Corporate Responsibility

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart U.S. President and CEO Bill Simon addressed attendees at the American Legion's 93rd National Convention on Wednesday, telling fellow Americans, veterans and Legionnaires that Walmart would create jobs in the U.S. by hiring more than 15,000 people to work in about 100 new and expanded Walmart stores by fiscal year's end.

Issaquah, Wash. -- Jim Sinegal, the much-admired CEO and co-founder of Costco Wholesale Corp., plans to step down effective Jan. 1. The chain said its board has elected the company's current president and COO, Craig Jelinek, to succeed Sinegal.

“Costco has a very strong culture and a deep bench of management talent," said Sinegal. "I have total confidence in Craig's ability to handle his new responsibilities and feel we are fortunate as a company to have an executive of his caliber to succeed me as chief executive of Costco."

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway announced that it will donate $20,000 to "America's Most Natural City" to help maintain its park facilities. In addition, the winning city will be awarded with 25 picnic tables, sectioned off from the 305-foot Douglas Fir table that recently broke the Guinness World Record for the World's Longest Picnic Table, which was built in celebration of Safeway's Open Nature, a new 100% natural line of high-quality foods, Safeway reported.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart announced that Roger Mason, Jr. of the New York Nets and Deion Branch of the New England Patriots will be featured in the company's social campaign for Protege, the company's exclusive footwear and apparel collection.

AUSTIN — Retailer Whole Foods is continuing its foray into the health-and-wellness realm.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Walmart U.S. President and CEO Bill Simon addressed attendees at the American Legion's 93rd National Convention on Wednesday, telling fellow Americans, veterans and Legionnaires that Walmart would create jobs in the U.S. by hiring more than 15,000 people to work in about 100 new and expanded Walmart stores by fiscal year's end.

Cincinnati -- Kroger Co. will hold a moment of silence of September 11, 2011, in its 2,449 stores nationwide. Stores located in the Eastern Time zone will pause for a moment of silence to remember the victims and honor the heroes of the 9/11 tragedy at 8:46 a.m., the time when American Airlines Flight 11 struck the World Trade Center's north tower ten years ago.

Because of the time difference, Kroger's stores in Central, Mountain and Western Time zones will pause for a moment at a locally-designated time on Sunday morning.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Citing a growing obesity epidemic in the United States, Sports Authority announced that it will no longer sell candy at its 465 stores.

Though it may lose some of the impulse sales generated by offering tempting items near checkout, Sports Authority is hardly a destination for junk food lovers, and that space might be better suited for products geared more toward the retailer's customer base. 

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys"R"Us announced that "Desperate Housewives" star Eva Longoria will be featured on the cover of its 2011 edition of the Toys"R"Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids. Longoria will be featured alongside Elijah De La Cerda, a 5-year-old boy with Down syndrome from Fresno, Calif., the company announced. Released annually, this complimentary resource is created with guidance from the National Lekotek Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making play accessible to children of all abilities.

Seeing as how the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks falls on the final day of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G, tournament officials faced the delicate challenge of developing a respectful way to observe the event.

What they came up with was the following: