Walmart 2006 Annual Report Download - page 2

As Wal-Mart chairman, I assure you, our
shareholders and associates, that our entire
organization is more committed than ever to
Dad’s founding principles.
Being a good and
respectful employer:
Wal-Mart offers tremendous opportunities for
our associates to develop their professional
skills and pursue a long-term career if they
choose. Our management teams foster an
environment where people are treated honestly
and with respect.
Improving the associate and
customer shopping experience:
We must improve every day in what we offer
our associates and our customers. Our every
day low price position is the basis for our
business. While this core principle is critical
to our growth and business strategy, by itself
it is not enough anymore.
This year, for example, our management
team took the initial steps to revamp the
field organization structure of Wal-Mart U.S.
The new structure gives more authority and
responsibility to those closest to the customer.
It was not an easy change, but a necessary one
that will better serve our customers and associ-
ates over the long term. We are driving similar
improvement in other important business
areas, including compliance, diversity, and
health care benefits for our associates.
Community citizenship:
We have a responsibility and an opportunity to
improve the quality of life in every community
we serve. The tremendous potential we have
was underscored in 2005 with the way our
associates and Company responded to the
hurricane disaster. The positive impact of our
response was unparalleled in Wal-Mart’s history
and clearly strengthened our reputation as a
corporate leader and good citizen.
Actions like our hurricane response
efforts provide a return on investment to
our business – both short- and long-term.
We are committed to applying our scale and
efficiencies toward the public good around
the world. Recently, we launched initiatives
to take a leadership role in improving our
operations and products for our custom-
ers that will benefit the environment. Our
efforts, some of which are already in place,
are designed to help conserve and sustain the
natural resources of our planet in the future,
as well as save money for the Company and
ultimately our customers. And, these plans
will continue to expand during the next
several years.
Integrity:
There is no area of leadership more important
than this one. Our culture is built on the high-
est level of integrity, and we will continue to
hold all associates to these high standards.
As a company and as individuals, we must
continue to lead in these principles. Powerful
leadership comes at all levels – from the board
room, from store managers, and from cashiers,
truck drivers and overnight stockers – who live
daily the principles that make Wal-Mart
a retail leader around the world.
Rob Walton
Chairman of the Board of Directors
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Building smiles today and tomorrow.
I am asked often what my father, Sam Walton, who founded Wal-Mart in 1962, would think of our Company today. There is no doubt
he’d be proud of our success and the 1.8 million associates who serve our customers every day. He also would be proud that we
remain true to the fundamental principles of leadership and business that he was so instrumental in establishing.
– Rob Walton