David Jones
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Owned |
ZAF |
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Department store retail
Founded in 1838 by David Jones, today they operate 39 stores around Australia. Acquired by South Africa's Woolworths Holdings in July 2014, joining the second biggest department store group in the southern hemisphere.
Company Ownership
David Jones Ltd | AUS | website | ||||
Woolworths Holdings Ltd ![]() owns 100% of David Jones Ltd |
ZAF | website | ||||
Retail and financial services Founded in South Africa in 1931. Today the South African investment company has retail operations throughout Africa and into the Middle East, plus they own Australian retail chains Country Road and David Jones. It is not related to Woolworths Ltd in Australia. |
Company Assessment
PRAISE | CRITICISM | INFORMATION | ||
David Jones Ltd | ||||
Signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant, a voluntary agreement to encourage waste minimisation.
Source: Australian Packaging Covenant (2020)
B grade in the Baptist World Aid Australia's 'Ethical Fashion Report 2019', which grades companies, from A to F, on the strength of their systems to mitigate against the risks of forced labour, child labour and worker exploitation in their supply chains, as well as protect the environment from the harmful impacts of the fashion industry. Assessment criteria fall into five main categories: policies, transparency and traceability, auditing and supplier relationships, worker empowerment and environmental management.
Source: Baptist World Aid Australia (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 has signed the 'Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh', a program endorsed by Bangladeshi and international unions and labor rights organizations. The ground-breaking program includes independent safety inspections with public reports, mandatory factory building renovations, the obligation by brands and retailers to underwrite the cost of repairs, and a vital role for workers and their unions all in a legally-binding, enforceable agreement.
Source: Bangladesh Accord (2019)
In 2020 Baptist World Aid Australia released The COVID Fashion Report, a special edition of their Ethical Fashion Report. The report is framed around six COVID Fashion Commitments that ask companies to demonstrate the steps and measures they are taking to protect and support the most vulnerable workers in their supply chains. This company showed evidence of actions that cover ALL areas of the COVID Fashion Commitments.
Source: Baptist World Aid Australia (2020) |
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: PETA (2018)
David Jones use chicken from Australian RSPCA Approved farms for their range of RSPCA Approved chicken products. 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 (2020)
This company has a number of social responsibility & sustainability claims on its website under the headings ethical sourcing & raw materials; energy, waste & water; social development; health & wellness; and people & transformation.
Source: company website (2020)
This company is a member of the Textile Exchange, a global non-profit that works closely with its members to drive textile industry transformation in preferred fibres, integrity and standards and responsible supply networks. They identify and share best practices regarding farming, materials, processing, traceability and product end-of-life in order to reduce the textile industry's impact on the world's water, soil and air, and the human population.
Source: Textile Exchange (2019)
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. However since this report was published David Jones has changed ownership and is reportedly improving its supply chain sourcing.
Source: ACSI (2013) |
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Woolworths Holdings Ltd | ||||
In 2020, 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 (2020)
In 2020, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security Score of B.
Source: CDP (2020)
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: As You Sow (2019) |
The 2020 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 social and environmental policies, practices and impacts. Brands owned by this company scored 19%, signifying it makes some efforts to manage and improve their supply chains but make little supply chain information publicly available. The average score was 23% and the highest score was 73%.
Source: Fashion Revolution (2020) |
Wikipedia lists a number of controversies for this company: In October 2010, Woolworths came under fire as they opted to remove Christian magazines from their shelves and discontinue their sale; In 2012 the South African Advertising Standards Authority ruled that Woolworths' vintage cold drink range was an imitation of a rival soft drinks range; In September 2012 Woolworths was accused of racism by some groups for allegedly discriminating against white job applicants and staff; In October 2013 rumours of plagiarism surfaced when Euodia Roets, a South African artist, accused Woolworths of using her designs that were kept as sample after contract negations which failed.
Source: Wikipedia (2015)
In 2020 this company announced that more than 7000 staff members across David Jones and Country Road have been underpaid $3.7 million over the last six years. The company has pledged to pay all money owing.
Source: Inside Retail (2020)
This company is a member of the CanopyStyle initiative, which came about when research found that millions of trees are used every year to produce dissolving pulp, a key ingredient for fabrics such as rayon/viscose. The campaign seeks to phase out the use of endangered forest fibre in fabric.
Source: Canopy (2018)
In Nov 2012 the World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa (WWF-SA) and Woolworths announced a broad-based, multifaceted partnership to drive greater sustainability through selected Woolworths products and operations. The three year partnership "recognises the growing congruence between WWF-SA and Woolworths interests in, among others: the conservation of energy; freshwater ecosystems; the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices; and the protection of fish stocks."
Source: WWF-SA (2012)
This company is a signatory to the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, whose goal is to eliminate plastic pollution at its source.
Source: New Plastics Economy (2019)
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; report climate change information in mainstream reports as a fiduciary duty; remove commodity-driven deforestation from all supply chains by 2020; improve water security.
Source: We Mean Business (2017)
This retailer has committed to being a fur free retailer, as recognised by the International Fur Free Retailer Program.
Source: Fur Free Retailer (2019)
Compassion in World Farming is a UK-based organisation which works with the European food industry to encourage and reward commitment, transparency, performance and innovation in the field of animal welfare. This company won their Good Egg Award in 2014 for their work with free-range eggs.
Source: Compassion in World Farming (2014)
This company was designated a "New Sustainability Champion" in this 2010 document (page 42) from the World Economic Forum and the Boston Consulting Group. New Sustainability Champions proactively turn constraints into opportunities through innovation, embed sustainability in their company culture, and actively shape their business environments.
Source: Boston Consulting Group (2010)
In 2012 Woolworths Holdings won the International Responsible Retailer of the Year Award at the World Retail Congress for the third time in five years. Improved indicators include carbon footprint, water and packaging reduction, sustainable clothing and food products.
Source: World Retail Congress (2012)
This company is a member of the Better Cotton Initiative, a voluntary program 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 (2019)
This company is a member of the Textile Exchange, a global non-profit that works closely with its members to drive textile industry transformation in preferred fibres, integrity and standards and responsible supply networks. They identify and share best practices regarding farming, materials, processing, traceability and product end-of-life in order to reduce the textile industry's impact on the world's water, soil and air, and the human population.
Source: Textile Exchange (2019)
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 (2019)
This company is a member of the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex), a not-for-profit, membership organisation that leads work with buyers and suppliers to deliver improvements in responsible and ethical business practices in global supply chains. Tens of thousands of companies use Sedex to manage their performance around labour rights, health & safety, the environment and business ethics.
Source: Sedex (2018)
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)
In 2020, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts towards removing commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation from its direct operations and supply chains. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Forests Score of C.
Source: CDP (2020)
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 56/100 in the Retailing category of the 2019 SAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices. 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 (2019) |
Company Details
Type | Wholly-owned subsidiary |
Revenue | $1.85 billion in 2013 |
Employees | 7,900 in 2014 in Australia |
Subsidiaries | David Jones BP (50% owned) ![]() Convenience stores Gourmet convenience food joint venture between David Jones Food and BP Australia which kicked off in 2019. By the end of 2020 they will be operating 31 dual-branded sites across Melbourne and Sydney. |
Contact Details
Address | 86-108 Castlereagh St, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia |
Phone | 02 9266 5544 |
Fax | 02 9261 5717 |
Website | www.davidjones.com.au |
Products / Brands
David Jones
Agenda Womens Fashion Alta Linea Menswear (casual) David Jones Womens Fashion David Jones Department Stores David Jones Clothing Stores David Jones Electronics Stores |
David Jones Homewares Stores Milana Womens Fashion Milana Hats Milana Womens Shoes |
David Jones BP (50% owned)
David Jones Food BP Fuel & Convenience Stores |