V.A.L.U.E. Facts

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle

Smart for Our Business, Good for the Environment
For many years, as a way to be cost-efficient and environmentally responsible, TJX has implemented numerous programs in our stores, distribution centers and home offices to reduce, reuse and recycle. Our commitment to these practices has only strengthened in recent years as our Associates, customers and suppliers have a strong, mutual interest in improving efficiency in the areas of reducing and minimizing waste and water consumption.

Reducing and Minimizing Waste
At TJX, we have reusable bag programs in all of our stores. In the U.S., since 2008, T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods have sold or given away more than 15 million reusable bags. Further, we have introduced recycled content plastic bags to all divisions. TJX Canada also offers reusable eco bags in its Winners, HomeSense and Marshalls stores. In Europe, T.K. Maxx and HomeSense offer customers reusable bags made out of recycled plastic, Fairtrade and/or organic cotton or juco for a nominal fee, with profits from these bags supporting our charity partners. All of our carrier bags in Europe are made out of recycled plastic. 

In the U.S., our stores reduce waste in other ways, including using recycled tissue paper, utilizing smaller sized plastic tags for rack labels, and purchasing used hangers instead of new ones. Additionally, virtually all store reports are delivered electronically instead of printed on paper, substantially reducing the use of paper for store communications.   

Reusing and Recycling
Virtually all of TJX’s distribution centers are specially-designed to simplify the reuse and recycling of the vast amount of corrugated cardboard we receive from our vendors. Most of our vendor corrugated cardboard is recycled or reused at these distribution centers. In addition, wherever feasible, we have established closed loop operations with our stores. Upon a store delivery, stores will return the corrugated cardboard boxes to the distribution center to be reused more than once. Our distribution centers also have established programs to recycle plastic film, paper, clothes hangers and pallets as well as scrap metal.  

In addition to the recycling of corrugated cardboard between distribution centers and closed loop stores, our largest U.S. division, The Marmaxx Group, continues to explore additional resale of recycled materials, including waste plastics, cardboard and old fixtures, which will reduce costs and waste. For example, in 2010, Marmaxx sold approximately 450 tons of metal and 94 tons of plastic from obsolete store fixtures and supplies no longer used in T.J. Maxx or Marshalls stores. In our Canadian Corporate Office and distribution centers, we have even begun composting organic waste.

At T.K. Maxx stores in U.K. and Ireland, stores have achieved their previous target of reducing waste generation by 50% and have committed to reduce store waste even further by the end of 2011 through the installation of segregated recycling bins and waste diversion. Today, U.K. processing centers recycle approximately 90% of their waste. 

In many of our Home Offices, we have recycling programs in place that remove 100% of white paper from our waste stream. Additionally, our Home Offices have various other recycling programs, including the recycling of compostable waste, cans, bottles, batteries, CDs, plastic wrap, plastic items and printed materials. Further, in our North American Home Offices, the Company utilized demountable steel walls to create and reconfigure office space, avoiding the use of drywall.

At TJX, we know that our recycling programs benefit the environment as well as our business. As we further develop and strengthen our V.A.L.U.E. program, we will continue to take our local, regional and global recycling initiatives to the next level of efficiency and value.

Reducing Water Consumption
TJX is not a significant consumer of water, but we believe reducing our usage is both consistent with our low-cost operating philosophy and our commitment to environmental sustainability. For instance, we use time-sensor technologies in many of our restrooms, and in the U.K., we continue to work to monitor and reduce consumption at stores with high water usage. Further, our Energy Management department is working with a third party for the first time to monitor water consumption at all of our North American stores. We believe that this new tool will open up many new opportunities to further improve our efforts in reducing water consumption.