Home Depot Case Study
CSR Case Study: The Home Depot Giving back to communities
Prepared for:
Interdepartmental Working Group on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Corporate Social Responsibility: Lessons Learned
Final Home Depot Case Study
1 Corporate Overview
Home Depot was founded in 1978, and has grown to become the world’s largest home improvement retailer and the second largest retail chain in the USA with total sales of $53.6 billion in 2001. The company employs a workforce of more than 250 000 “associates” in 1436 retail locations of which there are 18 000 associates and 83 locations in Canada. It plans to open 600 new stores in the next three years. Home Depot also operates in Mexico. Home Depot specializes in building materials, home improvement supplies and lawn and garden products. The company has been recognized as an innovator in the home improvement retail industry for combining the economies of scale of a warehouse format with the high-level of customer service of smaller retailers. Home Depot stores are large—typically, 114 000 square feet—and offer between 40 000 and 50 000 different products. Home Depot also wholly owns: EXPO Design Center, a one-stop design and decorating retailer;; Maintenance Warehouse (“Commerce Direct in Canada a supplier of building repair and replacement products to owners of multi-family housing and commercial properties; Georgia Lighting, a distributor and retailer of in specialty lighting; Apex Supply Company, a wholesale distributor of plumbing; Your “Other” Warehouse, a premier plumbing distributor with a focus on special orders; and, Home Depot Landscape Supply, serving landscape professionals and garden enthusiasts.
2 Business Context
The retail industry is one of the largest sectors of the North America economy. In Canada, it represents about 6.5 percent of total gross domestic product or value-added in the economy and provides 12 percent of all jobs. The majority (72 percent) of retail firms are small,
Prepared for:
Interdepartmental Working Group on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Corporate Social Responsibility: Lessons Learned
Final Home Depot Case Study
1 Corporate Overview
Home Depot was founded in 1978, and has grown to become the world’s largest home improvement retailer and the second largest retail chain in the USA with total sales of $53.6 billion in 2001. The company employs a workforce of more than 250 000 “associates” in 1436 retail locations of which there are 18 000 associates and 83 locations in Canada. It plans to open 600 new stores in the next three years. Home Depot also operates in Mexico. Home Depot specializes in building materials, home improvement supplies and lawn and garden products. The company has been recognized as an innovator in the home improvement retail industry for combining the economies of scale of a warehouse format with the high-level of customer service of smaller retailers. Home Depot stores are large—typically, 114 000 square feet—and offer between 40 000 and 50 000 different products. Home Depot also wholly owns: EXPO Design Center, a one-stop design and decorating retailer;; Maintenance Warehouse (“Commerce Direct in Canada a supplier of building repair and replacement products to owners of multi-family housing and commercial properties; Georgia Lighting, a distributor and retailer of in specialty lighting; Apex Supply Company, a wholesale distributor of plumbing; Your “Other” Warehouse, a premier plumbing distributor with a focus on special orders; and, Home Depot Landscape Supply, serving landscape professionals and garden enthusiasts.
2 Business Context
The retail industry is one of the largest sectors of the North America economy. In Canada, it represents about 6.5 percent of total gross domestic product or value-added in the economy and provides 12 percent of all jobs. The majority (72 percent) of retail firms are small,