ALDI USA
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OVERALL |
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Owned |
GER |
Rating |
N/A |
Supermarkets
Company Ownership
ALDI Inc | USA | website | ||||
Aldi Sud
owns 100% of ALDI Inc |
GER | website | ||||
Budget supermarkets Aldi was founded in Germany by the Albrecht brothers is 1913. In 1960 Aldi split into 2 independent groups, Aldi Nord (North) and Aldi Sud (South). Aldi's Australian operations are part of Aldi Sud. |
Company Assessment
PRAISE | CRITICISM | INFORMATION | ||
ALDI Inc | ||||
This company is listed on the EPA Green Power Partnership website (USA) as using renewable energy for 93% of its organisation-wide electricity use in the USA.
Source: EPA (2023)
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 B-.
Source: Mind the Store (2021) |
Greenpeace's 2019 report, "Packaging Away the Planet" assesses twenty US retailers on their efforts to address the plastic pollution crisis. Companies are scored on policy, reduction, innovation and initiatives, and transparency. All retailers profiled in the report received failing scores. This company received a score of 34.6/100.
Source: Greenpeace (2019)
In July 2020, this company agreed to pay $2m to settle a class action lawsuit brought by some of its workers in California who said they were not properly paid minimum and overtime wages, among other things. The settlement came after the two sides entered into mediation in December 2019. The company settled a similar case in 2018, where they paid a US$10 million settlement in Syracuse.
Source: Top Class Actions (2020) |
This company is a signatory to the US Plastics Pact, a collaborative effort organized by The Recycling Partnership and the World Wildlife Fund, launched as part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's global Plastics Pact network to unify diverse public-private stakeholders across the plastics value chain to rethink the way we design, use, and reuse plastics, to create a path forward to realize a circular economy for plastic in the United States. In line with the Ellen McArthur Foundation's vision of a circular economy for plastics, which unites more than 850+ organizations, the US Plastics Pact brings together companies, government entities, NGOs, researchers, and other stakeholders to work collectively toward scalable solutions tailored to the unique needs and challenges within the U.S. landscape, through vital knowledge sharing and coordinated action.
Source: US Plastics Pact (2023)
This company has corporate responsibility claims on its website under the headings of Diversity & Inclusion, Customers, Supply Chain, Community and the Environment.
Source: company website (2020)
California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: company website (2018) |
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Aldi Sud | ||||
The WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard 2021 assesses 227 companies on the 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 'well on the path' with a score of 18.41 out of a possible total of 24.
Source: WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard (2021)
The PalmOil Scan app, produced by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), rates companies on their commitment to sourcing sustainable palm oil. Companies are scored on their use of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO), commitment to sourcing CSPO, on-the-ground conservation action, and membership to the RSPO. Companies can earn a rating of Excellent, Good, Poor or No Commitment. This company is rated "Good" (retrieved 18 Nov 2023).
Source: WAZA (2023)
The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) is an alliance of companies, trade unions and NGOs. They work in partnership to improve the lives of workers across the globe who make or grow consumer goods - everything from tea to T-shirts, from flowers to footballs. This company's membership status is 'Foundation stage'.
Source: Ethical Trading Initiative (2021)
This company is a signatory to the International Accord for Health and Safety in the Textile & Garment Industry. The International Accord was established in 2021 as the successor to the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, which was established in 2013 in the wake of the Rana Plaza building collapse that killed more than 1,000 workers and seriously injured thousands more. Company signatories to the International Accord commit to: Disclosing all factories producing for them in countries with International Accord programs; Ensuring all listed factories participate in the inspection, remediation, and safety training programs; Supporting factories to ensure remediation is financially feasible; Contributing to the operational costs of International Accord programs. This company has also signed the Pakistan Accord.
Source: International Accord (2023)
The 2021 Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW) report ranks global food companies on how they are managing and reporting their farm animal welfare policies and practices. This company appeared in tier 3, "Established but work to be done", with tier 1 being the best, and tier 6 the worst.
Source: BBFAW (2021) |
An investigation by Daily Mail journalists in 2017 found workers in Bangladesh making clothes for this company were being paid 25p (less than 0.5 AUD) an hour. Workers endure 12 hour shifts in stifling conditions. Some of the mothers are forced to live hundreds of miles away from their families and can only afford to make the journey twice a year.
Source: Daily Mail (2017)
Oxfam's 2022 report "No Limits to Exploitation" investigates migrant workers in the supply chains of German supermarkets. Based on on-site research and interviews with workers, the situation of migrants in pineapple and banana farming in Costa Rica and in the wine and table grape sector in South Africa is examined. The report found that fruits sold in Aldi are grown under inhumane working conditions, with migrant workers commonly being underpaid and overworked, plus cases of trade union repression, sexual exploitation, inadequate protection against pesticides and other labour rights violations.
Source: Oxfam (2022)
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 21.4%.
Source: Forest 500 (2023)
This company scores Ethical Consumer's worst rating for their use of palm oil, signifying they are using no or minimal certified palm products, and with no or minimal positive commitments.
Source: Ethical Consumer (2022) |
Aldi received an overall score of 'D' in Consumer Focus's 2009 Green to the Core report, which rates the UK's top nine supermarkets on how well they inform consumers about sustainability issues and help them make more sustainable choices. The report uses four environmental indicators: climate change, sustainable farming, sustainable fishing, and waste and recycling. Aldi "scored highly in some areas - 100 per cent closed door freezers and a high proportion of sustainable content in packaging. However, let down by lack of information for consumers in many areas and could do better in the amount of UK in-season produce."
Source: Consumer Focus (2009)
This 2009 report by SUDWIND (part of the German Clean Clothes Campaign) uncovers massive rights violations in Chinese factories that supply special bargains to Aldi. 'The mostly female employees worked up to 91 hours per week and yet were hardly able to make a living from their meager wages. The work load is enormous, and mistakes are being punished by fines. Fundamental labour and women's rights such as the right to maternity leave and to freedom of association are being suppressed.'
Source: Clean Clothes Campaign (2009)
Named in the Clean Clothes Campaign 'Cashing In' report on five top global retailers: Carrefour, Walmart, Tesco, Aldi, and Lidl, highlighting poor working conditions where these discounters produce their clothes and taking the companies to task for failing to take sufficient action to address these problems.
Source: Clean Clothes Campaign (2009)
This 2011 report by Pesticide Action Network UK compares the top nine UK supermarkets' policies on pesticides. Aldi came equal last in the report, after failing to make any progress despite being the lowest performer in 2009. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
Source: Pesticide Action Network UK (2011)
As a discount chain store, they have been criticised for running smaller retailers out of business. Bavarian dairy farmers picketed Aldi stores, which they blame for a ruinous 15% plunge in milk prices since 2001. [listed as Information due to age of article]
Source: news (2004)
Greenpeace launched its "Detox My Fashion" campaign in 2011 to expose the direct links between global clothing brands, their suppliers and toxic water pollution around the world. As a result, many companies, including this one, committed to Greenpeace's Detox Program.
Source: Greenpeace (2018)
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.
Source: We Mean Business (2021)
This retailer has committed to being a fur free retailer, as recognised by the International Fur Free Retailer Program.
Source: Fur Free Retailer (2019)
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 some supplier factory information, but falls short of the Pledge standard.
Source: Transparency Pledge (2019)
In 2022 after more than 170 nations backed a historic UN resolution to end plastic pollution, global businesses across the plastics value chain, financial institutions, and NGOs came together to announce a common vision for an effective and ambitious Global Treaty to End Plastic Pollution. The vision will form the basis for future policy engagements with governments through a newly launched Business Coalition for a Global Plastics Treaty which will be convened by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and WWF. This company has endorsed the vision statement of the treaty.
Source: Global Plastics Treaty (2023)
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 (2022)
This company is a member of the Leather Working Group, a multi-stakeholder group who's objective is to develop and maintain a protocol that assesses the compliance and environmental performance of tanners and promotes sustainable and appropriate environmental business practices within the leather industry.
Source: Leather Working Group (2022)
This company is a member of the Better Cotton Initiative, a voluntary initiative which encourages the adoption of better management practices in cotton cultivation to achieve measurable reductions in key environmental impacts, while improving social and economic benefits for cotton farmers, small and large, worldwide.
Source: Better Cotton Initiative (2022)
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)
In 2022 Oxfam analysed leading supermarket chains policies and practices on human rights in their supply chains. Oxfam asked whether supermarkets are transparent and accountable in the ways they ensure that workers' rights are respected, small-scale farmers are prosperous and the women who produce our food are treated fairly. This company scored 56%.
Source: Oxfam (2022)
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.
Source: BHRRC (2022)
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 a yellow rating: "Progressing in policy and practice."
Source: Be Slavery Free (2024)
The 2021 Food and Agriculture Benchmark assessed 350 keystone companies across the entirety of the food system, from farm to fork. It covers three dimensions where transformation is needed: nutrition, environment and social inclusion. This company ranked #51/350, with a total score of 37.2/100.
Source: World Benchmarking Alliance (2021)
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 34%, signifying it is publishing suppliers lists as well as detailed information about their policies, procedures, social and environmental goals, supplier assessment and remediation processes, and is more likely to be addressing issues such as living wages and collective bargaining. The average score was 26% and the highest score was 83%.
Source: Fashion Revolution (2023)
This 2010 Der Spiegel article explores "What Makes the Aldi Discount Empire Tick".
Source: Der Spiegel (2010) |
Company Details
Type | Wholly-owned subsidiary |
Contact Details
Address | Batavia, Illinois, USA |
Website | corporate.aldi.us |