WALMART Incorporated
Global Ethics Office
702 SW 8th Street
Bentonville, AR 72716-0860
ethics@wal-mart.com
esbdsh@email.wal-mart.com

Dear Global Ethics Office,

I am a WALMART customer.

Since the tragedy in Bangladesh, where 1,129 mostly young women workers were killed, I cannot, in good conscience, continue to purchase products that were made by garment workers who are being put in dangerous situations, treated with cruelty and paid what amounts to a "starvation wage" of 12 to 24 cents an hour. 

I have read your statement concerning Responsible Sourcing in Bangladesh. I appreciate the sentiments and especially your efforts to begin assessing conditions at specific factories. These measures alone, unfortunately, do not make me confident that the clothing I buy is supporting the fair treatment of workers.

As you are aware, the "Standards For Suppliers" that you have established rely heavily on the enforcement of existing laws and policies in Bangladesh that have been widely reviewed as insufficient.  Red-listing factories that do not meet your standards creates some market pressure, but this pressure also adversely affects workers.  A more comprehensive approach is required.

To work in tandem with red-listing, I suggest that WALMART initiate a much stronger, very public campaign-- one that promotes workers and working conditions directly. The company can no longer afford to shy away from identifying specific, addressable shortcomings and collaborating with worker, community, non-profit and government campaigns to alleviate them. 

Many avenues are open to this approach but a show of leadership may be most important. WALMART can make public concrete, documented improvements and reward supplier companies who are leading.  In short, WALMART can make global corporate responsibility achievement and leadership the focus. The suffering that exists deserves this and more.

I also read your policy on Fire Safety in Bangladesh, but cannot determine if WALMART has signed the "Accord on Building and Fire Safety." Please update me on this matter.

I look forward to your response concerning the downsides of red-listing and how you plan to address them. I hope you agree that it is not enough to punish factories and workers and that much more must be done.

Sincerely,