Walmart: Love, Earth (B)

Published 25 Jun 2012
Reference 5830
Industry Retail
Region Global
Length 2 page(s)
Language English
Summary

This case is about Walmart’s launch of Love, Earth—a one billion dollar line of sustainable jewellery—told from the perspective of an NGO activist. Perhaps uniquely among CSR cases to date, it offers instructors the opportunity to explore strategic CSR by a large MNC from the perspective of the firm and the NGO activists.

Teaching objectives

1. To examine strategic CSR/sustainability: How and why companies such as Walmart are increasingly addressing their social and environmental impacts at a core strategic and operational level. 2. To examine the roles and processes of stakeholder engagement. 3. To examine NGO campaigns and NGO strategies and tactics in relation to business. 4. To explore the characteristics of sustainability champions and the challenges they face. 5. To explore the limits of CSR/sustainability.

Keywords
  • sustainability
  • strategic corporate social responsibility
  • stakeholder engagement
  • NGO strategy & tactics
  • social entrepreneurship
  • multi-stakeholder initiatives
  • mining
  • retail jewellery
  • Q41112