Better Health for All
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TJX's principal goods and services, apparel and home fashions, have no significant positive or negative health impact. The company's safety record shows significant issues, with TJX Companies Inc. cited for two repeat violations and one serious violation
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at a TJ Maxx store in Pooler, Georgia, on December 2, 2022.
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These violations, which included extra boxes, unstable items, and uncleared exit routes, led to proposed penalties of $239,290
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and posed slip, trip, fall, struck-by, fire, and entrapment hazards.
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Health and safety violations were also among the most common issues identified in factory audits in Fiscal 2025.
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For mental health, TJX provides comprehensive programs for its associates, including access to mental health education and services, an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), no-cost counseling sessions, and digital mental health support.
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The company also offers educational resources on stress reduction and caregiver support, along with virtual fitness services and support for men's and women's health.
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Additionally, TJX supports external organizations like the Dimock Center, which offers substance use, mental health, and trauma recovery programs.
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Fair Money & Economic Opportunity
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TJX is an off-price retailer and does not offer lending or deposit services to consumers, nor does it operate financial service access points for the general public. Therefore, KPIs related to consumer financial products, such as pricing fairness, inclusion initiatives, data accessibility, fair lending compliance, and geographic inclusion, are not applicable. The company does offer an internal financial well-being platform, FinFit, to its U.S. Associates, which includes financial coaching, loans, credit solutions, budgeting tools, and educational courses.
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Eligibility for FinFit loans requires a minimum annual TJX income of $15,000 and at least 3 months of employment.
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However, no specific APRs, revenue percentages from these loans, or data on the reach or outcomes of the financial education programs are provided. TJX's retail store expansion aims to increase accessibility to a wider range of consumers, but this is for retail access, not financial services.
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Fair Pay & Worker Respect
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The U.S. Department of Labor's OSHA cited TJX Companies Inc. in November 2022 for exposing workers at a TJ Maxx store in Pooler, Georgia, to fire, entrapment, and struck-by hazards, leading to proposed penalties.
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Similar violations were cited at other TJ Maxx locations in 2020 and 2022, indicating ongoing safety concerns within the company's operations.
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Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing
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In Fiscal 2025, TJX audited or received audit reports from over 3,300 factories.
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Factories with a satisfactory rating are audited biennially.
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For factories with "Needs Improvement" or "Unsatisfactory" ratings, corrective action plans are expected to be remediated or a reaudit undergone within 180 days.
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In 2021, TJX Companies scored 19/100 for traceability by Know the Chain
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and does not appear to have published a list of its suppliers.
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Honest & Fair Business
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TJX Companies received low scores on human rights benchmarks in 2023, with a KnowTheChain score of 9 out of 100
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and a Corporate Human Rights Benchmark score of 6.1%
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, indicating significant deficiencies in transparency. The company incurred a $2.05 million fine in December 2022 for unlawful disposal of hazardous waste
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, cooperating with prosecutors during the investigation
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. TJX maintains a 24/7 anonymous helpline in multiple languages
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, published in its Global and Vendor Codes of Conduct
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, for reporting suspected violations
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. However, there is no public evidence of independent investigation processes or measured program effectiveness. The company's anti-corruption policy, outlined in its Vendor Code of Conduct
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, prohibits bribery and corruption
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, with regular training for associates and vendors
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, but lacks explicit customization for high-risk areas. While TJX uses third-party service providers
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and reviews audit reports for factory compliance
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, systematic verification is noted to be lacking beyond private label merchandise
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, suggesting an inconsistent verification scope for ethical claims.
Kind to Animals
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TJX Companies adopted a fur-free policy across all its global businesses in 2020, ceasing the sale of real fur.
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This decision followed extensive activist pressure, including over 10,000 emails and social media campaigns.
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However, the company continues to sell products containing other animal-derived materials such as wool, leather, down, and suede.
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TJX still allows cruelly obtained angora to be sold in its U.S. and Canadian stores.
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While TJX is integrating responsible wool for knitwear in Europe, this is not a substitution of animal inputs.
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In 2020, the Board opposed shareholder proposals that encouraged independent analyses of animal welfare policy risks, stating that existing policies were adequate.
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No War, No Weapons
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TJX's Board of Directors has oversight responsibility for global corporate responsibility strategies, and there is no evidence of defense-related business activities.
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The company conducts annual human-rights due diligence in high-risk regions through its Conflict Minerals Report, which conforms to OECD Guidance for Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas and includes risk response strategies and a grievance mechanism.
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Annual public war-risk audits are conducted via this Conflict Minerals Report, detailing due diligence and outcomes.
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An annual review process for partners with conflict-related risks is in place, covering covered vendors and disclosing mitigation plans through the Conflict Minerals Report.
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For conflict minerals, 89% of validated smelters and refiners were conformant with conflict-free standards during the 2023 reporting period.
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Planet-Friendly Business
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TJX was ordered to pay $2.05 million in penalties and costs in December 2022 for unlawful disposal of hazardous waste
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, following a similar settlement in September 2014 for similar violations
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. The company has no formal deforestation policy
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, although it states work is underway on the subject
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. TJX has not publicly committed to specific climate goals through major frameworks like SBTi
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. Only 13 of its facilities are green certified (LEED, BREEAM, Green Star)
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. The company engages in minimal pilot projects such as planting over 80,000 trees with the Woodland Trust
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, nearly 40,000 trees with Veritree
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, and installing beehives at two office locations
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. As of Fiscal Year 2025, 40% of its global operational electricity was sourced from renewable energy
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, with a goal to reach 100% by 2030
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. In Fiscal Year 2025, 80% of global operational waste was diverted from landfill
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, with a goal to divert 85% by 2027
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.
Respect for Cultures & Communities
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The company has 10 formal partnership agreements with community-focused organizations.
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These include a 14-year partnership with Cradles to Crayons
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and a 40-year partnership with Save the Children.
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Additionally, TJX partners with eight specific nonprofit organizations for early career positions, such as The Posse Foundation, Bottom Line, Girls Who Code, The BASE, United Negro College Fund, Fashion Scholarship Fund, SummerSearch, and Thrive Scholars.
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Safe & Smart Tech
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TJX has not experienced any material cybersecurity incidents affecting its operations since an unauthorized intrusion discovered in late 2006.
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While involved in the 2023 MOVEit ransomware attacks, TJX stated there was no unauthorized access to customer or associate personal information on its systems, nor material impact.
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The company maintains a cybersecurity program, a Security Operations Center, and an incident response plan that is periodically tested through tabletop exercises.
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It employs strategies like threat actor emulation and penetration testing to identify and mitigate cybersecurity risks.
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Privacy and cybersecurity training is available to appropriate Associates, tailored to job functions, and includes simulated social engineering campaigns.
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Encryption is used for certain types of information.
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TJX does not generate revenue by selling personal information
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and contractually obliges third-party service providers not to use or disclose personal information for their own marketing purposes.
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It limits data collection to information required for processing and has a records management program emphasizing timely deletion and minimizing personal information retention.
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Users have comprehensive rights to access, correct, update, erase, restrict, object to the use of their information, receive copies, and withdraw consent for marketing.
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They can also manage their profiles, request information removal, and control cookie and advertising settings.
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Online access to certain personal information may be protected with a password, and TJX has controls governing access to its facilities and systems.
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Following the 2006 data breach, TJX reached a $9.75 million settlement with 41 state attorneys general
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and was mandated by the FTC to certify its cybersecurity program annually.
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Currently, TJX states it complies with applicable legal and regulatory requirements and industry standards, and conducts audits to address compliance with its cybersecurity policies.
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Zero Waste & Sustainable Products
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TJX achieved an 80% global operational waste diversion rate in Fiscal Year 2025.
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The company has set ambitious waste reduction targets, aiming to divert 85% of operational waste from landfill by 2027
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and to have 100% of packaging for in-house developed products be reusable, recyclable, or contain sustainable materials by 2030.
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TJX implements numerous waste reduction initiatives, including backhauling materials like corrugated cardboard from stores to Asset Recovery & Recycling Centers (ARRCs) for reuse and recycling.
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In Fiscal Year 2025, over 27 million units of corrugated cardboard packaging were reused, and more than 115,000 tons of cardboard and 3,300 tons of plastic film were recycled.
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The company actively manages hazardous waste, partnering with Happen Ventures for disposal, finalizing a U.S. Operational Cleaning Supplies Policy in Fiscal 2025, and requiring vendors to comply with all laws related to the handling, storage, and disposal of chemicals and other hazardous materials.
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The Vendor Code of Conduct also encourages suppliers to conserve and protect resources, supported by environmental training.
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