Wal-Mart's Sustainability Report helps to highlight the many ways in which the company hopes to become more sustainable (2009 Wal-Mart Global Sustainability Report 4-9). According to a recent news article, Wal-Mart has been striving to increase to quality of certain products while at the same time helping to bolster the quality of life for many of the farmers and workers that grow and produce its products (Wal-Mart International). Recently Wal-Mart has helped coffee-growers and harvesters in Brazil to become more efficient and become more environmentally sustainable in their practices. According to Wal-Mart, these increases in the quality of life and labor will help to increase the quality of their own products. This also shows how Wal-Mart is dedicated to the idea of social and community responsibility. The company works to outside of the U.S. borders to help those who create a more advantageous business environment abroad. But many people who criticize the quality of Wal-Mart's products and services aren't convinced the company is doing enough or striving for high enough quality standards. As American's buying power has slipped, Wal-Mart has stepped in to offer those who are ever-quality and financially conscious some great alternatives (Ball 2). These alternatives come at a price. Much of the labor and production of Wal-Mart's products comes from overseas, and some even from sweatshops and labor farms (Ball). The outsourcing of American jobs to overseas producers who can make products more cheaply has many Americans upset as well. And since Wal-Mart markets these products as something that saves Americans money, some argue that the savings comes on the backs of American workers and families. Wal-Mart's pro-customer stance has certainly helped its image. As Mr. Blackwell pointed out, Wal-Mart stands behind the quality of its products and services, even if the savings associated with these products comes at the expense of laborers half way across the globe (Ferdinand). This is not something...

Some even see their products as a lowest common denominator of sorts, where consumers can purchase goods and services at low prices, but they will most certainly get what they pay for. The company is certainly not known as a purveyor of luxury products, but since the American middle and lower class has been feeling the pinch of the recession, there is little wonder why more and more consumers are trading quality for cost. Wal-Mart has won the hearts of American consumers and has shown some effort in trying to increase the quality of their goods and services while still offering great prices (Greener). But the cost of this trade of is apparent to many people both in the U.S. And abroad. Just as Mr. Blackwell talks about consumerism, he certainly has to focused on the company's bottom line equally so. As long as the recession is still in full swing there will be a place for companies like Wal-Mart.
Works Cited

2009 Wal-Mart Global Sustainability Report. Nov. 2009. Web. 1 Dec. 2009. .

Ball, Isabel P. "Wal-Mart a flourishing conduit of poor quality products." American Chronicle Online. Feb. 2007. Web. Dec. 1, 2009.

Ferdinand, Andrea. "Wal-Mart Determined to Lead in Corporate Social Responsibility" 2007. Web. 1 Dec. 2009. .

Greener, Catherine. "Quality Expert Says Wal-Mart's Sustainability Journey is the Real Deal." Greenbiz Daily. Jan. 22, 2009.

Wal-Mart International. "USAID, Wal-Mart, TransFair USA and SEBRAE-Minas Gerais Sponsor Brazil Coffee Cupping Competition: Members of Fair Trade Certified Coffee Associations put their Beans to the Test.." Nov. 2009. Web. 1 Dec. 2009.

.