Walmart Introduces ‘Women Owned’ Logo

In honor of Women's History Month, Walmart has debuted a logo for retail packaging of products from women-owned businesses, available both in-store and online. As part of its commitment to source more from women-owned businesses, the Bentonville, Ark.-based mega-retailer backed Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and WEConnect International, in partnership with women's-owned graphics agency Rouge24, in the creation of the "Women Owned" logo to help customers easily spot such products. All WBENC- and/or WEConnect-certified companies are eligible to include the logo on their product packaging.

Also this month, Walmart will place six items bearing the new logo on feature in stores nationwide: Milo's Tea, Jelmar CLR Remover, HMS Mfg. Co Hefty Wastebaskets, Goldbug Inc. Carter's Newborn Shoes, Ariela and Associates Smart & Sexy Bra, and Ziegenfelder’s Budget Saver Pops. The products will also be spotlighted on the newly launched Walmart.com/WomenOwned page.

"As the world’s largest retailer, we have the opportunity to use our scale, purchasing power and local presence to help others," noted Kathleen McLaughlin, president of the Walmart Foundation and SVP of Walmart Sustainability. "By sourcing more products from women-owned businesses and making it easier for customers to identify those products at the shelf and online, we are helping to empower women and their families. We are excited by the power of business, and retail in particular, to increase women's economic mobility."

"We've been a supplier to Walmart for over 20 years and just opened our third factory in Denver," said Lisa Allen, CEO of Wheeling, W.V.-based Ziegenfelder's Budget Saver Pops. "Thanks to our partnership with Walmart, we are able to bring smiles to the faces of millions of American families every day, and that's the best way to grow a business."

Women-owned businesses contribute more than $1.3 trillion to the U.S. economy and women make more than 80 percent of consumer decisions worldwide.

In September 2011, Walmart launched the Global Women’s Economic Empowerment initiative to improve the lives of underserved women and help women-owned businesses succeed and grow. Under the initiative, the company pledged to source $20 billion from women for its U.S. business and to double sourcing from women internationally by 2016.