Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ('Wal-Mart") has enjoyed success by adhering to
three basic principles since its founding in 1962. The first principle
is the concept of providing value and service to our customers by offering
quality merchandise at low prices every day. Wal-Mart has built the
relationship with its customers on this basis, and we believe it is a
fundamental reason for the Company's rapid growth and success. The second
principle is corporate dedication to a partnership between the Company's
associates (employees), ownership and management. This concept is extended to
Wal-Mart's Vendor Partners who have increased their business as Wal-Mart has
grown. The third principle is a commitment by Wal-Mart to the United
States and the communities in which stores and distribution centers are
located.
Wal-Mart strives to conduct its business in a manner that reflects these
three basic principles and the resultant fundamental values. Each of our
Vendor Partners, in cluding our Vendor Partners outside the United States, are
expected to conform to those principles and values and to assure compliance in
all contracting, subcontract ing or other relationships.
Since Wal-Mart believes that the conduct of its Vendor Partners can be
transferred to Wal-Mart and affect its reputation, Wal-Mart requires that its
Vendor Partners conform to standards of business practices which are consistent
with the three principles described above. More specifically, Wal-Mart
requires conformity from its Vendor Partners with the following standards, and
hereby reserves the right to make peri odic, unannounced inspections of Vendor
Partner's facilities to satisfy itself of Vendor Partner's compliance with
these standards:
1. COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS
All Vendor Partners shall comply with the legal requirements and standards
of their industry under the national laws of the countries in which the Vendor
Partners are doing business. Should the legal requirements and standards of
the industry conflict, Vendor Partners must, at a minimum, be in compliance
with the legal requirements of the country in which the products are manu
factured. If, however, the industry standards exceed the country's legal re
quirements, Wal-Mart will favor Vendor Partners who meet such industry
standards. Vendor Partners shall comply with all import requirements of the
U.S. Customs Service and all U.S. Government agencies. Necessary invoices and
required documentation must be provided in compliance with U.S. law. Vendor
Partners shall warrant to Wal-Mart that no merchandise sold to Wal -Mart
infringes the patents, trademarks or copyrights of others and shall pro vide to
Wal-Mart all necessary licenses for selling merchandise sold to Wal -Mart which
is under license from a third party to protect intellectual property rights in
the United States or elsewhere. All merchandise shall be accurately marked or
labeled with its country of origin in compliance with the laws of the United
States and those of the country of manufacture. All shipments of merchandise
will be accompanied by the requisite documentation issued by the proper
governmental authorities, including but not limited to Form A's, import
licenses, quota allocations and visas and shall comply with orderly marketing
agreements, voluntary restraint agreements and other such agree ments in
accordance with U.S. law. The commercial invoice shall, in English, accurately
describe all the merchandise contained in the shipment, identify the country of
origin of each article contained in the shipment, and shall list all payments,
whether direct or indirect, to be made for the merchandise, including, but not
limited to any assists, selling commissions or royalty pay ments. Backup
documentation, and any Wal-Mart required changes to any documentation, will be
provided by Vendor Partners promptly.
2. EMPLOYMENT
Wal-Mart is a success because its associates are considered partners and a
strong level of teamwork has developed within the Company. Wal-Mart expects
the spirit of its commitment to be reflected by its Vendor Partners with
respect to their employ ees. At a minimum, Wal-Mart expects its Vendor Partners
to meet the following terms and conditions of employment:
Compensation
Vendor Partners shall fairly compensate their
employees by providing wages and benefits which are in compliance with the
national laws of the countries in which the Vendor Partners are doing business
and which are consistent with the prevailing local standards in the countries
in which the Vendor Partners are doing business, if the prevailing local
standards are higher.
Hours of Labor
Vendor Partners shall maintain reasonable
employee work hours in compli ance with local standards and applicable national
laws of the countries in which the Vendor Partners are doing business.
Employees shall not work more hours in one week than allowable under applicable
law, and shall be compensated as appropriate for overtime work. We favor
Vendor Partners who utilize less than sixty-hour work weeks, and we will not
use suppliers who, on a regularly scheduled basis, require employees to work in
excess of a sixty-hour week. Employees should be permitted reasonable days off
(which we define as meaning at least one day off for every seven-day period in
other words, the employee would work six days and have at least one day off
during a seven day period) and leave privileges.
Forced Labor/Prison Labor
Vendor Partners shall maintain
employment on a voluntary basis. Forced or prison labor will not be tolerated
by Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart will not accept products from Vendor Partners who
utilize in any manner forced labor or prison labor in the manufacture or in
their contracting, subcontracting or other relationships for the manufacture of
their products.
Child Labor
Wal-Mart will not tolerate the use of child
labor in the manufacture of prod ucts it sells. We will not accept products
from Vendor Partners that utilize in any manner child labor in their
contracting, subcontracting or other relation ships for the manufacture of their
products. For a definition of "Child", we will look first to the
national laws of the country in which the Vendor Partner is doing business.
If, however, the laws of that country do not provide such a definition or if
the definition includes individuals below the age of 15, Wal -Mart will define "Child",
for purposes of determining use of illegal child labor, as any one who is:
a. less than 15 years of age; or
b. younger than the compulsory age to be in school in the country in
which the Vendor Partner is doing business, if that age is higher than 15.
Wal-Mart
supports legitimate workplace apprenticeship education programs for younger
persons.
Discrimination/Human Rights
Wal-Mart recognizes that
cultural differences exist and different standards apply in various countries,
however, we believe that all terms and conditions of employment should be based
on an individual's ability to do the job, not on the basis of personal
characteristics or beliefs. Wal-Mart expects its Ven dor Partners to have a
social and political commitment to basic principles of human rights and to not
discriminate against their employees in hiring prac tices or any other terms or
conditions of work, on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender,
religion, disability, sexual orientation or political opinion.
3. WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT
Wal-Mart maintains a safe, clean, healthy and productive environment for
its associ ates and expects the same from its Vendor Partners. Vendor Partners
shall furnish employees with safe and healthy working conditions. Factories
working on Wal -Mart merchandise shall provide adequate medical facilities, fire
exits and safety equip ment, well fit and comfortable workstations, clean
restrooms, and adequate living quarters where necessary. Wal-Mart will not do
business with any Vendor Partner which provides an unhealthy or hazardous work
environment or which utilizes men tal or physical disciplinary practices.
4. CONCERN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
We believe it is our role to be a leader in protecting our environment. We
encourage our customers and associates to always Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
We also en courage our Vendor Partners to reduce excess packaging and to use
recycled and non-toxic materials whenever possible. We will favor Vendor
Partners who share our commitment to the environment.
5. BUY AMERICAN COMMITMENT
Wal-Mart has a strong commitment to buy as much merchandise made in the
United States as feasible. Vendor Partners are encouraged to buy as many
materials and components from United States sources as possible and communicate
this informa tion to Wal-Mart. Further, Vendor Partners are encouraged to
establish U.S. manufac turing operations.
6. REGULAR INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION BY VENDOR PARTNER
Vendor Partner shall designate, on a copy of the Wal-Mart Vendor Partner
Inspection and Certification Form, one or more of its officers to inspect each
of its facilities which produces merchandise sold to Wal-Mart. Such
inspections shall be done on at least a quarterly basis to insure compliance
with the standards, terms and conditions set forth herein. The Vendor Partner
Officer designated to perform such inspections shall certify to Wal-Mart
following each inspection that he or she performed such inspection and that the
results reflected on such compliance inspection form are true and correct.
7. RIGHT OF INSPECTION
To further assure proper implementation of and compliance with the
standards set forth in this Memorandum of Understanding, Wal-Mart or a third
party designated by Wal-Mart will undertake affirmative measures, such as
on-site inspection of produc tion facilities, to implement and monitor said
standards. Any Vendor Partner which fails or refuses to comply with these
standards is subject to immediate cancellation by Wal-Mart of all its
outstanding orders with that Vendor Partner as well as refusal by Wal-Mart to
continue to do business in any manner with that Vendor Partner.
As an
officer of _______________________, a Vendor Partner of Wal-Mart, I have read
the principles and terms described in this document and understand my company's
business relationship with Wal-Mart is based upon said company being in full com
pliance with these principles and terms. I further understand that failure by a
Vendor Partner to abide by any of the terms and conditions stated herein may
result in the immediate cancellation by Wal-Mart of all outstanding orders with
that Vendor Part ner and refusal by Wal-Mart to continue to do business in any
manner with said Vendor Partner. I am signing this statement, as a corporate
representative of _____________________, to acknowledge, accept and agree to
abide by the stan dards, terms and conditions set forth in this Memorandum of
Understanding between my company and Wal-Mart. I hereby affirm that all
actions, legal and corporate, to make this Agreement binding and enforceable
against ___________________ have been completed.
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