Corporate Responsibility

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. revealed Thursday it has launched an internal investigation into whether its overseas operations complied with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in matters including permitting, licensing and inspections. 

Few details about the internal probe have been released, but the retailer revealed the investigation in a quarterly report filed Thursday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The law in question deals with bribery and accounting rules when companies are doing business overseas. 

Wal-Mart Stores said it would offer better financial education and investment options to its associates, following its agreement, along with Merill Lynch, to pay a total of $13.5 million to settle a long-running class-action lawsuit alleging the retailer and its retirement plan administrator breached their fiduciary duty toward nearly 2 million past and present Walmart workers in the company’s 401(k) plan, Forbes.com reported.

Costa Mesa, Calif. -- Ikea said Thursday it has officially plugged-in four Blink Pedestal electric vehicle charging stations at its Costa Mesa, Calif., store as part of its partnership with ECOtality.

The initiative represents the fourth such project for IKEA in the United States.  Installation also is planned at five other IKEA stores in the Western U.S. 

New York City -- Barnes & Noble said Thursday it has earned the top rating of 100% for the fourth year in a row in the 2012 Corporate Equality Index, an annual survey administered by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.

Barnes & Noble joins the ranks of 190 other major U.S. businesses, which received top marks for their treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees and consumers.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General announced that it is giving $100,000 to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation to support its efforts to provide toys to underprivileged children.

"Dollar General is proud to support Toys for Tots this holiday season," said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General's chairman and CEO. "Our stores are happy to be a part of Toys for Tots' mission of bringing joy and excitement to children who might not otherwise have a gift to open on Christmas."

Washington, D.C. — Supervalu announced that it has joined the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge, which aims to engage building operators nationwide in improving energy efficiency by 20% by 2020. The announcement was made by President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton during a leadership event attended by Craig Herkert, Supervalu CEO and president, this morning in Washington, D.C.

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — Ikea announced that it plans to install solar energy panels on ten additional United States locations. Pending governmental permits, installation can begin this winter, with completion expected in summer 2012, the company said. Collectively, the nine stores and one distribution center will total 10.7 Megawatts (MW) of solar generating capacity, nearly 45,360 panels, and a projected annual electricity output of 15,248,334 kilowatt hours (kWh).

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club announced that it is teaming up with The Salvation Army and Off the Field professional football players' wives association for the fifth annual Dream Drive for the Salvation Army. Twenty pre-selected families from the Salvation Army Adopt-A-Family program in 10 different cities will receive $1,000 worth of gifts, including food, clothes, personal items and toys from Sam's Club. As part of the Dream Drive campaign, Off the Field representatives will be shopping at their local Sam's Clubs on Dec. 8 to purchase items for these families.

Washington, D.C. -- Supervalu has joined the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge, which aims to engage building operators nationwide in improving energy efficiency by 20% by 2020. The announcement was made by President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton during a leadership event attended by Craig Herkert, Supervalu chief executive officer and president, in Washington, D.C.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target will donate $5 million to local schools nationwide as part of the company's commitment to give $1 billion for education by the end of 2015.