Walmart’s Inclusive Leadership

According to a study by McKinsey and LeanIn.Org, white men still occupy 66% of C-suite positions and 59% of SVP posts, says Donald Fan of Walmart. “White women hold the second largest share of such positions, though they lag significantly behind their male counterparts, filling only 19% of C-suite jobs and 23% of SVP spots. Men of color account for 12% and 13% of such roles, respectively, while women of color hold only 3% and 5%, respectively,” he says.

Creating a truly inclusive workplace requires the commitment and participation of all. “At Walmart, our vision is everyone is included, including white males,” says Fan. “By fostering a workplace culture where everyone is—and feels—included, everyone wins. Our associates are happier, perform at their best and in turn, provide better service to our customers and members.” 

Walmart has a number of programs in place to develop inclusive leadership and cultivate allyship, including setting Inclusive Leadership Expectations for its 72,000 managers each year.

Managers are required to participate in at least one approved Inclusive Leadership Education offering, such as Unconscious Bias training, LGBTQ Ally training, Values-Based Decision-Making Workshop, Racial Equity Training, or a Dining in the Dark session, says Fan. Additionally, they are asked to actively mentor or sponsor at least two associates, host a mentoring circle or participate as a mentor in a program such as Lean In Mentoring Circles.