TJX

Policy:Adopted a retailer safer chemicals policy

8.25 out of 23.5 points

In December 2020, TJX updated its Corporate Responsibility website to state, “We are committed to taking steps to expand our understanding of what is feasible for our business model to manage ‘chemicals of concern’ in our operations as well as the products we sell over the short, medium, and longer term.” TJX noted it was in the process of creating a chemicals policy and stated, “We are in the process of developing policies limiting chemicals of concern in certain products we sell and in our operations that are appropriate for our highly complex off-price business model and plan to publish these policies on our Corporate Responsibility website beginning in late 2021.” Partial credit is awarded to recognize TJX’s steps toward establishing a safer chemicals policy.

TJX also noted on its website that it plans to move to phenol-free register receipts “across all U.S. retail brands” in 2021 and that the company plans to switch to PFAS-free compostable food-service ware in its U.S. Corporate office cafeterias. For these planned efforts, the company earns credit for a beyond restricted substance list (BRSL) for operations and for public quantifiable goals for providing a timeline for the bisphenol phase-out, as well as partial credit for a BRSL for a minor packaging category. TJX further stated that it is working to remove polyvinyl chloride (PVC) “from the packaging of certain top-of-bed products that are designed by our own fashion and style experts or manufactured just for us” by 2025, and receives partial credit of 0.75 points for a beyond restrict material list (BRML) of one plastic of environmental health concern (PEHC) for a minor packaging category.

This announcement follows a shareholder proposal filed earlier in 2020 by Trillium Asset Management and First Affirmative Financial Network calling on TJX to issue a report “describing if and how, it plans to reduce its chemical footprint.” Over 44% of TJX’s shareholders voted for the proposal, which according to one of the filers sent “an important signal to TJX…that investors want to understand how companies are reducing unwanted chemicals and moving toward safer alternatives in their products and supply chains.”

TJX has not set public quantifiable goals for reducing and eliminating other chemicals of high concern (CHCs). The company does not yet have a publicly available BRSL applying to the products it sells or a publicly available manufacturing restricted substance list (MRSL).

Glossary of Terms

Oversight: Established management responsibilities and incentives

1.25 out of 5 points

TJX’s website notes that a Senior Vice President, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer and a Vice President, Sustainability, are overseeing the development of the company’s chemicals management strategy and policy. Additionally, according to TJX’s website, “Our Global Environmental Sustainability Committee (GESC), a team of subject matter experts from each of our major geographies who lead the strategic direction of our sustainability program, has established “Chemicals Management” as a strategic priority and assigned a sub-committee to lead the assessment of potential areas to limit chemicals of concern across our global business.” Partial credit is awarded because the policy is under development.

TJX does not appear to offer financial incentives for senior management on the development of its safer chemicals policy.

Glossary of Terms

Safer Alternatives: Evaluates safer alternatives, avoids regrettable substitutes

1 out of 16 points

In its response to the 2020 shareholder proposal on TJX’s chemical footprint, TJX stated to the Milford Daily News on June 15, 2020, “We…are partnering with our buying community to look into adding more products to our mix that are made without harmful chemicals.” Although the company does not yet have a public written safer chemicals policy, we are awarding partial credit of 1 point for its statement in favor of avoiding harmful chemicals in its products.

Glossary of Terms

Transparency: Demonstrates a commitment to transparency and public disclosure

6 out of 20 points

In December 2020, TJX disclosed what is effectively a BRSL for operations, a partial BRSL for packaging, and a partial BRML for packaging. The company also stated on its website that it plans to publish, beginning in late 2021, the policies it is developing to limit chemicals of concern in certain products and in operations.

TJX does not appear to encourage or require suppliers to publicly disclose ingredients in products online or on product packaging going beyond regulatory compliance.

Glossary of Terms

Chemical Footprint: Evaluates its chemical footprint

0.75 out of 7.5 points

TJX notes, “As we work towards that goal [of developing and publishing a safer chemicals policy], we are utilizing the framework of the Chemical Footprint Project (CFP) and are currently undertaking a review of the Management Strategy section of the CFP survey in order to review relevant industry focus areas for our policies development.” Although TJX has not officially participated in the CFP survey, we award partial credit to recognize that the company is using the survey in developing its policy.

Glossary of Terms