Q: The TJX Companies now has over 100,000 Associates worldwide. How has TJX?s strong corporate culture contributed to its success?

A: We believe this is the most important of the questions posed in this year?s Annual Review, because at TJX, our Associates are truly our greatest assets. As the leaders in off-price retailing, we have developed an organization that, without rival, is the best in our sector of the industry. The strength of our organization has grown out of our deeply engrained corporate culture, which centers around acting with integrity and emphasizes that all people must be treated with dignity, respect and caring. Further, our culture is one in which success is measured not only on delivering results, but how those results are achieved.

That TJX is a great company at which to work, where Associates are encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas openly, is directly related to our success. Our Company continues to benefit from the vast experience that so many Associates have gained after many years of service and building their careers with TJX. Throughout our organization, experienced Associates share expertise with less tenured Associates. Our merchandising organization is a prime example; this team is the most experienced off-price buying group in the industry and serves as a significant asset to the Company. In addition, our experienced workforce aids us in starting new growth vehicles, as we can tap seasoned individuals from our more established business units to share best practices and expertise with our younger concepts.

Our bottom-line orientation is another aspect of our corporate culture that correlates to our success. At each division, management at every level is incentivized along the same metric, the bottom-line goal of that division. In this way, teamwork and cooperation are rewarded and the entire Company benefits.

As TJX grows, ensuring that our corporate culture is understood and upheld throughout our organization is a top priority. Developing the future leaders of TJX is key. We have created an environment where Associates can grow with the Company, while mastering the skills and nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit that is so vital to successful off-price retailing. We are committed to maintaining this environment and one way in which we achieve this is through ?thinking big? and ?acting small.? In other words, while strategically we approach our business as the $13-billion leader of the off-price retail industry worldwide, we take care to remember that our success is due to the good work that over 100,000 individuals perform every day.