Lowe's Companies, Inc. — Ethics Grade C

Lowe's Companies, Inc. receives an overall ethics grade of C (58/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Retail. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 60
• privacy: 70
• consumer: 50
• environment: 55
• humanRights: 65

Documented incidents (3)

• Lead Renovation Rule Violation (medium, 2014) — Lowe's paid a $500,000 civil penalty to the EPA for failing to ensure that contractors followed lead-safe work practices during home renovations, potentially exposing residents to lead dust.
• Delivery Driver Misclassification (medium, 2021) — Lowe's faced legal action regarding the misclassification of delivery drivers as independent contractors, allegedly denying them overtime pay and benefits required for employees.
• Methylene Chloride Sales (high, 2018) — Advocacy groups pressured Lowe's for years to stop selling paint strippers containing methylene chloride, linked to dozens of accidental deaths, before the company finally committed to a phase-out.

Documented good deeds

• Solar Energy Commitment — Lowe's announced rooftop solar installations at 174 stores and distribution centers to reduce carbon footprint.

Ethical alternatives

• Ace Hardware — Cooperative model gives more power to local owners and smaller retail footprint.