Wal-Mart is reaching out to a national gay and lesbian business group to deepen the pool of companies that supplies its stores.
The world?s largest retailer joined the Corporate Advisory Council of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and will offer workshops to gay and lesbian business owners who want to become Wal-Mart suppliers.
“Wal-Mart as a company has always had a bottom line and that?s to maximize profits,” said Dan Furmansky, executive director of Equality Maryland, the state?s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization. “Clearly, Wal-Mart recognizes that treating all of their employees equally is good for revenue.”
Wal-Mart spokesman David Tovar said the move to join the NGLCC is part of its continuing business plan. It pays annual dues of $25,000, the same amount paid by other corporations of similar size that are members of the advisory council.
“The point is very simple, and it goes to the core of how our company operates; and that is to better connect with the customers we serve and to expand the pool of talent that serves our business,” Tovar said Tuesday.
Justin Nelson, president of the Washington-based NGLCC, said that by joining the group?s advisory board, Wal-Mart is expanding its outreach to minority-owned businesses.
He said the NGLCC certifies LGBT-owned businesses to be suppliers to large companies such as Wal-Mart much the same way the National Minority Supplier Development Council and the Women?s Business Enterprise National Council certify minority- and women-owned businesses.
“This is not a set aside or affirmative action for the gay community,” Nelson said. “It?s leveling the playing field by companies completing the circle of diversity.”
Wal-Mart?s decision, however, is not playing well with some religious-right organizations such as the American Family Association and the Family Research Council, which contend Wal-Mart is moving away from its pro-family approach.
Tovar said some controversy is to be expected.
“Any time you have a company with 1.3 million associates and 103 million customers, sometimes there are going to be people who have different points of view on the decisions we make,” he said.
