The Home Depot, Inc. (HD) — ESG & Values Scores

Environment story

The reviewed 10-K and proxy materials do not disclose quantified Scope 1, 2, or 3 emissions data, nor a formal net-zero target year, resulting in deductions for non-disclosure under the scoring rubric. The company cites long-standing wood-sourcing and plastics-reduction initiatives, but shareholder proponents have raised unresolved concerns regarding PVC use, packaging plastics, and biodiversity/nature-related risk exposure, which the Board opposed disclosing further. No verified physical decarbonization infrastructure investment (e.g., on-site renewables, fleet electrification) was identified in the provided filings.

Criticisms on file

Advocacy group (Toxic-Free Future) petition calling for a company-wide PVC ban in products.
Source: https://toxicfreefuture.org/home-depot-ban-pvc/
Shareholder proposal requesting a biodiversity impact and dependency assessment, citing nature-related risk exposure including noxious weed regulation.
Source: HD 2026 Proxy Statement, Item 10 (p.45-46)
Shareholder proposals requesting reports on plastics packaging policy and recycling-related plastics targets, both opposed by the Board as unnecessary.
Source: HD 2026 Proxy Statement, Items 6-7 (p.34-38)

Disclosed initiatives

Wood Purchasing Policy

Adopted in 1999; addresses responsible wood sourcing across product categories.

Long-standing supply-chain sourcing standard; impact on total emissions not quantified.
Eco Actions / Plastic Reduction Goal

Company-stated goal to shift a portion of packaging to recycled or alternative materials by the end of 2028.

Scope and current progress not quantified in provided filings.
Circularity Sustainability Pillar

Circularity has been a formal sustainability pillar since 2019, covering packaging and product material reuse/recycling capabilities.

Not independently quantified.

Social story

Home Depot discloses broad human-capital programs (Path to Pro, wage/equity investment, safety infrastructure) and a standard supplier code prohibiting child/forced labor, but the provided filings do not disclose a quantified CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio or leadership diversity percentages, precluding scoring on those specific line items. A documented deduction applies for publicly recorded NLRB-related union-organizing disputes at certain Home Depot locations within the recent period. A shareholder proposal requesting a report on the sufficiency of associate healthcare access was opposed by the Board.

Criticisms on file

Publicly filed NLRB charges/organizing disputes involving Home Depot store associates in recent years.
Source: National Labor Relations Board case filings (e.g., NLRB Case search, Home Depot Workers United public filings)
Shareholder proposal requesting report on sufficiency of associates' access to healthcare, citing high interest rate/cost-of-living pressures; opposed by Board.
Source: HD 2026 Proxy Statement, Item 11 (p.48-50)

Disclosed initiatives

Path to Pro Program

Partnership between Home Depot and The Home Depot Foundation to train and connect skilled tradespeople with Pro customers.

Workforce pipeline development; scale not quantified in filings.
Field Leadership Equity Award Increase

In fiscal 2025, the Company increased equity awards to store managers and assistant store managers.

Compensation structure change; financial magnitude not disclosed.
EH&S Safety Program

Company-wide environmental health and safety policies including daily inspection checklists, preventative maintenance, and safety audits.

Operational safety framework; incident rate data not disclosed in filings.

Governance story

Home Depot maintains a single-class share structure with one vote per common share, and the provided proxy does not indicate board independence below the 75% threshold or active antitrust/fraud proceedings, resulting in no rubric deductions. A conservative shareholder proponent raised concerns about the Company's Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index score (45) and associated charitable-partnership disclosures; the Board opposed the related reporting proposal. An independent board chair proposal was also rejected by shareholders (73% against in 2025) and opposed again by the Board for 2026.

Criticisms on file

Shareholder proposal (conservative proponent) criticizing Company's HRC Corporate Equality Index score (45) and associated charitable/political-neutrality concerns; Board recommended against additional reporting.
Source: HD 2026 Proxy Statement, Item 12 (p.51-53); HRC Corporate Equality Index 2025
Recurring shareholder proposal for an independent Board Chair, rejected by 73% of votes in 2025 and opposed again by the Board for 2026.
Source: HD 2026 Proxy Statement, Item 9 (p.43-44)

Disclosed initiatives

Independent Lead Director Role

Company has maintained an independent Lead Director role since 1998, currently held by Gregory D. Brenneman, with defined oversight responsibilities.

Provides independent board leadership alongside combined Chair/CEO role.
Political Activity and Government Relations Policy

Board-level oversight of Company political spending, lobbying, and trade association payments.

Formal oversight structure; specific dollar disclosures not provided in reviewed excerpt.
Officer Exculpation Charter Amendment (2026 Proposal)

Proposed amendment extending limited liability exculpation to certain officers, consistent with 2022 Delaware law changes.

Governance/liability structure change; shareholder vote pending.

These are Missionomics' own editorial scores — directional signals built from disclosed facts under a published method, not certifications or definitive ratings of The Home Depot, Inc.. Coverage and confidence vary by data point, and figures can lag real-world changes. Read the full Methodology for sourcing, scoring, and correction details — or open The Home Depot, Inc. in the app for interactive charts and portfolio building.

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