Social Compliance Training

We recognize that it is important to routinely train our buying agents, vendors, and factory management, and we strongly encourage all new factories to participate in such training. While our 2020 trainings had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, typically we hold an average of 10-12 training sessions a year in various locations around the world, regionally close to factories that are involved with products that we have helped design or develop to be manufactured just for us. (See map for training locations.)

These training sessions are conducted by UL representatives, who are accompanied by our Assistant Vice President (AVP), Global Social Compliance. We believe the presence of our management at sessions in each of these countries demonstrates to factory management, buying agent management, and vendors that TJX is committed to our Global Social Compliance Program. Over time, our training sessions have included the following topics:

TJX’s Vendor Code of Conduct and the expectations contained in this Code
Local labor laws
Anti-bribery laws (including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the U.K. Bribery Act)
Regulations on chemicals and hazardous materials, Material Data Safety Sheets, hazardous waste management, and required environmental permits
Business ethics
TJX’s policy against forced and involuntary labor, including slavery and human trafficking
Fire safety
Water conservation recommendations
TJX’s fur practices
Factory compliance best practices and preventative actions
Case studies to help demonstrate how to embed management remediation systems
Open discussions with vendors and factory management on compliance challenges

In addition to the above, we often include targeted training based on geographic or other regional differences to ensure that we are covering the most pertinent topics for each training session, and we may break into focus groups to enhance training through shared learning.

Designated representatives at our international buying offices also provide instruction to our vendors and factory management on our ethical sourcing expectations. We will continue to devote resources to these important training initiatives and to review and update these initiatives as appropriate.

Associate Training

TJX Associates involved in the development and buying of merchandise are expected to undergo formal social compliance training biennially. In addition, through informal meetings and discussions, our AVP, Global Social Compliance continues to share our learnings, updating our product development and buying personnel on the requirements of TJX’s Global Social Compliance Program.