Gender Washing at Walmart

Teaser:

Martha Burk coins the term "gender washing," to describe Walmart's "Women's Economic Empowerment Initiative."

Editorial:

"Walmart Launches Global Women's Economic Empowerment Initiative; Effort Includes Goal to Source $20 Billion from Women-Owned Businesses in the U.S." read the headline on Walmart's press release announcing a new "gender washing" initiative.

Well, ok, they didn't mention "gender washing." I made up the term to convey the same meaning "green washing" evokes when it's used to describe companies that try to look environmentally responsible -- while doing little or nothing to actually change themselves or improve the environment.

Still, $20 billion is a lot of money. Or is it? According to the New York Times [2], the $4 billion a year that Walmart will spend sourcing from women-owned U.S. businesses works out to a measly 5% of the company's annual operating expenses.

...

Source:

Huffington Post

URL:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martha-burk/gender-washing-at-walmart_b_964942.html

Date:

September 15, 2011

Affiliate:

Associated Issues & Expertise:

Advancing Women's Leadership [3]
Advertising, Marketing & Stereotypes [4]
Affirmative Action [5]
Business & Entrepreneurship [6]
Glass Ceilings & Barriers [7]
Communications, Media & Gender [8]
Corporate Social Responsibility [9]
Discrimination [10]
Employment & Unemployment [11]
Corporations [12]
Disparities [13]
Diversity & Inclusion [14]
Inclusion [15]
Leadership in Government, Politics, and Business [16]
Entrepreneurship & Small Business Development [17]
Work:life Balance [18]
Communications, Culture & Society [19]
Economic Development & Security [20]
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion [21]
Women's & Girls' Leadership [22]
Media Roundup [23]
Diversity & Inclusion [24]
Economic Security [25]
Women's Leadership [26]
Women in Fund Management [27]

Links:
[1] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/martha-burk/gender-washing-at-walmart_b_964942.html
[2] http://www.bendbulletin.com/article/20110914/NEWS0107/109140355/
[3] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/113
[4] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/125
[5] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/155
[6] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/101
[7] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/187
[8] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/124
[9] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/120
[10] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/154
[11] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/130
[12] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/115
[13] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/153
[14] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/114
[15] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/157
[16] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/184
[17] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/116
[18] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/119
[19] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/102
[20] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/103
[21] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/106
[22] http://www.ncrw.org/taxonomy/term/110
[23] http://www.ncrw.org/category/media-roundup
[24] http://www.ncrw.org/category/diversity-amp-inclusion
[25] http://www.ncrw.org/category/economic-stimulus-package
[26] http://www.ncrw.org/category/women039s-leadership
[27] http://www.ncrw.org/category/women-fund-management