A Brief Introduction to Wal-Mart in China

Wal-Mart was established by Sam Walton, the US retail legend, in Arkansas in 1962. With more than 40years’ development, Wal-Mart has become the biggest personal employer in US and the World’s biggest retailer. So far, Wal-Mart has over 7,800 stores globally, having over 2 million associates and covering 16 countries. Wal-Mart serves 176 million customers every week.

Wal-Mart began its retail operations in China in 1996 with the opening of a Supercenter and Sam’s Club in Shenzhen.  Wal-Mart's Global Procurement Office opened in Feb 2002. With 13 years’ development, Wal-Mart now has 146 stores in China, covering 89 cities, including 138 supercenters, 3 Sam’s Clubs and 2 Neighborhood Markets. In the mean time, Wal-Mart purchased a 35% interest in Trust-Mart and owns 102 Trust Mart stores. Now Wal-Mart has brought over 70,000 job opportunities in China. As an excellent corporate citizen, Wal-Mart actively participates in community service and charity events and has donated funds and in-kind support worth more than RMB 58 million (~US$ 8 million) to local communities over the past 12 years. What’s more, Wal-Mart is striving for environmental protection and sustainable development and has absorbed sustainability 360 in its daily work. Wal-Mart also encourages its suppliers to join its sustainability 360 plan to work jointly in the environmental protection and sustainability in China.

Like operating in other countries, Wal-Mart China is committed to the company principles, concentrating on the business in every store, serving every customer, providing valuable and full-category merchandise and friendly service. Wal-Mart China brings advanced retailing technique and innovative retailing concept to every area it operates. Under the competition, it also helps local retail industry to improve operation and service quality so that it can develop with local economy.

Wal-Mart China persists in local procurement which provides more job opportunities, supports local manufacture industry and promotes local economy. So far, 95% of merchandising sold at Wal-Mart China store are local products by which Wal-Mart has established business relations with nearly 20,000 suppliers. At Wal-Mart, we treat suppliers as partners and would like to develop with them. In 2008，Wal-Mart won the Supplier Satisfaction published by Business Information of Shanghai for five consecutive years.

Wal-Mart is striving for an excellent corporate citizen wherever it operates. In China, Wal-Mart has won many awards, including,

• Supplier Satisfaction by Business Information of Shanghai for five consecutive years
• Best Employer for University Student
• Leading Multi-National Enterprise in Asia by Asian Wall Street Journal
• Best Employer in China Retail Industry by CCFA
• China Most Valuable Brand by Fortune Chinese Version
• 2008 Top 10 Best investing Fortune 500 Companies in China by Southern Weekend Magazine
• Excellent Employer by Fortune Chinese Version
• Multi-Nation Company Charitable Donations by Forbes Chinese Version
• Most Admired Company by Fortune Chinese Version
• Best Community by Guangming Daily

As of 7 May 2009

Wal-Mart History
Wal-Mart Global Data Sheet
The Map of Wal-Mart Around the World
Wal-Mart in China
Wal-Mart China Data Sheet
How to request further information about senior management