In 50 Years, Wal-Mart Turns a Shop into an Empire
Source: Bloomberg
Wal-Mart turned 50 years old this month. Founder Sam Walton’s first shop in Rogers, Arkansas, has grown into a 10,185-store chain spanning 27 countries. Many suppliers rely on Wal-Mart, now the fourth-largest company in the world, for large portions of their revenue. For example, the company provides Procter & Gamble, the world's biggest maker of consumer goods, about 15 percent of sales. Wal-Mart isn't similarly beholden to any one of its many suppliers.
The company’s sustainability initiative, which began in 2005, focuses this global influence on efforts to reduce waste and shrink the environmental impacts within its supply chain.
To mark Wal-Mart's 50th anniversary, Bloomberg.com has created two interactive graphics illustrating the company's geographic scale and economic influence. Click here to see them.
Visit www.bloomberg.com/sustainability for the latest from Bloomberg News about energy, natural resources and global business.
Rate this Page
Bloomberg moderates all comments. Comments that are abusive or off-topic will not be posted to the site. Excessively long comments may be moderated as well. Bloomberg cannot facilitate requests to remove comments or explain individual moderation decisions.