Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced the release of their 2006 Report on Ethical Sourcing, an annual document containing information on the company’s Ethical Standards Program. The report detailed that high risk violations of the company’s Standard for Suppliers code decreased more than 23 percent in 2006. The company cites educational outreach as the primary reason.

Improved areas included “the expansion of environmental elements into supplier factory audits to include waste identification, waste handling and disposal, wastewater treatment and discharge, and air emissions.” Factory management is now notified of environmental findings by auditors. The company also provides environmental training for all of its suppliers. Rajan Kamalanathan, vice president of Ethical Standards for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. had this to say about the report:

“Factories that are disapproved may close, and the impact on the factory workers can be devastating. To prevent this, we identify at-risk factories and invite factory management, along with the suppliers they do business with, to meet with members of the Wal-Mart Ethical Standards Team.”

Read the article as reported by CNN Money.