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.
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.
| VENDOR PARTNER COMPANY NAME |
Representative Name: |
| ADDRESS, TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER |
Title: |
| |
Date: |
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