We strongly believe that for our policies and practices to be effective, they must evolve and be informed by the perspectives of our many stakeholders. Therefore, we strive to maintain an open dialogue with these important groups to achieve our goals.
To oversee our global Corporate Responsibility work, we were pleased to form a Global Corporate Responsibility Executive Steering Committee in late 2017. Our charter includes guiding strategies and aligning them with TJX business priorities, overseeing our global corporate responsibility efforts across functions and geographies, facilitating information exchange, recommending additional program efforts to potentially undertake as a Company, and reporting on our progress to the Company’s senior management and Board of Directors.
Engaging with Our Associates
At the corporate level and across our divisions, we have many different ways to communicate with and engage our Associates, something we believe is key to maintaining our culture. We want our Associates to be informed about our businesses and geographies and allow for opportunities to participate in Company-organized activities and community events. As such, we have many different ways to communicate, including: virtual and live management Town Hall meetings; State of the Company meetings; CEO updates; The Thread, our global intranet, which disseminates announcements and facilitates information and policy sharing; TJX geographic publications, such as TJXtra in Europe; and weekly bulletins in various regions across the globe.
In Canada, we participate in The Great Place to Work Institute survey, and in 2018, for the fourth consecutive year, TJX Canada received the distinction of being named a Top 50 Great Place to Work in Canada. Organizations on the 2018 list were ranked using the results of a survey called the Trust Index, which was developed and is administered by the Institute. The survey methodology is backed by 30 years of research and represents opinions from over 12 million employees from organizations in almost 90 countries each year. This makes it the most widely adopted workforce satisfaction tool in the world.
Additionally, The JOY Project in Canada has inspired, motivated, and built Associates’ morale. This in-store program is focused on supporting the integral parts of our culture at TJX Canada as we strive to create an overall positive environment by recognizing store Associates for “spreading joy” through random acts of kindness, such as encouraging a co-worker or providing a helping hand to a customer. Our goal is to drive the importance of building strong connections between managers, Associates, and customers.
Engaging with Our Customers
As the leading off-price apparel and home fashions retailer in the U.S. and worldwide, our customers reflect a broad and diverse demographic. Engaging with our customers allows us to address their changing preferences, tastes, and concerns. One way we measure our success is by asking customers to rate their experience using online customer satisfaction surveys. Based on what we hear from our customers, we regularly provide Store Operations management with feedback regarding store performance so they may identify opportunities and address issues quickly – and ultimately improve the in-store experience.
Each retail chain has a website that highlights seasonal offerings, store locations, and contact information for Customer Service groups. Our brands also leverage social media channels for real-time feedback on store experiences.
We share more about the many ways we engage with our customers on the Serving Our Customers page of our website.
Engaging with Our Investors
We speak regularly with shareholders throughout the year via investor meetings, conferences, and phone calls. These interactions allow us to engage with the investment community regarding our Company’s performance financially and, as requested, on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters. We listen to our shareholders’ insights and perspectives thoughtfully, considering what is best for our many stakeholders and our Company overall.
Recognition of Our Efforts
In 2019, we were pleased to be ranked #2 within the specialty retailer category on Fortune’s Most Admired Companies list, which rates companies in their own industry on nine criteria. The list recognizes our efforts in areas of importance to stakeholders, and we were pleased to be given the highest score possible in the areas of innovation, social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment value, and global competitiveness.
Our aim is to demonstrate accountability to our many stakeholders.