TJX Australia
Clothing retailer
Australian subsidiary of the American retail giant, TJX Companies.

Overall

Owned USA
Rating F
About the Ratings

Company Ownership

TJX Australia Pty Ltd
AUS
The TJX Companies Inc
owns 100% of TJX Australia Pty Ltd
USA
Discount retailer
Operates over 4,500 discount stores in nine countries across Europe, North America and Australia.

Company Assessment

(Last updated Oct 2024)
TJX Australia Pty Ltd
Criticism
8/100 in Ethical Fashion Report
Baptist World Aid Australia's '2024 Ethical Fashion Report' assessed 120 companies on their efforts to mitigate against the risks of forced labour, child labour and worker exploitation in their supply chains, as well as protect the environment from the harmful impacts of the fashion industry. Assessment criteria fall into five main categories: policy & governance, tracing & risk, auditing and supplier relationships, worker empowerment and environmental sustainability. This company ranked in the bottom 20%, with a score of 8/100.
Information
No tax paid in 2019-20
According to data released by the Australian Tax Office in Jan 2022, this company was one of many local and foreign-based companies that paid no tax in Australia in 2019-20. Please note however that companies pay income tax on profits, not revenue (total income). While some companies use tax havens and loopholes to avoid paying their fair share of tax in Australia, other companies that paid no tax have perfectly legitimate reasons.
Source: ATO (2022)
The TJX Companies Inc
Praise
CDP Climate Change score of B
In 2023, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change score of B.
Source: CDP (2023)
72.3/100 in Newsweek rankings
America's Most Responsible Companies 2022 by Newsweek and Statista recognises the Top 500 most responsible companies in the United States. Companies were evaluated in three areas: environmental (waste, energy use, etc.), social (leadership diversity, employees and philanthropy) and governance (transparency and economic performance). This company received a total score of 72.3/100, ranking 9th in the Retail sector, and 264th overall.
Criticism
7% in Forest 500 Rankings
Forest 500 identifies the 350 companies and 150 financial institutions with the greatest exposure to tropical deforestation risk, and annually assesses them on the strength and implementation of their deforestation and human rights commitments. This company received a score of 7%.
F grade in Plastic Promises Scorecard
As You Sow's 2024 Plastic Promises Scorecard measures the corporate ambition and action of 225 large companies across six industries on six core pillars of plastic packaging pollution prevention: 1) Recyclability, 2) Reduction, 3) Recycled Content, 4) Recovery, 5) Reuse, and 6) Producer Responsibility. This company received a grade of F.
9/100 in KnowTheChain Benchmark
In 2023 KnowTheChain benchmarked 65 apparel and footwear companies on their efforts to identify and tackle forced labour risks in their supply chains. This company received a score of 9/100. The average score was 21/100 and the highest score was 63/100.
6.1% in Human Rights Benchmark
The 2023 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assessed 55 companies in the apparel sector on their human rights performance. This company received a score of 6.1%. The overall average score was a disappointing 18.2% and the highest score was 53.4%.
CEO Pay Ratio of 1,478:1
In 2022 the median pay for a worker at this company was US$13,884. The CEO was paid 1,478 times this amount. Exorbitant CEO pay is a major contributor to rising inequality. CEOs are getting more because of their power to set pay, not because they are increasing productivity or possess specific, high-demand skills. The economy would suffer no harm if CEOs were paid less (or taxed more). In contrast, the CEO-to-typical-worker compensation ratio was 20-to-1 in 1965 and 58-to-1 in 1989.
12/100 in What Fuels Fashion?
What Fuels Fashion? is a single-issue, special edition of the Fashion Transparency Index. The 2024 report ranked 250 of the world's largest fashion brands and retailers according to their level of disclosure on climate and energy-related data in their own operations and supply chains. Brands owned by this company scored 12%. The average score was 18% and the highest score was 75%.
Underpaying workers in USA
In 2020, after more than 6 years of litigation, this company agreed to pay out US$31.5 million to Marshalls and HomeGoods workers who say they were illegally denied overtime pay. The deal, which awaits approval in US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, was reached according to court documents filed by the plaintiffs' legal team on July 20, 2020. The settlement will be distributed among about 1,900 current and former assistant store managers of Marshalls and HomeGoods. The gross recovery amount is $16,750, lawyers for the plaintiffs have determined, with the average worker to receive a payout of $10,207 after attorneys' fees and other costs.
0.5% in Sustainable Cotton Ranking
The 2020 Sustainable Cotton Ranking, published by WWF, Solidaridad and the Pesticide Action Network UK analysed the 77 largest cotton users among international apparel brands and retailers, reviewing their policies, actual uptake of more sustainable cotton and transparency in their supply chains. According to the report, this company is "not yet started" with a score of 0.5%. The average score was 18.2% and the highest score was 79.2%.
D in toxic chemical ranking
In 2021 the Mind the Store campaign ranked 50 of the largest retailers in North America on their efforts to eliminate toxic chemicals from consumer products. This company received a grade of D.
17.2% in Gender Benchmark
The 2023 Gender Benchmark ranks 112 companies from the apparel and food and agriculture sectors on their efforts to drive gender equality and women's empowerment across their entire value chain. Companies are assessed on governance and strategy, representation, compensation and benefits, health and well-being, violence and harassment, and marketplace and community. This company ranked #76/112, with a total score of 17.2%. The average score was 23% and the highest score was 55%.
6/20 in Social Benchmark
The 2024 Social Benchmark assesses the world's 2,000 most influential companies on their responsibility in meeting society's fundamental expectations towards three measurement areas: respecting human rights, providing decent work, and acting ethically. This company was assessed in 2022 and received a score of 6/20. The average score was an alarmingly low 4.6/20 and the highest score was 15.5/20.
Class action lawsuit in USA
In 2017 this company agreed to pay US$8.5 million to settle claims that it failed to pay nearly 83,000 California employees for time spent undergoing mandatory security searches before leaving for meal breaks and at the end of their work days.
13/100 in Fashion Transparency Index
The 2023 Fashion Transparency Index reviewed 250 of the world's largest fashion brands and retailers and ranked them according to how much they disclose about their human rights and environmental policies, practices and impacts. Brands owned by this company scored 13%, signifying it is doing a bit more than the others when it comes to having policies and commitments in place and auditing and reporting activities, but could be doing more. The average score was 26% and the highest score was 83%.
29/100 S&P Global ESG Score
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 29/100 in the Retailing category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 18 Nov 2022). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Excessive CEO pay
As You Sow's 2023 report, 'The 100 Most Overpaid CEOs', reveals the 100 most overpaid CEOs from USA's 500 largest public companies (as determined by the S&P 500 list). This company's CEO, Ernie L. Herrman came in at number 15 on the list, having been paid US$31,802,000 in 2022. According to the report, "Most CEOs have come to be grossly overpaid, and that overpayment is harmful to the companies, the shareholders, the customers, the other employees, the economy, and society as a whole."
14% in Nature Benchmark
The Nature Benchmark ranks 816 companies across 20 industries on their efforts to protect our environment and its biodiversity. Companies were assessed in three phases between 2022 and 2024 using three measurement areas: governance and strategy; social inclusion and community impact; and ecosystems and biodiversity. This company was assessed in 2022 and is ranked #420/816, with a total score of 14/100.
Information
Failure to sign International Accord
This company has been called out by the Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) for not signing the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile & Garment Industry. All of the brands that have not yet signed the Accord continue to put workers' lives at risk and CCC urge them to sign on as soon as possible.
Uzbek Cotton Pledge signatory
This company signed the Uzbek Cotton Pledge with the Responsible Sourcing Network, signifying a public commitment to not knowingly source Uzbek cotton for the manufacturing of any of their products until the Government of Uzbekistan ends the practice of forced labor in its cotton sector. However the Pledge was lifted in March 2022 after the Uzbek Forum for Human Rights, who monitored the annual cotton harvest since 2010, found no state-imposed forced labor in the 2021 harvest.
Responsibility claims
This company has corporate responsibility claims on its website under the headings workplace, communities, environmental sustainability and responsible business.
BHRRC company profile
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre digital platform presents news and allegations relating to the human rights impact of over 20,000 companies. Their enhanced Company Dashboards also include financial information, key data points based on corporate policies, and scores from prominent civil society benchmarks. Follow the link and use the search function to view this company's dashboard.
OpenSecrets.org profile
OpenSecrets.org tracks the influence of money on U.S. politics, and how that money affects policy and citizens' lives. Follow link to see this company's record of political donations, lobbying, outside spending and more.
JUST Capital ranking
JUST Capital polls Americans every year to identify the issues that matter most in defining just business behaviour. For their 2024 rankings the public identified 20 issues, which are organised under the headings Workers, Communities, Customers, Shareholders and Environment. JUST Capital then define metrics that map to those issues and track and analyse the largest, publicly traded U.S. companies. This analysis powers their rankings, in which this company ranked 376th of 937 companies, and 11th of 42 Retail companies.
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Company Details

Type:
Wholly-owned subsidiary

Contact Details

Address:
Level 3, 189 O'Riordan St, Mascot, NSW, 2020, Australia
Phone:
1300 768 913
Website:
www.tkmaxx.com.au

Products / Brands

TJX Australia
TK Maxx Clothing Stores