Dollar Tree Chemical Policy

• Company: Dollar Tree
• Subject: Toxic Chemicals Policy
• Year: 2019
• Sector: Retail Multi-Line
• Lead Filer: Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia
• Co-Filer: Trinity Health
• Outcome: Resolution withdrawn in response to Dollar Tree's commitment to register in the 2019 Chemical Footprint Survey

Whereas:

Whereas: The Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) has established industry-specific standards that assist companies in disclosing financially material, decision-useful sustainability information to investors;

SASB standards are designed to identify a minimum set of sustainability issues most likely to impact the operating performance or financial condition of the typical company in an industry, regardless of location;

Businesses can use the SASB standards to better identify, manage, and communicate to investors sustainability information that is financially material. Use of the standards can benefit businesses by improving transparency, risk management, and performance. SASB standards can help investors by encouraging reporting that is comparable, consistent, and financially material, thereby enabling better investment and voting decisions;

Failure to adequately manage and disclose performance on material sustainability factors can pose significant regulatory, legal, reputational, and financial risk to a company and its shareholders;

Investors support disclosure in accordance with SASB standards: The SASB Investor Advisory Group, 32 global asset owners and asset managers (including six of the world's ten largest investment advisers) "(b)elieve SASB's approach—which is industry-specific and materiality-focused—will help provide investors with relevant and decision-useful information," and "[b]elieve that SASB standards can inform integration of sustainability factors into investment and/or stewardship processes, such as corporate engagement and proxy voting."'  

Within the consumer goods sector, SASB has established a set of standards associated with multiline and specialty retailers and distributors.  This is the category applicable to our Company.   One of the applicable SASB guidelines in this category relates to discussion of processes to assess and manage risks and/or hazards associated with chemicals in products. Our company has established a goal of eliminating certain toxic substances in products sold in its stores, but it does not otherwise follow the guidance provided by SASB on this issue. It fails to report numerous other elements that SASB recommends including disclosing:

– Operational processes it employs for chemicals management.

- Whether it uses testing and/or third party certification to verify chemical content of private label and company products.

-  Policies and practice for disclosing the full chemical formulations for the product it offers for sale.

-  Progress toward the elimination goals.

 Therefore, be it resolved: Shareholders request that the Board of Directors issue a report on sustainability to shareholders by 180 days after the 2019 Annual Meeting, at reasonable expense and excluding confidential information, prepared in consideration of the SASB multiline and specialty retailers standard, describing the company's policies, performance, and improvement targets related to material sustainability risks and opportunities.

Resolved:

 Therefore, be it resolved: Shareholders request that the Board of Directors issue a report on sustainability to shareholders by 180 days after the 2019 Annual Meeting, at reasonable expense and excluding confidential information, prepared in consideration of the SASB multiline and specialty retailers standard, describing the company's policies, performance, and improvement targets related to material sustainability risks and opportunities.

Supporting Statement:

Supporting Statement:

The reporting should, as a minimum, be prepared in consideration of the SASB guidance on disclosure of processes to assess and manage risks and/or hazards associated with chemicals in products.