Women in Retail: Creating a better balance

In 2010, Walmart Canada launched the program Women in Retail (WIR) with a series of initiatives to promote diversity and equality in our workplace and create meaningful opportunities for women to advance in our organization.

The success of every successful Walmart Canada store is driven by literally thousands of women. The vast majority of customers who shop at our stores, plus a full 69 per cent of our associates are all women.

Women in Retail reflects and builds upon this business reality: the group exists to support the advancement of women in field management positions and provide networking, education and development resources for its members.

Chantal Glenisson, senior vice-president of operations for Quebec and eastern Canada leads the group with a clear mandate, “Our goal is simple: create a better balance between female and male leaders. This will allow us to take advantage of new perspectives and merge ideas of our male and female leaders to create new ways of thinking and help us build a company that is even more competitive.”

Chart showing percentage women in management

Encouraging personal and professional growth

The current WIR membership is comprised of female district managers, female store managers, co-managersand high potential assistant managers. They meet regularly in Women in Retail councils to encourage personal and professional growth, to discuss the business, and explore issues facing women in the workplace.

At Walmart Canada, we believe promoting greater diversity in the workplace will ultimately strengthen our business model. The same things that are good for women in the workplace are good for our business in general. We have every reason to move forward to embrace the future as Chantal Glenisson explains, “Women in Retail is about achieving our business objectives because we understand if we don’t grow and engage female talent then we will not have the human capital to run this business effectively.”

2010 WIR Initiatives

The Women in Retail group has been particularly active with initiatives across three key strategic areas designed to build a pipeline of female talent and fast-track advancement for female associates within Walmart Canada:

1. Develop & Advance Female Leaders

  • Through the WIR initiative, 47 high potential female district managers, store managers, co-managers and assistant managers from across the country formed three Regional Councils
  • Launched the WIR Mentorship Program to match experienced senior field and home office staff with WIR Council members to act as role models, build skills and develop leadership abilities

2. Promote Inclusion via Education & Training

  • Conducted the WIR Leadership Development Webinar for all Council members to develop personal branding and networking skills. Keynote speakers included Trudy Fahie, President and CEO of Walmart Canada Bank and Shelly Broader, Chief Merchandising Officer for Walmart Canada; 47 female associates from the field and home office participated
  • Organized the WIR Leadership Conference in October, 2010 with a series of dedicated workshops on topics including Career Self Management, Leadership Styles and Personal Action Plans

3. Support Women Internally & Externally

  • Participated in start-up of Network of Executive Women Chapter in Canada (first International Chapter)
  • Platinum Sponsorship of WeConnect Canada inaugural conference and Bronze Sponsor of the Catalyst Canada Honours Award Dinner