Ace Hardware

F

Ace Hardware is failing to publicly address toxic chemicals in the products it sells. With a letter grade of F, it was one of eight retailers in our review to score zero points, with no significant public-facing commitments to address the safety of chemicals used in the products it sells or in its private brands. As a retail cooperative, most Ace stores are independently owned and operated and have some flexibility in determining what they stock and market. However, the Ace Hardware company is responsible for selecting private label products and can greatly influence what is marketed at its member stores. While some local Ace stores have made progress in promoting safer products, leadership is clearly needed from the company to commit to addressing chemicals of high concern and identifying and promoting safer alternatives.

Opportunities for improvement: Ace Hardware can make progress by developing a public written safer chemicals policy, setting public quantifiable goals with clear timelines for reducing and eliminating chemicals of high concern, with a special emphasis on private label products the company is responsible for vetting. Ace Hardware should also become a signatory to the Chemical Footprint Project and pilot it with key private label suppliers.

Summary of Ace Hardware’s Grade

0 out of 15 points

Policy: Adopted a retailer safer chemicals policy

Explanation of Points

Ace Hardware has no public written safer chemicals policy, has not set public quantifiable goals for reducing and eliminating chemicals of high concern, and does not have a publicly available Beyond Restricted Substance List (BRSL) or publicly available Manufacturing Restricted Substance List (MRSL).

0 out of 10 points

Oversight: Established management responsibilities and incentives

Explanation of Points

No staff appear to be assigned to safer chemicals management in products (going beyond basic regulatory compliance), nor are any of the other activities described publicly deployed.

0 out of 10 points

Accountability: Ensures supply chain accountability

Explanation of Points

No discernible effort to assess supplier conformance with safer chemicals policy (because Ace Hardware has no public safer chemicals policy).

0 out of 10 points

Disclosure: Requires suppliers to report use of chemicals in products to retailer

Explanation of Points

No discernible action on disclosure of ingredients that goes beyond OSHA Safety Data Sheet requirements or other compliance purposes.

0 out of 15 points

Action: Reduced or eliminated chemicals of high concern within the last three years

Explanation of Points

No progress publicly documented in the last three years.

0 out of 10 points

Safer Alternatives: Evaluates safer alternatives, avoids regrettable substitutes

Explanation of Points

No discernible approach or public commitment to safer alternatives in products, packaging or operations.

0 out of 15 points

Transparency: Demonstrates a commitment to transparency and public disclosure

Explanation of Points

Ace Hardware has no public safer chemicals policy or Beyond Restricted Substance List (BRSL).

Ace Hardware does not appear to encourage or require the disclosure of ingredients in products sold online or on product packaging or publicly disclose the identity of articles or formulated products that are free of chemicals of high concern going beyond regulatory compliance.

0 out of 7.5 points

Chemical Footprint: Evaluates its chemical footprint

Explanation of Points

No discernible progress on chemical footprint.

0 out of 7.5 points

Third-party Standards: Promotes credible third party standards for safer products

Explanation of Points

No discernible progress on credible third-party safer chemicals standards going beyond regulatory compliance.

Extra Credit:

0 out of 5 points

Joint Announcement: Public commitment demonstrated through joint announcement

Explanation of Points

No discernible public commitment via joint announcement.

0 out of 15 points

Continuous Improvement: Shows continuous improvement by steadily expanding safer chemicals policy

Explanation of Points

No discernible pattern of significant, consistent, or long-term improvements over time or over the past year.

0 out of 5 points

Safer Products: Program to promote safer products in stores and/or on website

Explanation of Points

No discernible company-wide program to feature and market safer products on store shelves and/or website (although some local Ace Hardware stores have undertaken their own efforts to do so).

0 out of 5 points

Collaboration: Actively participates in collaborative process to promote safer chemicals

Explanation of Points

No indication of active participation in collaborative process to promote safer chemicals.

0 out of 5 points

Impact Investment: Investing financial resources into independent research into safer alternatives and/or green chemistry solutions

Explanation of Points

No indication that company invests significant financial resources into independent research into safer alternatives to chemicals of high concern and/or green chemistry solutions.