Plastic pollution

In 2019 Break Free From Plastic engaged 72,541 volunteers in 51 countries to conduct 484 brand audits. These volunteers collected 476,423 pieces of plastic waste, 43% of which was marked with a clear consumer brand. While not in the global top 10, this company ranked as Australia's worst plastic polluter.

Source: #breakfreefromplastic (2019)

Misleading advertising

In August 2007 the giant supermarket chain Woolworths was revealed to be marketing some of its own tissue and paper products sporting a 'Sustainable Forest Fibre' logo and stating that they were made from 'a certified environmentally managed company that is environmentally, socially and economically responsible'. While the products indicated that they were sourced from Indonesia, the only hint as to which company was the supplier were the letters APP on one tissue pack (APP is the acronym for Asia Pulp and Paper). [Listed under information due to age of report]

Source: Sourcewatch (2007)

Breaching advertising codes

In 2011 the Therapeutic Goods Administration's Complaints Resolution Panel upheld a complaint about an ad by this company on the grounds that it breached advertising codes. The ad was subsequently withdrawn.

Source: TGA Complaints Register (2011)

Breaching advertising codes

This company has been criticised for offensive advertising. In 2020 the Advertising Standards Bureau upheld complaints about internet ads by this company on the grounds that they breached advertising codes. The ads were subsequently discontinued or modified.

Source: Advertising Standards Bureau (2020)

Tobacco - indirect

Involved in sale of tobacco-related products as a non-core business.

Source: company website (2020)

Chocolate scorecard

Be Slavery Free's 2024 Chocolate Scorecard rates all the major chocolate companies on their labour and environmental policies and practices. Companies were asked questions in six areas: traceability and transparency; living income; child labor; deforestation and climate; agroforestry; and pesticides. This retailer received an orange rating: "Needs improvement in policy and practice".

Source: Be Slavery Free (2024)

2023 CHOICE Shonky Award

Named and shamed in the 2023 CHOICE Shonky Awards for "cashing in during a cost-of-living crisis". Woolworths posted a $1.62 billion profit in a year when Australians are facing soaring cost of living pressures.

Source: Choice (2023)

Yellow rating in Canned Tuna Guide

Yellow rating in Greenpeace Canned Tuna Guide. "Woolworths' private labels took 8th place this year. Woolworths have made good commitments in the past, but it needs to back these up with a commitment to transparency. Woolworths should provide more evidence to verify the traceability of their tuna and other sustainability and ethical sourcing commitments. Not all of its private label tuna cans are labelled with the specific catch method. Woolworths is also the only major retailer continuing to stock Greenseas, the last brand still using destructive FADs. We look forward to seeing Woolworths do better next year." [Listed under Information due to age of report]

Source: Canned Tuna Guide (2017)

Fined $7m for anticompetitive behavior

In Dec 2006 the Federal Court of Australia ordered Woolworths to pay $7 million plus legal fees, for entering into and giving effect to illegal anticompetitive agreements with small business liquor licence applicants. In his judgment Justice Allsop described Woolworths' purpose in entering into the agreements as aimed at preventing the entry of new competitors into local retail packaged takeaway liquor markets so as to protect Woolworths' liquor businesses.[noted as Information due to age of court order]

Source: ACCC (2006)

Breached ACCC fuel dockets deal

On 14 April 2014, the Federal Court of Australia found supermarket giant Woolworths breached an undertaking on fuel shopper dockets, but that its rival Coles did not break the agreement. Woolworths had breached the agreement for the first three months of 2014, when it offered discounts of up to eight cents a litre.

Source: ACCC (2014)

Nanoparticles in food products

Independent testing commissioned by Friends of the Earth found potentially harmful nanoparticles of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and silica (SiO2) in a range of food products including products by this company. The silica and titanium dioxide in all 14 food products tested contained a high proportion of nanoparticles that have not been tested, labelled or approved for consumption in Australia. Furthermore, peer reviewed studies have raised health serious health concerns regarding the use of these nanoparticles in food.

Source: FOE (2015)

Fined $11m for unfair conduct

In Jan 2016 Woolworths was ordered to pay over $11 million in damages to private property developer North East Solution, after it ditched a deal for the construction of a Masters hardware store. The Supreme Court of Victoria ruled that Woolworths failed to act in good faith with North East Solution after the retail giant unfairly terminated the agreement it had with the Victorian developer to build a Masters store in the regional Victorian city of Bendigo, and lease the site for 12 years.

Source: Inside Retail (2016)

Fined $3m for misleading consumers

On 5 Feb 2016, the Federal Court of Australia ordered Woolworths to pay penalties of over $3 million for breaches of the Australian Consumer Law relating to safety issues with house brand products sold in Woolworths supermarkets, Big W and Masters stores.

Source: ACCC (2016)

Class action settlement with shareholders

In 2021 Woolworths paid $44.5 million to settle a class action with shareholders, who may have bought shares at an inflated price because of improper company reporting.

Source: news article (2021)

Fined $9m for anticompetitive conduct

In June 2016 the Federal Court ordered Woolworths to pay total penalties of $9 million in laundry detergent cartel proceedings brought by the ACCC. Woolworths was knowingly concerned in an anti-competitive understanding which they admitted was reached between laundry detergent manufacturers.

Source: ACCC (2016)

Underpaying trolley collectors

In June 2016 the Fair Work Ombudsman issued a report criticising Woolworths with a finding that some trolley collectors working at its supermarkets were being paid as little as $10 an hour. 79% of sites visited had indications of some form of non-compliance with workplace laws, with 49% of sites presenting serious issues.

Source: Fair Work Ombudsman (2016)

17.1% in Newsweek Green Ranking 2017

This company received a score of 17.1/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.

Source: Newsweek (2017)

Political donations

According to the democracyforsale.net website, this company donated $178,505 to Australia's major political parties between 2012 and 2018, as disclosed to the Australian Electoral Commision (AEC).

Source: Democracy For Sale (2018)

Rainforest Alliance certified products

This company sells Rainforest Alliance certified products. However this only represents a fraction of this company's total private label products sales. Rainforest Alliance certification has been dubbed 'Fairtrade light' by critics, as it offers producers no minimum price for their crop, and guarantees a minimum of just 30% of the product is certified.

Source: Rainforest Alliance (2020)

Microbeads phase out

This company has agreed to phase out the use of microbeads in their own-brand products by 2017. These particles are not retained by wastewater treatment so end up in the ocean. While microbeads aren't thought to be a health hazard to consumers, they are a threat to the marine environment.

Source: CHOICE (2016)

Organic products

This company manufactures or distributes products that are certified organic under the Australian Certified Organic label.

Source: ACO (2022)

Palm oil free products

Some, but not necessarily all, of this company's products are palm oil free, or contain segregated certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO). For more details, follow the link to see Borneo Orangutan Survival Australia's list of products which manufacturers have told them are palm oil free or contain segregated certified sustainable palm oil.

Source: BOS Australia (2020)

Climate action commitments

As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target; commit to 100% renewable power.

Source: We Mean Business (2021)

Fairtrade products

This company sells Fairtrade Certified coffee. However this only represents a fraction of their total coffee sales.

Source: Fairtrade ANZ (2018)

Employer of Choice for Gender Equality

This company is listed by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) as a Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation holder. The citation is designed to encourage, recognise and promote active commitment to achieving gender equality in Australian workplaces.

Source: WGEA (2022)

RSPCA Approved chicken

All Woolworths brand chicken products use humanely farmed RSPCA Approved chicken. These farms raise their birds in an enriched barn environment. Chickens enjoy space to move, good lighting and can perch, dustbathe and forage.

Source: RSPCA Australia (2020)

Cage-free eggs commitment

This company is listed on the RSPCA Australia website as 'cage-free and proud', signifying a commitment to source 100% cage-free eggs by 2025. Essentially cage-free means barn laid, which is better than cage eggs, but still much worse than free-range or organic eggs when it comes to animal welfare.

Source: RSPCA Australia (2024)

UN Global Compact participant

The United Nations Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of 10 values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment, and anti-corruption. However it's non-binding nature has been widely criticised, and many signatory corporations continue to violate the Compact's values.

Source: UN Global Compact (2020)

Supplier Factory Disclosure List

In March 2014 Woolworths published the names and addresses of 52 factories in Bangladesh, which Woolworths Limited's retail brands (including BIG W) source from.

Source: company website (2014)

Food and Grocery Code of Conduct signatory

This company has signed up to the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct, which governs certain conduct by grocery retailers and wholesalers in their dealings with suppliers. It has rules relating to grocery supply agreements, payments, termination of agreements, dispute resolution and a range of other matters.

Source: ACCC (2015)

Bonsucro member

This company is a member of Bonsucro - Better Sugar Cane Initiative, a global non-profit, multi-stakeholder organisation fostering the sustainability of the sugarcane sector through its leading metric-based certification scheme and its support for continuous improvement for members.

Source: Bonsucro (2019)

Tax paying in Australia

Between 2015 and 2018 this company paid $2.3 billion tax on a total income of $149 billion, earning the number 9 spot on Michael West's Top 40 Tax Payers 2020. West calculated which of Australia's largest companies have paid the most tax using three years of tax transparency data published by the Australian Tax Office.

Source: Michael West (2018)

Sustainable Seafood partnership with WWF

From 2018 Woolworths is partnering with WWF Australia to further improve sustainable fisheries and seafood sourcing. WWF Australia is providing technical and strategic advice to guide Woolworths' seafood sustainability efforts. This includes assessing the ecological sustainability of Woolworth's seafood supply chain across Woolworths Own Brand seafood products, as well as all seafood products sold at the seafood counter in Woolworths stores. Woolworths is committed to improving tracking and labelling processes to ensure that all seafood products sold in their stores are traceable from source to sale.

Source: WWF Australia (2018)

Materials sourcing

The Material Change Index (MCI) is a voluntary benchmark that tracks the apparel and textiles sector's progress toward more sustainable materials sourcing (cotton, polyester, nylon, manmade cellulosics, wool, down and leather), as well as alignment with global efforts like the Sustainable Development Goals and the transition to a circular economy. This company was rated "Maturing", the second highest performance band.

Source: Textile Exchange (2020)

Sustainability claims

This company has sustainability claims on its website, including sustainability reports. Environmental claims cover animal welfare, sustainable seafood, GMOs, responding to climate change, sustainable forestry products and sustainable tea, coffee and chocolate.

Source: company website (2020)

amfori BSCI member

This company is a member of the amfori Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI), an industry-driven movement that aims to monitor and assess workplace standards across the global supply chain. Participating companies are expected to follow a code of conduct which has 11 principles including no bonded labour, no child labour, fair renumeration, decent working hours and ethical business behavior.

Source: amfori (2023)

Sustainable Agriculture Initiative member

This company is a member of the Australian chapter of the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform, the main food industry initiative supporting the development of sustainable agriculture worldwide. Created by Nestle, Unilever and Danone in 2002, the SAI Platform is a non-profit organization to facilitate sharing, at precompetitive level, of knowledge and initiatives to support the development and implementation of sustainable agriculture practices involving the different stakeholders of the food chain.

Source: SAI Platform Australia (2023)

5/10 in Deforestation Scorecard

Greenpeace Australia's 2024 Deforestation Scorecard assessed how 10 of Australia's major beef buyers and producers stack up in terms of becoming deforestation-free by 2025. Australia has one of the worst rates of deforestation in the world, driven largely by the bulldozing of forests for beef cattle grazing. Woolworths scored 5/10. "Woolworths has a strong commitment to achieving net zero deforestation by the end of 2025. The commitment covers beef plus all other relevant primary commodities in the value chain"

Source: Greenpeace (2024)

Palm oil scorecard - WWF

The 2024 WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard evaluates the progress and performance of 285 major retailers and manufacturer companies, focusing on actions companies have taken to ensure their own palm oil supply chain is sustainable and free of deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion, and human rights abuse. This company is rated 'middle of the pack' with a score of 14.7 out of a possible total of 24.

Source: WWF Palm Oil Scorecard (2024)

37.8% 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 #15/112, with a total score of 37.8%. The average score was 23% and the highest score was 55%.

Source: World Benchmarking Alliance (2023)

Tier 4 in farm animal welfare rankings

The Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW) 2023 Report ranks global food companies on their farm animal welfare policies, practices and performance. This company appeared in tier 4, "Making progress on implementation", with tier 1 being the best, and tier 6 the worst.

Source: BBFAW (2023)

Transparency Pledge

The Apparel and Footwear Supply Chain Transparency Pledge (Transparency Pledge) helps demonstrate apparel and footwear companies' commitment towards greater transparency in their manufacturing supply chain. Transparency of a company's manufacturing supply chain better enables a company to collaborate with civil society in identifying, assessing, and avoiding actual or potential adverse human rights impacts. This is a critical step that strengthens a company's human rights due diligence. This company has published limited supplier factory information, and falls well short of the Pledge standard.

Source: Transparency Pledge (2019)

24.7% 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 2023 and is ranked #151/816, with a total score of 24.7/100.

Source: World Benchmarking Alliance (2023)