Big W

This company has formally undertaken not to use or sell real fur.
[Source 2014][More on Animal Rights]

This company has taken angora items off the shelves and promised not to use angora again, following a PETA campaign launched in Dec 2013 which revealed the cruelty inflicted on angora rabbits in Chinese factory farms, where 90% of the world's angora is produced.
[Source 2018][More on Animal Rights]

In 2002, BIG W launched a national campaign called the Big Heart Campaign, which has raised millions of dollars for local children's hospitals, wards and foundations. BIG W also sells various fundraising merchandise at their checkouts to support National Health Programs such as Jeans for Genes Day and National Breast Cancer day.
[Source 2013][More on Finance]

C grade in the Baptist World Aid Australia's 'Ethical Fashion Report 2018', which grades companies, from A to F, on the strength of their systems to mitigate against the risks of forced labour, child labour, and exploitation in their supply chains. Assessment criteria fall into four main categories: policies, knowing suppliers, auditing and supplier relationships, and worker empowerment.
[Source 2018][More on Workers Rights]

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, but does not have a satisfactory grievance mechanism in place for workers to report violations of their rights.
[Source 2019][More on Workers Rights]

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."
[Source 2017][More on Oceans]

Safeway & Woolworths have been awarded Environment Victoria's 'People's Choice Award' in their 2007 DUMP report. Criticised for needlessly packing fruit and vegetables, particularly organic products, on polystyrene trays and covering them with cling wrap.
[Source 2007][More on Packaging]

Brands owned by this company were rated 'red' in Greenpeace's 2011 Truefood Guide, signifying they may include GM-derived ingredients in their products. This includes brands that either: contain GM derived ingredients; have no clear policy on GM-derived ingredients; and/or have ignored or refused Greenpeace's request for information regarding their policies on GM-derived ingredients.
[Source 2011][More on Genetic Engineering]

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 2013][More on Human Rights]

Woolworths received widespread criticism in 2007/8 for its green-washing campaign surrounding the Select toilet paper and tissues, which they were sourcing from Asia Pulp Paper.
[Source 2008][More on Irresponsible Marketing]

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 2007][More on Irresponsible Marketing]

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 2011][More on Irresponsible Marketing]

Involved in sale of tobacco-related products as a non-core business.
[More on Product Safety]

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 2006][More on Governance]

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 2014][More on Governance]

According to the democracy4sale.org website, this company donated $167,150 to Australia's major political parties between 2009 and 2013, as disclosed to the Australian Electoral Commision (AEC).
[Source 2013][More on Politics]

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 2016][More on Governance]

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 2016][More on Oceans]

This company is an FSC Australia Retail Supporter. A Retail Supporter is an organisation that sells FSC Certified products (among others) to consumers. These are companies who not only wish to sell certified products, but promote and support FSC at the same time.
[Source 2017][More on Forests]

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 2014][More on Eco-Certification]

This company manufactures or distributes products that are certified organic under the Australian Certified Organic label.
[Source 2018][More on Eco-Certification]

This company sells Fairtrade Certified coffee. However this only represents a fraction of their total coffee sales.
[Source 2016][More on Workers Rights]

Woolworths is mentioned in the 'Workplace human rights Reporting: A study of Australian garment and retail companies' paper as having policies on 'forced or compulsory labour' (no policy specifically relating to 'child labour'), 'freedom of association', and 'fair wage and decent living' - stating that they were paying their employees in accordance with local and national wage awards and statutes. Information gathered was from annual reports, CSR reports, and the corporate website, for the 2009/2010 year. Policy in there areas are particularly important in the clothing and electronics industries (though policy does not imply compliance).
[Source 2012][More on Human Rights]

This company makes voluntary contributions to DrinkWise Australia, a not-for-profit organisation established in 2005 by the alcohol industry, whose stated goal is to help bring about a healthier and safer drinking culture in Australia.
[Source 2015][More on Irresponsible Marketing]

Woolworths are to phase out all battery hen eggs by 2018, affecting 12 caged egg suppliers that will have to shift to a sustainable cage-free model. Woolworths has also committed to stop using caged eggs as an ingredient in their private label branded products, and are now labelling the chicken stocking density on the company's range of home brand eggs.
[Source 2013][More on Factory Farming]

This company has Corporate Responsibility claims on its website, including policy statements on ethical sourcing and environmental goals, and community support programs.
[Source 2013][More on Sustainability Reporting]

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 2014][More on Governance]

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 2015][More on Governance]

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 x][More on Sustainability Reporting]

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 2017][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives]

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 3/5.
[Source 2016][More on Forests]

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]

Directly involved in the manufacture, distribution or sale of alcohol as a core business.
[More on Product Safety]

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 made no additional commitments to meet Pledge standards.
[Source 2017][More on Sustainability Reporting]