Business

Sacked Walmart India executives write to US headquarters, says report

Updated : January 27, 2020 02:13 PM IST

The Indian unit of Walmart, the world's largest retailer, has laid off about a third of its top executives at its India headquarters in Gurugram.

Walmart is also reportedly planning to reduce the pace of store expansion and focus in expanding its e-commerce business in India.

Over 30 executives who were recently fired by Walmart in India have termed their termination unfair in a letter to the US retailer’s headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, reported The Economic Times. The executives alleged in the letter that the termination had nothing to do with their performance and against the assurances given by the retail giant, the report said.

“We have written to them individually as well as a group because the company went ahead with the firing process even after an assurance in December that there will not be any layoffs. Some had even threatened to be whistleblowers in recent real estate deals where due process was not followed,” three former executives were quoted as saying in the report. They further added that the company has responded to their mail and a team from Walmart US's compliance and ethics department could visit the country to investigate the matter.

Earlier, the Indian unit of Walmart, the world's largest retailer, laid off about a third of its top executives at its India headquarters in Gurugram.

The company said it "let go" of 56 associates—eight in senior management and 48 in middle and lower management—as part of its review to operate more efficiently. All the sacked employees have been offered enhanced severance benefits and outplacement services, according Walmart India.

Walmart, which operates about 28 wholesale stores across India and had planned to expand to 50 stores over the next three-four years, is also reportedly planning to reduce the pace of store expansion and focus in expanding its e-commerce business. This strategy relook comes after Walmart bought e-commerce retailer Flipkart in 2018 in an estimated $16 billion deal.

Sacked Walmart India executives write to US headquarters, says report

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