Corporate Responsibility Programs

Wal-Mart has long been a vilified brand, possibly one of the most hated in America. In the last year, however, the retail chain has made several significant moves that may change its brand perception, and some analysts say it's doing so in order to appeal to consumers who value corporate social responsibility. In its latest…

Nate Waits wakes up before 3 a.m. four days a week to get to his job at a Bentonville, Ark. distribution center for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., where the former Marine is among more than 92,000 veterans the company has hired in the past two years. As the two-year anniversary approaches of the Veterans Welcome Home…

Wal-Mart, which has deployed its financial might to squeeze extra gallons of gas out of its trucks and shave pennies off the price of laundry detergent, did something unexpected this week: it muscled its way into a divisive social debate. In an announcement circulated and recirculated among incredulous gay-rights advocates, Wal-Mart posted a statement on its Twitter feed that asked the governor of Arkansas, its home state, to reject legislation that critics say could allow discrimination against lesbians and gay men. 

If Howard Schultz and Starbucks' management team didn't already know, they certainly do now: no good deed, or attempt at one, goes unpunished. The company has been widely criticized for a campaign it's launched to get Americans speaking about the controversial topic of race. Earlier this week, baristas at the chain's stores began writing "Race Together" on cups. The company also placed full-page ads in The New York Times and USA Today and announced it would partner with USA Today to publish supplements on the topic.

Target wants to help host your book club … online. As the retailer works to build a more competitive e-commerce experience, it's partnering with a startup e-book subscription service called Librify to give customers an online platform for buying, sharing and discussing their favorite books. The official launch is still several months off, but the announcement comes ahead of BookExpo in New York City this week, the biggest event of the year for the publishing industry. Librify, which started beta testing with select users in March, offers a social-subscription service for e-books. 

Target said Tuesday that it will stop offering health insurance to its part-time employees because new online health exchanges offer workers an opportunity to buy coverage. The Minneapolis-based retailer will give each worker $500 to help buy health insurance, and has arranged for one-on-one consultations with benefits manager Towers Watson to help with the transition. The retailer announced the decision through its online site, "A Bullseye View: Behind the Scenes at Target," in a Q&A with Jodee Kozlak, Target's executive vice president of human resources.