For the year 2023, Walmart carried out a series of initiatives, among which are:

Support for manufacturing SMEs

As part of the actions to promote the products of SMEs, the company enabled a section within the e-commerce platform for 100% local SMEs, available to all consumers on online sites, in the case of El Salvador in the stores of the Walmart and supermarkets (La Despensa de Don Juan) formats.

In this space, SMEs can offer their products in an agile way and reach new audiences. Walmart also carried out held an SME Market as part of the International Day of Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs), which is celebrated in june, promoting the products of 10 salvadoran SMEs that are part of the “Una Mano para Crecer” program, which provides them with support for access to a secure and growing market, technical training, and support, among other benefits.

Another action was the workshop "Environmental Training in the Value Chain" that FUNDEMAS carried out together with them, providing them with tools to implement the development of business eco-efficiency plans. The SMEs that participated in the workshop learned about the implementation of eco-efficiency, its benefits and the environmental impacts it generates. They also learned that reducing water, energy and waste consumption not only helps the environment, but also makes their production processes more efficient.

Support for agricultural suppliers

In 2023, the company launched the “Imperfectas pero Buenas” program through which it offers its customers fruits and vegetables that by their nature are shaped differently from others, but have the same flavor and quality that characterizes all its products. This program directly supports salvadoran farmers and is part of the "Tierra Fértil" program.

With this initiative, Walmart confirms its aspiration to be a more sustainable and regenerative company in order to preserve the planet and the communities where it operates.

Among other actions, the retail company signed an agreement with the Escuela Nacional de Agricultura to strengthen the capacities of the farmers who are suppliers of its stores, allowing the transfer of technical knowledge and technology, as well as to offer in the future in Walmart stores the products grown under the "Learning by Doing" teaching methodology.

As of the signing of the agreement, both entities will work together to provide farmers with specialized training and advice on agricultural issues, enhancing and strengthening their productive capacity. In addition, as part of the agreement, Walmart will offer in all its stores agricultural products grown by ENA students.

With the objective of contributing to the economic and social development of extremely poor areas of the country, Walmart developed in El Salvador the project "Strengthening Agricultural Technology", benefiting suppliers that are part of the "Tierra Fértil" program to improve the living standards of families engaged in horticultural production.

This initiative had an investment of $67,714.97 and focused on three leading horticultural suppliers in the upper zone of the Municipality of San Ignacio in the Department of Chalatenango and one producer in the Municipality of Nahuizalco in the Department of Sonsonate, benefiting 104 workers (46% women) in the packing and logistics centers of the deliveries.

To date, more than 100 SMEs are part of the "Una Mano para Crecer" and "Tierra Fértil" programs. Last year alone, Walmart El Salvador purchased $8 million from manufacturing SMEs and more than $5 million from local farmers, generating more than 2,000 direct jobs and benefiting 1,561 families. All these actions are part of our commitment to local production, strengthening development opportunities and contributing to a better life for salvadoran families.

Translated by: A.M