Walmart de México y Centroamérica — Ethics Grade D+

Walmart de México y Centroamérica receives an overall ethics grade of D+ (38/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Retail. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 35
• privacy: 55
• consumer: 50
• environment: 48
• humanRights: 40

Documented incidents (3)

• Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Violation (high, 2012) — Massive scandal involving $24M in bribes to Mexican officials to win construction permits and market dominance. The investigation lasted years and resulted in significant fines from the US SEC.
• Unpaid Underage Bagging Controversy (medium, 2021) — Criticism arose regarding the reliance on unpaid 'volunteer' elderly and youth baggers who relied solely on tips, highlighting systemic issues with labor protection and social security contributions.
• Construction on Sensitive Heritage Sites (medium, 2018) — Walmart was accused of bypassing environmental impact studies to build stores near archaeological zones like Teotihuacán, leading to public protests regarding cultural and environmental preservation.

Documented good deeds

• Small Farmer Procurement Program — Initiated a direct-buy program for thousands of small-scale Mexican farmers to improve rural livelihoods and reduce logistics emissions.

Ethical alternatives

• La Comer — Upper-tier Mexican retailer with better marks for labor standards and fewer corruption controversies.