Corporate Responsibility

The Walmart Foundation increased to $10 million its investment in an educational program on track to provide training to 60,000 women in 150 factories.

The increased funding commitment to the Women in Factories program begun in 2011 was announced in Beijing by Scott Price, CEO of Walmart Asia at the 2014 APEC CEO Summit. The Women in Factories program has already provided training to 40,000 female factory workers and by the end of 2016 the figure is expected to increase to 60,000 women at factories in India, Bangladesh, China, El Salvador, and Honduras.

J.P. Bilbrey, CEO of Hershey, has been appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to President Obama’s newly-established Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA).  

Bilbrey will be one of the 15 private sector leaders providing guidance to the president on strengthening partnerships with African nations to leverage the opportunities for U.S. companies committed to supporting the continent for the long term. 

The private-sector council will focus on strengthening the U.S.’ commercial relationships with African nations. 

In its commitment to helping customers create healthier habits and fight obesity and diabetes, H-E-B on Thursday partnered with the American Diabetes Association to announce the launch of H-E-B Nutrition Services.

Registered dietitians and nutritionists will be in select stores throughout Texas providing affordable nutrition education and care, including private one-on-one consultations, grocery shopping tours, cooking demonstrations, group health classes, kids cooking classes, “lunch and learn” sessions and disease management classes.

Dollar General will honor veterans and their families with a special 11% discount on all qualifying purchases, in-store and online, on Tuesday, November 11, 2014.

New website BeautyKind.us will enable consumers to give back just by making purchases.  Whether it’s shopping for makeup, skincare, fragrances, hair or nail products, 5% of the purchase price of every product will be donated to the charity of the consumer's choice. The unique shopping platform “We-Commerce” was created to integrate cause within commerce and bring the beauty community together for the greater good.

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. has named Jacqueline Hourigan Rice as senior VP, chief risk and compliance officer. Rice is a 17-year veteran of General Motors, where she most recently served as chief compliance officer.  

By Don Cardon and Steve Backman         

By Jason Ausburn and Karl Fruecht   You’ve acquired a new storefront. While doing your final walk-through, you notice an unlocked door that opens to a side alley. You can’t use the alley for storage. It doesn’t give your customers an additional entrance. It’s just an additional access point.   How are you going to secure it?  

The nation’s leading natural and organic grocer proved its doubters wrong with a better than expected fourth quarter earnings report, a rosy outlook for the coming year and dedication to a long-term growth strategy.

Shopko has launched an exclusive online optical line, Asher & Ivy, which the company says combines hipster attitude with a bit of “geek chic.”

“The Asher & Ivy exclusive eyewear collection is trend-forward, fresh and fun,” said Don Bye, vp of Shopko Optical Services.  “We are thrilled to introduce this new brand on our enhanced website.”  

Asher & Ivy Eyewear is available exclusively online, however, the eyeglasses can also be shipped to any local Shopko Eyecare Center.