RICHMOND, Va., May 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Walmart has released its 10^th annual Global Responsibility Report, highlighting milestones in its global progress toward creating shared value for people, business, and society.  The report looks back at the company's progress during fiscal year 2017 in advancing the key areas of opportunity and community.  Following are local examples illustrating Walmart's local impact in each of these two areas of the Global Responsibility Report:

Opportunity
Walmart is addressing barriers that can impede career advancement for associates. In FY2017, Walmart completed a $2.7 billion investment in U.S. associates that included increases in training, education and higher wages.  Virginia achievements include:

• Opening the first Walmart Training Academy in Virginia and training more than 715 Walmart associates through the Academy program to date.
• Awarding a total of more than $21 million in quarterly bonuses to Virginia associates in FY17.
• Continuing its commitment to hire military veterans for a total of more than 5,000 veterans hired in Virginia since launching the Walmart Veterans Welcome Home Commitment in May 2013.

In addition to investing in its own associates, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation in 2015 launched the Retail Opportunity Initiative, a five-year, $100 million sector-wide effort aimed at strengthening the transferability of skills of the U.S. retail workforce and developing ways to make it easier for front-line workers to advance their careers.  Through the end of FY2017, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation invested more than $59 million and collaborated with leading nonprofits, employers, government agencies and educational institutions such as the The League of Innovation and the Aspen Institute. 

Community
In FY2017, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation invested more than $1.4 billion in communities worldwide, including more than $37 million in cash and in-kind contributions to non-profits throughout Virginia.  

Local non-profits awarded grants from the Walmart State Giving Program, one of several Foundation giving programs that play an essential role in the Foundation's mission to create opportunities so people can live better, include: 

• Pathways-VA received $50,000 to support the Pathways to Employment program
• Gloucester- Mathews Free Clinic received $25,000 to support the Rural Virginia Senior Smile Program
• Feeding America Southwest Virginia received $25,000 to support the Mobile Produce Program
• Sheltered Occupational Center of Northern Virginia received $25,000 to support Job Training and Placement for Individuals with Disabilities

As the nation's largest grocer, Walmart is uniquely positioned to support organizations that are on the front lines in the fight against hunger.  In addition to donating more than 19 million pounds of food to local Virginia food banks – equivalent to 16 million meals – Walmart and the Walmart Foundation donated more than $50 million toward hunger relief in FY2017, including more than $540,000 for after school and breakfast in the classroom programs in Virginia.

Walmart also engages customers across the country in making an impact on hunger in their local communities.  In the U.S., Walmart stores and Sam's Club locations teamed up with customers and participating suppliers to support Feeding America through the "Fight Hunger. Spark Change." campaign, raising more than $17 million in funds in FY2017, including funds for the following Virginia Feeding America affiliate food banks:

• Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, Verona, VA, $131,165
• Feeding America Southwest Virginia, Salem, VA, $119,281
• FeedMore, Richmond, VA, $90,660
• Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, Norfolk, VA, $91,473
• Fredericksburg Area Food Bank, Fredericksburg, VA, $54,223
• Virginia Peninsula Foodbank, Hampton, VA, $47,840

Walmart associates are deeply engaged in their communities and in FY2017, associates overall volunteered more than 1.2 million hours generating more than $12 million in Walmart donations, including more than 31,000 hours with local non-profits and charitable causes in Virginia, marking another way in which the company supports and impacts the local communities it serves.

2017 Virginia Innovations and Investments
Walmart's most recent earnings report shows continued positive momentum in U.S. sales, customer traffic and customer feedback, which is attributed to many of the innovations and investments the company has been making in store operations and its workforce.

Walmart is planning the following investments in Virginia this year:

• Open three new stores/clubs across the state creating approximately 700 new jobs statewide.
• Multi-million dollar capital investments in improving existing stores/clubs by remodeling more than 18 locations across the state:
• Walmart Supercenter, 501 Wal-Mart Dr, Winchester
• Walmart Supercenter, 11400 West Broad Street Rd, Glen Allen
• Walmart Supercenter, 12200 Chattanooga Plz, Midlothian
• Walmart Supercenter, 3500 S Crater Rd, Petersburg
• Walmart Supercenter, 7530 Tidewater Dr, Norfolk
• Walmart Supercenter, 1900 Cunningham Dr, Hampton
• Walmart Supercenter, 2021 Lynnhaven Pkwy, Virginia Beach
• Walmart Supercenter, 550 Old Franklin Turnpike, Rocky Mount
• Walmart Supercenter, 975 Hilton Heights Rd, Charlottesville
• Walmart Supercenter, 1800 Carl D. Silver Parkway, Fredericksburg
• Walmart Supercenter, 1233 N Lee Hwy, Lexington
• Walmart Supercenter, 5885 Kingstowne Blvd, Alexandria
• Walmart Supercenter, 13059 Fair Lakes Parkway, Fairfax
• Walmart Supercenter, 1126 E Lynchburg Salem Turnpike, Bedford
• Walmart Supercenter, 6303 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria
• Walmart Supercenter, 116 Lucy Ln, Waynesboro
• Walmart Supercenter, 5350 Clearbrook Village Ln, Roanoke
• Walmart Supercenter, 17041 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Dumfries

"2017 is going to be an exciting year for Walmart in Virginia as we continue to focus on how to better serve our customers through innovation and investments so they can save both time and money," said Bob Davis, Walmart Regional Manager in Virginia. "We've had a sharp focus on making our store experience second to none and our customers are telling us that our plan is working. Our team is energized and we're looking forward to exceeding our customer's expectations for what a great Walmart shopping experience can be like."

Walmart's 2017 investment plans build on Walmart's growth last year in Virginia. 2016 Highlights included:

About Walmart in Virginia
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online and through their mobile devices In Virginia we serve customers at 152 retail units and online through Walmart Grocery Pickup, Walmart.com and Jet.com We are proud to employ over 44,000 associates in Virginia. Walmart supports local businesses, spending $621 million with Virginia suppliers in FYE17, which supported more than 33,000 supplier jobs.  Learn more at the Walmart Today blog, and our Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram channels.

Media Contact:
Ashley Messier
Ashley@capresults.net
804-771-5303

SOURCE Walmart

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