Tricky Questions on Corporate Philanthropy at Walmart and Beyond

Walmart's eighth annual Global Responsibility report came out not long ago, and it suggests that the company is feeling pretty proud of itself. It boosted its minimum wage for associates to $9 an hour in April of this year and will boost it again to $10 in February 2016. That will cost them $1 billion, and represents a big step forward.

Along with increasing wages, Walmart's philanthropy is also rising, and we report often on what its foundation is doing—which is a lot. Just the other day, for example, it announced $15.5 million in grants to seven nonprofits to help low-income children meet their nutritional needs.