Catherwood LibraryILR School

Politicians and labor rights organizations are turning up the pressure on retail giant Wal-Mart to disclose the names of its thousands of suppliers. The call for transparency comes on the heels of a November fire at a factory in Bangladesh owned by one of those garment suppliers. Proponents say the disclosure would be act of good faith, allowing working conditions at suppliers factories to be monitored, ensuring at least some measure of accountability. Corporations such as Nike have taken similar steps in the last decade. Wal-Mart, however, has steadfastly refused to disclose its suppliers as part of its competitive strategy.