Wesfarmers
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Owned |
AUS |
Rating |
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Retail, energy, insurance, chemicals
Founded in WA in 1914 as a farmers' cooperative, today Wesfarmers operations include department stores; home improvement and office supplies; insurance; chemicals, energy and fertilisers; and industrial and safety products. Acquired Coles Group in 2007 for $20 billion in the biggest takeover in Australian corporate history. Coles was spun-off in November 2018. Wesfarmers kept Officeworks, Kmart and Target, which were part of Coles Group when it was acquired by Wesfarmers.
Wesfarmers Ltd | AUS | website |
Company Assessment
PRAISE | CRITICISM | INFORMATION | ||
Wesfarmers Ltd | ||||
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 B.
Source: CDP (2018)
Signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant, a voluntary agreement to encourage waste minimisation.
Source: Australian Packaging Covenant (2020)
The 2019 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assessed 200 of the largest publicly traded companies in the world from the Agricultural Products, Apparel, Extractives and ICT Manufacturing sectors on 100 human rights indicators. This company's score was in the 40-50 band range. The overall average score was a disappointing 24%.
Source: CHRB (2019)
Oxfam Australia's Company Tracker compares the big clothing brands on their efforts to pay a living wage to the women working in their factories. This company has released the names and addresses of at least 70% of their supplier factories, and has taken some action towards paying a living wage within a set timeframe in the supply chain.
Source: Oxfam Australia (2019)
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 67/100 in the Retailing category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 7 Feb 2021). 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.
Source: S&P Global (2021) |
In 2016 Rank a Brand assessed 37 major cotton-using companies on their commitment and performance with regard to sustainable cotton by looking at each company's cotton sourcing policies, use of sustainable cotton, and traceability. This company scored 0.5/19.5, making it one of the weakest performing companies.
Source: Rank a Brand (2016)
This company received a score of 35.3/100 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) |
This 2013 report by The Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI) investigates the labour and human rights risks in supply chain sourcing. This company is identified on page 21 as a company which sources products from countries with known systemic labour and human rights concerns.
Source: ACSI (2013)
According to the democracyforsale.net website, this company donated $638,000 to Australia's major political parties between 2012 and 2018, as disclosed to the Australian Electoral Commision (AEC).
Source: Democracy For Sale (2018)
As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: put a price on carbon; responsible corporate engagement in climate policy; report climate change information in mainstream reports as a fiduciary duty.
Source: We Mean Business (2017)
Between 2015 and 2018 this company paid $3 billion tax on a total income of $199 billion, earning the number 8 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)
This company has sustainability claims on its website in the areas of sourcing, community, environment and indigenous engagement.
Source: company website (2019)
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: Modern Slavery Registry (2017) |
Company Details
Type | Public company |
Revenue | $67.2 billion in 2018 |
Employees | 217,000 in 2018 |
Aus Manufacturing | Yes |
Subsidiaries | Coles Group Ltd (10% owned) ![]() Retailing Coles Group was spun-off from Wesfarmers in November 2018. Wesfarmers kept Officeworks, Kmart and Target, which were part of Coles Group when it was acquired by Wesfarmers for $20 billion in 2007. The new Coles group operates over 2,500 retail outlets around Australia across three divisions: Supermarkets, Liquor and Convenience. Coles was founded in 1914, publicly listed in 1929, merged with Myer in 1986 and sold Myer in 2006. - Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd ![]() Supermarkets and liquor stores Coles was spun-off from Wesfarmers in November 2018. Wesfarmers kept Officeworks, Kmart and Target, which were part of Coles Group when it was acquired by Wesfarmers for $20 billion in 2007. The new Coles Group operates over 2,500 retail outlets around Australia across three divisions: Supermarkets, Liquor and Convenience. Coles exited the hotels and poker machine business in 2019, but still operates bottle shops. Bunnings Group Ltd ![]() Hardware retail Australia's largest hardware retailer. Bunnings operate 211 Bunnings Warehouse stores and 63 smaller format Bunnings stores across Australia and New Zealand. Gresham Partners Ltd (50% owned) ![]() Investment and advisory house Gresham focuses on four key business areas: Corporate Advisory, Private Equity, Property and Asset Finance. 50% owned by Wesfarmers. Its private equity division specialises in mid-market leveraged buy-outs in Aust and NZ. Acquisitions include Witchery Fashions. Target Australia Pty Ltd ![]() Department stores Part of Wesfarmers since Nov 2007. There are 289 Target and Target Country stores around Australia. No affiliation with Target Corporation (USA). Kmart Australia Pty Ltd ![]() Department stores Previously part of the Coles Group, which was bought by Wesfarmers in 2007. When Wesfarmers divested Coles Supermarkets in 2018, it kept Kmart. Kmart operates 228 stores throughout Australia and New Zealand. Workwear Group ![]() Workwear This former division of Pacific Brands was established in 2010 after acquiring King Gee and Stubbies in 2001, and Hard Yakka, Stylecorp and NNT in 2007. Sold to Wesfarmers in August 2014. Manufacturing occurs in Australia, China, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Fiji. Officeworks Ltd ![]() Office supplies retailer Established by Coles Myer in 1994. Today they operate over 150 stores across Australia, and is part of Wesfarmers' Home Improvement and Office Supplies division. Catch Group Pty Ltd ![]() eCommerce Operates online shopping websites Catch and Scoopon, as well as Mumgo and Grocery Run. Acquired by Wesfarmers for $230 million in 2019. |
Contact Details
Address | Level 14, Brookfield Place, Tower 2, 123 St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA, 6000, Australia |
Phone | 08 9327 4211 |
Fax | 08 9327 4216 |
info@wesfarmers.com.au | |
Website | www.wesfarmers.com.au |
Products / Brands
Coles SupermarketsBunnings
Bunnings Hardware Stores Moretti Heating & Cooling |
Target Australia
Belle Curve Womens Plus Size Target Electronics Stores Target Department Stores Target Toy Stores Target Everyday Apparel Target Homewares Stores |
Kmart Australia
Anko Everyday Apparel Anko Small Kitchen Appliances K hub Department Stores Kmart Electronics Stores Kmart Department Stores Kmart Toy Stores Kmart Homewares Stores |
Workwear Group
Hard Yakka Workwear Hard Yakka Work Boots King Gee Workwear King Gee Underwear/Socks/Sleepwear King Gee Underwear & Socks King Gee Work Boots NNT Uniforms Workwear Stubbies Workwear |
Officeworks
Officeworks Electronics Stores PPS Envelopes |
Catch Group
Catch E-commerce Scoopon E-commerce |