Walmart is taking major steps to house more offerings from product lines created by women, people of color, veterans, persons with disabilities and members of the LGBT community.
The retail giant, which has served as a major sponsor of the ESSENCE Festival since 2007, recently announced the launch of a Supplier Inclusion Showcase on Walmart.com to spotlight products from Walmart’s ever-growing diverse suppliers’ community. Officially launched at the 2018 ESSENCE Festival with products offerings from Cynthia Bailey’s eyewear line, Joe’s Gourmet Fish Fry, Positively Perfect Dolls by Dr. Lisa Williams and many more, the showcase will be updated periodically to shine a spotlight on other diverse suppliers’ products at key moments in the future.
The new venture will highlight the more than 2,600 diverse suppliers who now represent hundreds of thousands of products in Walmart stores and on Walmart.com. The showcase itself is part of an intentional effort by Walmart leadership to allow for the suppliers of the company’s product offerings to reflect a community as diverse as its’ loyal customer base.
“At Walmart, we are proud to be able to use our stores and websites to empower diverse suppliers,” Senior Director, Supplier Diversity and Inclusion, Michael Byron, said in a statement. “Our customers represent all of America, and we want to be sure our suppliers do, too. Supplier inclusion means that we’re able to deliver innovative, quality products and a broader selection to the communities we serve. We encourage diverse companies to explore new possibilities with Walmart and on Walmart.com.”
For more information on the showcase and how you can become a Walmart diverse supplier, click HERE.
