Costco
OVERALL |
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Owned |
USA |
Rating |
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Retailer
Membership based warehouse for wholesale and retail. The second largest retailer in the United States, the seventh largest retailer in the world.
| Costco Wholesale Corporation | USA | website | ||||
Company Assessment
| PRAISE | CRITICISM | INFORMATION | ||
| Costco Wholesale Corporation | ||||
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EWG's 2015 report "BPA in Canned Food" analyzed 252 canned food brands to find out which ones are still using BPA (bisphenol A), a synthetic estrogen found in the epoxy coatings of food cans which has been linked to many health problems. This company was amongst the 'Better Players' for using BPA free-cans for some of its brands and/or products.
[Source 2015][More on Product Safety]
This company has signed the 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. The Uzbek government uses local government officials, hospital directors, and school presidents to mobilize workers; and detains and tortures human rights defenders seeking to monitor the harvests.
[Source 2019][More on Human Rights] |
This company received a 'Red' rating in Greenpeace USA's 2015 Tuna Shopping Guide, which evaluates and ranks tuna brands on how sustainable, ethical and fair their tuna products are for our oceans - and for the workers that help get the products to store shelves.
[Source 2014][More on Oceans]
A 2019 report by two major environmental groups, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Stand.earth, rated companies on their efforts to source sustainable materials for their tissue products. This company received a rating of 'F'.
[Source 2019][More on Forests]
The Forest 500 identifies, ranks, and tracks the governments, companies and financial institutions worldwide that together could virtually eradicate tropical deforestation. Rankings are based on their public policies and commitments and potential impacts on tropical forests in the context of forest risk commodities (palm oil, soya, beef, leather, timber, and pulp and paper). This company received a score of 1/5.
[Source 2018][More on Forests]
The Union of Concerned Scientists' 2015 Palm Oil Scorecard scores America's top brands on their commitments to use deforestation-free palm oil. This company received a score of 0/100, signifying no commitment.
[Source 2015][More on Palm Oil]
This 2017 investigative report by China Labour Watch reveals labor abuses in four Chinese toy factories. One or more of these factories supply this company. Labor abuses include low wages, excessive overtime, dangerous work environments and humiliating living conditions.
[Source 2017][More on Workers Rights]
This 2014 report by the Workers Rights Consortium which investigates conditions at two Cambodian facilities owned by the Taiwanese-owned firm Zongtex Garment Manufacturing over the period 2010-2014 consistently identified serious violations, including underage workers, deprivinged workers of legally required compensation, coercing workers to work overtime, and providing workers with unclean drinking water that may endanger their health. This company is a key buyer from these factories.
[Source 2014][More on Workers Rights]
The 2017 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assessed 98 of the largest publicly traded companies in the world from the Agricultural Products, Apparel and Extractives sectors on 100 human rights indicators. This company's score was in the 0-9 band range. The overall average score was 28.7%.
[Source 2017][More on Human Rights]
Responsible Sourcing Network's 2014 report Cotton Sourcing Snapshot: A Survey of Corporate Practices to End Forced Labor includes survey results and ratings of 49 companies reflecting actions they are taking to stop cotton from Uzbekistan picked with forced labor from entering their supply chains. The survey offered a maximum of 100 points across 11 indicators in the categories of Policy, Public Disclosure, Engagement, and Implementation & Auditing. Only five companies scored over 50 points, 19 companies scored under 25 points, and two companies scored zero. This company was in the bottom five, with a score of only 2.5.
[Source 2014][More on Human Rights]
This company received a score of 17.7/100 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 2017][More on Sustainability Reporting]
In 2018 volunteers collected and catalogued more than 187,000 pieces of trash from beach cleanups around the world to find out which corporations are contributing the most to the global plastic pollution problem. While not in the top 10, this company ranked as one of the world's worst plastic polluters.
[Source 2018][More on Oceans]
In 2018, 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 D.
[Source 2018][More on Climate Change]
In 2018 KnowTheChain benchmarked 120 large global companies in the ICT, Food & Beverage, and Apparel & Footwear sectors on their efforts to address forced labour and human trafficking in their supply chains. This company received a score of 23/100.
[Source 2018][More on Workers Rights]
The 2019 Fashion Transparency Index looks at how much brands know about their supply chains, what kind of policies they have in place and importantly, how much information they share with the public about their practices and products. Brands owned by this company scored 15%, signifying it makes some efforts to manage and improve their supply chains but make little supply chain information publicly available. This company still has a long way to go towards supply chain transparency. The average score was 21% and the highest score was 64%.
[Source 2019][More on Sustainability Reporting]
This company received a SAM Rank of 31/100 in the Food & Staples Retailing category of the 2018 SAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment. The index is 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.
[Source 2018][More on Sustainability Reporting] |
D for report card on paper practices of the office supply sector, (A best, F worst), covering chain of custody endangered forests plantations & controversial sources, responsible forestry & FSC-certification, recycling & reduction, and other leadership. [Listed under Information due to age of report]
[Source 2010][More on Forests]
EWG's Guide to Healthy Cleaning provides safety ratings for household cleaning products, with over 2,500 products rated from A (lowest concern) to F (highest concern). This company's score range is B to F, with over 66% of their products scoring an F.
[Source 2016][More on Product Safety]
This company encourages suppliers of garden plants to limit the use of non-essential chemicals, discourages use of neonicotinoid insecticides on pollinator-attractive plants and encourages use of eco-friendly methods of pest and disease control. Also expanding its selection of organic products, which supports pollinator health.
[Source 2017][More on Product Safety]
Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement regarding human trafficking and anti-slavery.
[Source 2013][More on Workers Rights]
In July 2012 this company received praise from the Humane Society for announcing that it will eliminate gestation crates - small cages used to confine breeding pigs - from its pork supply chains.
[Source 2012][More on Factory Farming]
This company is a member of the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, a legally binding, five-year commitment to improve safety in Bangladeshi ready-made garment factories. The Alliance aims to improve worker safety in the Bangladesh garment industry by upgrading factories, educating workers and management, empowering workers, and building institutions that can enforce and maintain safe working conditions throughout Bangladesh. However it lacks an important enforcement mechanism included in the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, and unlike the Accord, the Alliance has not received the endorsement of the ILO.
[Source 2016][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]
The Sustainable Food Lab is a network of business, public sector, and civil society leaders from around the globe who are working together to accelerate sustainability in mainstream food and agriculture.
[Source 2016][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]
This company is a member of the Responsible Minerals Initiative (formerly the Conflict-Free Sourcing Initiative), which helps companies address conflict minerals issues in their supply chains. The RMI provides information on conflict-free smelters and refiners, common tools to gather sourcing information, and forums for exchanging best practices on addressing conflict minerals. Membership is open to companies that use or transact in tantalum, tin, tungsten or gold (3TG). Founded in 2008 by members of the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition and the Global e-Sustainability Initiative.
[Source 2019][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]
This company received a score of 5.3/10 in Grenpeace USA's 2015 Carting Away the Oceans (CATO) report, which evaluates and ranks supermarkets on their sustainable seafood policies.
[Source 2015][More on Oceans]
The WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard 2019 assesses 173 companies on the commitments they have made, and the actions they have taken, to ensure that there is no destruction of nature including no deforestation along their supply chains; and support a responsible and sustainable palm oil industry beyond their own supply chain. This company is rated 'middle of the pack' with a score of 13 out of a possible total of 22.
[Source 2019][More on Palm Oil]
This company recognises and supports the ICTI CARE Process, the toy industry's ethical manufacturing program aimed at ensuring safe and humane workplace environments for toy factory workers worldwide. However human rights groups including SOMO and China Labor Watch have criticised ICTI Care, with investigators finding serious labour rights violations occurring in ICTI-certified factories.
[Source 2018][More on Workers Rights]
The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010 (SB 657) requires companies operating in California to disclose their efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from their direct supply chains. KnowTheChain.org has examined this company's disclosure statement and concluded that it addresses the majority of SB 657 requirements. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
[Source 2013][More on Human Rights]
In 2018 the Mind the Store campaign ranked 41 major US retailers on their efforts to eliminate toxic chemicals from consumer products. This company received a grade of C.
[Source 2018][More on Product Safety]
The 2017 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 4, "Making Progress on Implementation", with tier 1 being the best, and tier 6 the worst.
[Source 2018][More on Animal Rights]
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.
[Source 2014] |
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Company Details
| Revenue | US$97 billion in 2012 |
| # Employees | 1707,000 in 2012 in World |
| Subsidiaries | Costco Wholesale Australia Pty Ltd |
Contact Details
| Address | Issaquah, Washington, USA |
| Website | www.costco.com |
Products / Brands
Costco Wholesale Australia|
Costco Supermarkets Kirkland Signature House Brands |
