Lowe's Companies Inc.

Overall approach

1/14
- Overarching commitment on deforestation
  
  0/6
  
  Deforestation commitment
  
  Commodity-specific
  
  0/6
  
  Timber
  
  "Lowe’s commits to source wood that[...]does not come from deforestation or other ecosystem conversion, which leads to biodiversity loss, including that of rare, threatened and endangered species".
  
  Open source document
- Signatory to an initiative tackling deforestation
  
  0/1
- Awareness of the value of forests
  
  1/1
  
  Awareness
  
  Yes
  
  1/1
  
  "Lowe’s commits to source wood that: comes from a known source; is legally harvested and traded; does not threaten high conservation value[...]"
  
  Open source document
- Target to reduce emissions from land-use change
  
  0/3
- Reporting on emissions from land-use change
  
  0/3
Commodity score

21/86
- Leather
  
  4/86
  - Commitment Strength
    
    0/36
    - Commitment to protect priority forests
      
      0/21
      - Commitment details
        No commitment
        
        0/10.7
      - Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        No
        
        0/1.5
      - Commitment applies to all operations
        No
        
        0/1.5
      - Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        No
        
        0/1.5
      - Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        No
        
        0/1.5
      - Target date
        No deadline
        
        0/2
      - Target is quantifiable
        No
        
        0/2
    - Commitment to a traceable supply chain
      
      0/15
      - Commitment details
        No traceability commitment
        
        0/5.3
      - Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        No
        
        0/1.5
      - Commitment applies to all operations
        No
        
        0/1.5
      - Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        No
        
        0/1.5
      - Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        No
        
        0/1.5
      - Target date
        No deadline
        
        0/2
      - Target is quantifiable
        No
        
        0/2
  - Reporting and Implementation
    
    0/34
    - Reporting against commitments
      
      0/6
      - Commitment to protect priority forests
        No
        
        0/3
      - Commitment to a traceable supply chain
        No
        
        0/3
    - Reporting is independently verified
      
      0/4
      - Commitment to protect priority forests
        No
        
        0/2
      - Commitment to a traceable supply chain
        No
        
        0/2
    - Deforestation cut off date
      No
      
      0/2
    - Monitoring and verification of supplier compliance
      No monitoring
      
      0/4
    - Engagement with non-compliant suppliers
      No engagement or exclusion
      
      0/4
    - Publishing supplier lists
      No disclosure
      
      0/4
    - Accessible grievance mechanism
      No
      
      0/4
    - Collaborative actions
      No
      
      0/2
    - Report volumes of commodity
      No reporting
      
      0/4
  - Social Considerations
    
    4/16
    - Commitment to ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent
      No
      
      0/4
    - Labour rights in the supply chain
      Yes
      
      4/4
      
      Labour rights in the supply chain
      
      Yes
      
      4/4
      
      Discrimination; Forced Labour; Child Labour; Freedom of association
      
      Lowe's Companies Inc. state that they abide by the minimum standards for human rights as set by the ILO and the UN Declaration on Human Rights. They require suppliers to ensure their workers have freedom of association, and to be free from forced labour, child labour and discrimination.
      
      Open source document
    - Gender equality in the supply chain
      No commitment
      
      0/4
    - Inclusion of small-scale farmers
      No
      
      0/4
- Pulp & Paper
  
  14/86
  - Commitment Strength
    
    10/36
    - Commitment to protect priority forests
      
      10/15
      - Commitment details
        Forest-related commitment
        
        6/8
        
        Commitment to protect priority forests
        
        Forest-related commitment
        
        6/8
        
        Certification schemes mentioned: FSC; PEFC
        Type of commitment: Certification
        
        "99.9 percent of RONA's paper [a subsidiary of Lowe's] used for flyers, printing, envelopes and marketing material is...sustainably certified FSC, SFI or PEFC."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        
        Yes
        
        1/1
        
        "99.9 percent of RONA's paper [a subsidiary of Lowe's] used for flyers, printing, envelopes and marketing material is...sustainably certified FSC, SFI or PEFC."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all operations
        No
        
        0/1
        
        Commitment applies to all operations
        
        No
        
        0/1
        
        "99.9 percent of RONA's paper [a subsidiary of Lowe's] used for flyers, printing, envelopes and marketing material is...sustainably certified FSC, SFI or PEFC."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        No
        
        0/1
        
        Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        
        No
        
        0/1
        
        "99.9 percent of RONA's paper [a subsidiary of Lowe's] used for flyers, printing, envelopes and marketing material is...sustainably certified FSC, SFI or PEFC."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        No
        
        0/1
        
        Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        
        No
        
        0/1
        
        "99.9 percent of RONA's paper [a subsidiary of Lowe's] used for flyers, printing, envelopes and marketing material is...sustainably certified FSC, SFI or PEFC."
        
        Open source document
      - Target date
        Current
        
        1.3/1.3
        
        Target date
        
        Current
        
        1.3/1.3
        
        "99.9 percent of RONA's paper [a subsidiary of Lowe's] used for flyers, printing, envelopes and marketing material is...sustainably certified FSC, SFI or PEFC."
        
        Open source document
      - Target is quantifiable
        Yes
        
        1.3/1.3
        
        Target is quantifiable
        
        Yes
        
        1.3/1.3
        
        "99.9 percent of RONA's paper [a subsidiary of Lowe's] used for flyers, printing, envelopes and marketing material is...sustainably certified FSC, SFI or PEFC."
        
        Open source document
    - Commitment to reduce use of virgin wood fibre
      
      0/11
      - Commitment details
        No
        
        0/4
      - Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        No
        
        0/1
      - Commitment applies to all operations
        No
        
        0/1
      - Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        No
        
        0/1
      - Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        No
        
        0/1
      - Target date
        No deadline
        
        0/1.3
      - Target is quantifiable
        No
        
        0/1.3
    - Commitment to a traceable supply chain
      
      0/11
      - Commitment details
        No traceability commitment
        
        0/4
      - Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        No
        
        0/1
      - Commitment applies to all operations
        No
        
        0/1
      - Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        No
        
        0/1
      - Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        No
        
        0/1
      - Target date
        No deadline
        
        0/1.3
      - Target is quantifiable
        No
        
        0/1.3
  - Reporting and Implementation
    
    0/34
    - Reporting against commitments
      
      0/6
      - Commitment to protect priority forests
        No
        
        0/2
      - Commitment to reduce use of virgin wood fibre
        No
        
        0/2
      - Commitment to a traceable supply chain
        No
        
        0/2
    - Reporting is independently verified
      
      0/4
      - Commitment to protect priority forests
        No
        
        0/1.3
      - Commitment to reduce use of virgin wood fibre
        No
        
        0/1.3
      - Commitment to a traceable supply chain
        No
        
        0/1.3
    - Deforestation cut off date
      No
      
      0/2
    - Monitoring and verification of supplier compliance
      No monitoring
      
      0/4
    - Engagement with non-compliant suppliers
      No engagement or exclusion
      
      0/4
    - Publishing supplier lists
      No disclosure
      
      0/4
    - Accessible grievance mechanism
      No
      
      0/4
    - Collaborative actions
      No
      
      0/2
    - Report volumes of commodity
      No reporting
      
      0/4
  - Social Considerations
    
    4/16
    - Commitment to ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent
      No
      
      0/4
    - Labour rights in the supply chain
      Yes
      
      4/4
      
      Labour rights in the supply chain
      
      Yes
      
      4/4
      
      Discrimination; Forced Labour; Child Labour; Freedom of association
      
      "[Lowe's' Social Accountability and Environmental] program strives to:• Ensure that workers who manufacture the products we buy operate in safe conditions, are treated fairly and are paid in accordance with local law...Social Accountability and Envionmental categories [include]: Child labor/young labor, Forced labor, Discrimination, Freedom of association...We uphold the SAE program standards and expectations by auditing our import vendors’ factories."
      
      Open source document
    - Gender equality in the supply chain
      No commitment
      
      0/4
    - Inclusion of small-scale farmers
      No
      
      0/4
- Timber
  
  47/86
  - Commitment Strength
    
    33/36
    - Commitment to protect priority forests
      
      19/21
      - Commitment details
        Conversion-free commitment
        
        10.7/10.7
        
        Commitment to protect priority forests
        
        Conversion-free commitment
        
        10.7/10.7
        
        Type of commitment: Zero conversion; Zero deforestation
        
        "Lowe’s commits to source wood that[...]does not come from deforestation or other ecosystem conversion, which leads to biodiversity loss, including that of rare, threatened and endangered species". "By 2025, 100% of Lowe’s wood products will be purchased from a responsible source, thus either certified or from a controlled source." "For Lowe’s, a responsible source is either 1) certified or 2) controlled: Lowe’s recognizes the following certifications: FSC and all the certifications recognized under the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), including the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). Lowe’s gives preference to FSC-certified wood products when they are available and meet product performance and business requirements".
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        Yes
        
        1.5/1.5
        
        Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        
        Yes
        
        1.5/1.5
        
        "By 2025, 100% of Lowe’s wood products will be purchased from a responsible source, thus either certified or from a controlled source." "Lowe’s recognizes the following certifications: FSC and all the certifications recognized under the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), including the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). Lowe’s gives preference to FSC-certified wood products when they are available and meet product performance and business requirements"
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all operations
        Yes
        
        1.5/1.5
        
        Commitment applies to all operations
        
        Yes
        
        1.5/1.5
        
        "By 2025, 100% of Lowe’s wood products will be purchased from a responsible source, thus either certified or from a controlled source." "Lowe’s recognizes the following certifications: FSC and all the certifications recognized under the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), including the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). Lowe’s gives preference to FSC-certified wood products when they are available and meet product performance and business requirements"
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        Yes
        
        1.5/1.5
        
        Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        
        Yes
        
        1.5/1.5
        
        "By 2025, 100% of Lowe’s wood products will be purchased from a responsible source, thus either certified or from a controlled source." "Lowe’s recognizes the following certifications: FSC and all the certifications recognized under the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), including the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). Lowe’s gives preference to FSC-certified wood products when they are available and meet product performance and business requirements"
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        Yes
        
        1.5/1.5
        
        Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        
        Yes
        
        1.5/1.5
        
        "By 2025, 100% of Lowe’s wood products will be purchased from a responsible source, thus either certified or from a controlled source." "Lowe’s recognizes the following certifications: FSC and all the certifications recognized under the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), including the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). Lowe’s gives preference to FSC-certified wood products when they are available and meet product performance and business requirements"
        
        Open source document
      - Target date
        2025
        
        0.5/2
        
        Target date
        
        2025
        
        0.5/2
        
        "By 2025, 100% of Lowe’s wood products will be purchased from a responsible source, thus either certified or from a controlled source." "Lowe’s recognizes the following certifications: FSC and all the certifications recognized under the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), including the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). Lowe’s gives preference to FSC-certified wood products when they are available and meet product performance and business requirements"
        
        Open source document
      - Target is quantifiable
        Yes
        
        2/2
        
        Target is quantifiable
        
        Yes
        
        2/2
        
        "By 2025, 100% of Lowe’s wood products will be purchased from a responsible source, thus either certified or from a controlled source." "Lowe’s recognizes the following certifications: FSC and all the certifications recognized under the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), including the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). Lowe’s gives preference to FSC-certified wood products when they are available and meet product performance and business requirements"
        
        Open source document
    - Commitment to a traceable supply chain
      
      13/15
      - Commitment details
        traces to Point of production
        
        5.3/5.3
        
        Commitment to a traceable supply chain
        
        traces to Point of production
        
        5.3/5.3
        
        " We actively maintain a responsible wood sourcing database, which allows us to monitor and enforce our wood policy and to alter sourcing decisions when a supplier doesn’t meet our expectations."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        Yes
        
        1.5/1.5
        
        Commitment applies to all sourcing regions
        
        Yes
        
        1.5/1.5
        
        " We actively maintain a responsible wood sourcing database, which allows us to monitor and enforce our wood policy and to alter sourcing decisions when a supplier doesn’t meet our expectations."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all operations
        Yes
        
        1.5/1.5
        
        Commitment applies to all operations
        
        Yes
        
        1.5/1.5
        
        " We actively maintain a responsible wood sourcing database, which allows us to monitor and enforce our wood policy and to alter sourcing decisions when a supplier doesn’t meet our expectations."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        Yes
        
        1.5/1.5
        
        Commitment applies to all direct suppliers
        
        Yes
        
        1.5/1.5
        
        " We actively maintain a responsible wood sourcing database, which allows us to monitor and enforce our wood policy and to alter sourcing decisions when a supplier doesn’t meet our expectations."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        Yes
        
        1.5/1.5
        
        Commitment applies to all indirect suppliers
        
        Yes
        
        1.5/1.5
        
        " We actively maintain a responsible wood sourcing database, which allows us to monitor and enforce our wood policy and to alter sourcing decisions when a supplier doesn’t meet our expectations."
        
        Open source document
      - Target date
        Current
        
        2/2
        
        Target date
        
        Current
        
        2/2
        
        " We actively maintain a responsible wood sourcing database, which allows us to monitor and enforce our wood policy and to alter sourcing decisions when a supplier doesn’t meet our expectations."
        
        Open source document
      - Target is quantifiable
        No
        
        0/2
  - Reporting and Implementation
    
    10/34
    - Reporting against commitments
      
      6/6
      - Commitment to protect priority forests
        Yes
        
        3/3
        
        Commitment to protect priority forests
        
        Yes
        
        3/3
        
        In 2017, Lowe's reported that, "currently, 66% of our wood products are from certified sources."
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment to a traceable supply chain
        Yes
        
        3/3
        
        Commitment to a traceable supply chain
        
        Yes
        
        3/3
        
        Lowe's reported that "the 2016 wood sourcing database tracked more than 500 million cubic feet of wood for more than 11,000 products from 180 suppliers. More than 73 percent of our wood was certified for sustainable management practices, including 68 percent certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. We publish performance data for wood every two years."
        
        Open source document
    - Reporting is independently verified
      
      0/4
      - Commitment to protect priority forests
        No
        
        0/2
        
        Commitment to protect priority forests
        
        No
        
        0/2
        
        certification
        
        Open source document
      - Commitment to a traceable supply chain
        No
        
        0/2
    - Deforestation cut off date
      No
      
      0/2
    - Monitoring and verification of supplier compliance
      No monitoring
      
      0/4
    - Engagement with non-compliant suppliers
      No engagement or exclusion
      
      0/4
    - Publishing supplier lists
      No disclosure
      
      0/4
    - Accessible grievance mechanism
      No
      
      0/4
    - Collaborative actions
      No
      
      0/2
    - Report volumes of commodity
      Full
      
      4/4
      
      Report volumes of commodity
      
      Full
      
      4/4
      
      The total volume of wood sourced by Lowe's in 2016 was approx. 500 million cubic feet of which 73% was certified (68% was SFI certified).
      
      Open source document
  - Social Considerations
    
    4/16
    - Commitment to ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent
      No
      
      0/4
    - Labour rights in the supply chain
      Yes
      
      4/4
      
      Labour rights in the supply chain
      
      Yes
      
      4/4
      
      Discrimination; Forced Labour; Child Labour; Freedom of association
      
      Lowe's Companies Inc. state that they abide by the minimum standards for human rights as set by the ILO and the UN Declaration on Human Rights. They require suppliers to ensure their workers have freedom of association, and to be free from forced labour, child labour and discrimination.
      
      Open source document
    - Gender equality in the supply chain
      No commitment
      
      0/4
    - Inclusion of small-scale farmers
      No
      
      0/4
Commitment strength

14/36

Avg. score
Reporting and Implementation

3/34

Avg. score
Social considerations

4/16

Avg. score

Profile

Lowe’s Companies is a major home improvement company based in the US with operations in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Its products include building materials, appliances, furniture and flooring. Of its sales, the vast majority are in the US. In 2015, Lowe’s had one of largest market shares for DIY, furniture, and homeware in the world. It is one of the largest home improvement chains in the US and is one of the top four leading home improvement companies worldwide.

Sector

Industry sector

Furniture & flooring, Home improvement

Segments

Retailer

United States

Company Type

Company type

Public listed

Collective Commitments

Consumer Goods Forum member

New York Declaration on Forests signatory

Top Brands

Lowe's

How we assess the Forest 500

To ensure deforestation free supply chains, companies need to adopt and implement timebound and measurable policies for forest risk commodities.

All assessments use policies published on company websites, some links may have changed or been removed since the time of assessment.

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Disclaimer

This assessment has been carried out following the methodology developed for the Forest 500 project, available here. Please see our disclaimer applicable to all information contained within this site and our terms and conditions for use of data presented on this site.

All assessments use policies published on company and financial institution websites, and while we endeavor to keep them updated some links may have changed or been removed since the time of assessment.

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