According to Marc J. Epstein (2008), to help understand what sustainability is in the context of corporate responsibility, [Epstein has] broken it down into nine principles. These nine principles… highlight what is important in managing stakeholder impacts (i.e. the impact of the company's products, services, processes and other activities on the company's stakeholders). (p. 36). Evaluating a large company like Wal-Mart against these nine principles can provide illuminating clues as to how well they are a leader in meeting the needs of their current stakeholders, as well as anticipating and preparing for the needs of their future stakeholders. Many principles are intertwined, but each is equally important. The Nine Principles of Sustainable Performance Ethics According to Don Soderquist (2010), former longtime COO of Wal-Mart, ethics is simply doing what is right. (p. 14). Wal-Mart has often been criticized for many of its management's business decisions. From reports of sourcing goods from countries where labor practices are less than ethical, to taking out million-dollar life insurance policies on terminally ill employees, ethical standards can seem nonexistent at the highest levels of this great organization. Prioritizing stakeholder interests is an area in which Wal-Mart tends to have great difficulty. It appears that the steps listed in their "Ethical Statement" are trying to establish the correct path. Governance Wal-Mart's governance focuses on the Board of Directors, its qualifications and responsibilities. Wal-Mart had been a defendant in numerous class action lawsuits filed by employees alleging various discrimination and unfair labor practices. By sharing their market position, they have the opportunity to advance many ethical, moral and sustainable programs while showing great success. Works Cited Epstein, M.J., (2008). Making sustainability work. San Francisco, CA: GreenleafPublishing Limited.Lynn, BC, (2006). Breaking the Chain: The Antitrust Case Against Wal-Mart. Harper's Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.harpers.org/archive/2006/07/0081115Soderquist, D. (2010). The head of Wal-Mart preaches the value of ethics in business. People management. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.csuproxy.egloballibrary.com/ehost/detail?sid=6aed937e-09ee-40d5-89ce-0 3c85821d7fa%40sessionmgr14&vid=7&hid=3&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=bu h&AN= 52724701 Wal-Mart. (2010). Wal-Mart Annual Report. Bentonville, AR. Retrieved from http://cdn.walmartstores.com/sites/AnnualReport/2010/PDF/WMT_2010AR_FINAL.pdf