Fla. -- Office Depot announced Tuesday the release of its 2011 Corporate Citizenship Report, highlighting its commitment to business, ethics, diversity, environmental sustainability and community.

Highlights of the report include diversity initiatives such as its Historically Underutilized Businesses catalog, which features products by businesses owned by minorities, women, the disabled and veterans; its ranking as the greenest retailer in America; and its compliance training initiatives.

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Food Marketing Institute on Monday honored three supermarket executives for their achievements in the industry during FMI’s Midwinter Executive Conference here, the association announced.

New York City -- The Talbots is in buyout talks with the private-equity firm Sycamore Partners, according to the Boston Herald. The retailer signed a confidentiality agreement on Friday with the New York-based Sycamore, its second largest shareholder with 10% of the company, according to documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the report said.

Paris -- Carrefour, the second largest retailer in the world after Wal-Mart Stores, has selected French retailing veteran Georges Plassat, 62, as its next CEO and chairman.

JCPenney got a lot of love this week from investors and the media after the company’s senior leadership unveiled a simplified pricing and promotional strategy that sounded an awful lot like another well-known retailer’s success formula.

Walmart makes a big deal out of its culture, and as a result it invites criticism whenever changes are made to long-standing company policies that are somehow seen as diminishing the culture. That was the case again this week when reports surfaced that people greeters working the overnight shift had been reassigned other duties.

Walmart opened its second supercenter in Chicago this week, and the only thing missing from the press release announcing the new store was a quote from President Obama praising the company as a job creator.

Instead, Walmart had to settle for some kind words from Chicago mayor and former Obama chief of staff Rohm Emanuel.

Walmart chief merchandising officer Duncan Mac Naughton was given additional responsibility for marketing on Friday, according to an internal company announcement that was obtained by Reuters. Citing the announcement, the news agency said chief marketing officer Stephen Quinn would report to Mac Naughton rather than U.S. stores division president and CEO Bill Simon as was the case previously. To read more click here.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Friday it has reorganized reporting relationships, putting its U.S. marketing team under the leadership of the chief merchandising officer. Marketing currently operates as a separate group and the move, said Wal-Mart, is designed to improve shopper communication.

The new plan will have U.S. chief marketing officer Stephen Quinn reporting to U.S. chief merchandising officer Duncan Mac Naughton. Before the change, Quinn reported to Bill Simon, Wal-Mart U.S. president and CEO.

Mooresville, N.C. -- Lowe’s Cos. said Friday it has appointed Richard Dreiling, CEO and chairman of Dollar General Corp., to its board of directors. He will serve on the board’s audit and governance committees.

Dreiling has also served in corner-office positions for Duane Read, Longs Drug, Safeway and Vons.