Better Health for All

Dollar Tree faces severe criticisms regarding product safety and health impacts. The FDA criticized the company for failing to remove lead-contaminated fruit puree pouches, which remained on shelves and led to illnesses in children

. Harmful chemicals like lead and BPS have also been reported in other Dollar Tree/Family Dollar products . Family Dollar, a subsidiary, paid a $41.675 million settlement for storing food, drugs, and cosmetics in unsanitary conditions due to a rodent infestation at an Arkansas warehouse . The company's operations have been criticized for contributing to the proliferation of food deserts and increasing food insecurity, particularly for families using SNAP benefits, due to the closure of nearly 1,000 Family Dollar stores . In a positive initiative, Family Dollar launched the 'Health In Hand' program in all 8,000 stores , partnering with the CHPA Educational Foundation to enhance health literacy for underserved communities regarding over-the-counter products and dietary supplements through in-store QR codes .

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

Dollar Tree Inc. has faced significant scrutiny for labor-law violations. Since 2017, OSHA has identified over 300 safety violations across more than 500 inspections at Dollar Tree and Family Dollar stores, resulting in over $13.1 million in fines.

These violations include obstructed exits, unsafe storage of materials, and blocked access to fire extinguishers and electrical panels. In August 2023, the company entered a corporate-wide settlement with OSHA to address these persistent issues, agreeing to pay $1.35 million in penalties. Specific citations for blocked aisles and exit routes were issued in June 2023 in Wisconsin, and for obstructed exits and unsafe storage in April 2023 in Rhode Island, with proposed penalties totaling $98,219 and $770,136 respectively.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

Dollar Tree's Vendor Code applies to all vendors, including manufacturers, service providers, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, partners, and factories, regardless of geographic location.

This code includes ethical terms such as a zero-tolerance policy for child labor and forced labor , and requirements for wages and working hours to comply with local laws. All direct import vendors are required to formally sign a forced labor certification and post the Vendor Code in their facilities. The company conducts social, environmental, and safety compliance audits in many of its Vendors’ overseas factories. Dollar Tree works with a leading provider of supply chain compliance solutions with on-the-ground presence in more than 100 countries to conduct its audits. These audits examine five categories, including forced and child labor, hygiene health and safety, working hours, and wages. Based on the results of an audit, Dollar Tree may require a follow-up audit within a designated time period from the date of the original audit. For audits that result in a follow-up, Dollar Tree requires the factory to complete a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) agreed to with the auditors at the conclusion of the audit.

Honest & Fair Business

In the past three years, the company incurred $43,075,000 in ethics-related regulatory fines.

This includes a $41,675,000 settlement in 2024, where a Family Dollar subsidiary pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor violation for causing FDA-regulated products to become adulterated due to unsanitary storage conditions. Additionally, in August 2023, the company agreed to a $1.4 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Labor to resolve workplace safety issues, following over 300 OSHA violations since 2017. The company encourages associates to use an ethics hotline, "Integrity Matters," which is a confidential reporting tool managed by an independent third party. However, there is no evidence provided regarding independent investigation processes for reports made through this hotline.

Kind to Animals

Dollar Tree Inc. banned the sale of glue traps at all its stores on June 6, 2022, an action taken following advocacy from PETA.

Family Dollar stores sell cage-free eggs in California, Colorado, and Massachusetts due to state legal requirements. In 2016, Dollar Tree committed to working toward 100% cage-free eggs by the end of 2025, a commitment updated in 2023. Family Dollar tested cage-free egg sales in 63 stores and expanded this initiative to hundreds more locations in 2024. Dollar Tree (the brand) does not currently sell eggs in its stores as of December 2025. Dollar Tree offers beauty products from brands known for cruelty-free practices, such as Wet n Wild and L.A. Colors. The company's Responsible Sourcing Policies include a Pollinator Protection Policy, which aims to reduce pesticide use and encourage suppliers to adopt integrated pest management, though it lacks specific timelines for phasing out harmful chemicals. Dollar Tree's Code of Vendor Conduct requires a Foreign Supplier Verification Program Report for foreign factories producing human and animal food where the company is the Importer of Record. The company also conducts Social Compliance Audits in many overseas factories, assessing labor practices, workplace conditions, and sustainability.

No War, No Weapons

Dollar Tree Inc.'s core business model, as a retail discount chain, is not directly linked to the arms industry or military contracts.

This indicates no revenue from such sources and no exposure to controversial or banned weapons. The company's contribution towards active peace-building remains neutral, focusing on non-involvement rather than advocacy. Dollar Tree has a long-standing partnership with Operation Homefront, supporting military families. In 2024, this expanded to include the Critical Financial Assistance and Transitional Homes for Veterans (THV) programs, which provided a rent-free home to an Army Veteran family. Since 2018, the THV program has saved 42 military families over $1.7 million in housing costs. The annual Holiday Toy Drive, in its 17th year as of 2023, distributed over $5.9 million worth of toys in 2022. The Back-to-School Brigade program, which began in 2008, aimed to distribute its 500,000th backpack by 2022, saving military families over $55 million in school expenses. Since 2006, Dollar Tree and its customers have provided millions of dollars and in-kind donations to Operation Homefront's programs.

Planet-Friendly Business

Dollar Tree achieved a 68% waste diversion rate in 2023, processing 42,000 tons of recyclables.

The company's product packaging contains 42% recycled materials. In 2023, 2.2% of Dollar Tree's total energy consumption was procured from renewable sources. The company has committed to achieving science-based net-zero emissions by 2050, with an interim target to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by fiscal year 2032.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

The provided articles, including Dollar Tree's 2024 Sustainability and Social Impact Report, discuss general sustainability efforts such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing product safety, promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and implementing a chemical policy.

However, they explicitly state a lack of specific focus or limited information regarding direct engagement in protecting indigenous rights, cultural heritage, or community-specific initiatives relevant to the 'Respect for Cultures & Communities' value. Consequently, there is no specific evidence to score any of the KPIs for this value.

Safe & Smart Tech

In August 2023, Dollar Tree Inc. experienced a data breach affecting approximately 1.9 to 2 million current and former employees through a third-party service provider, Zeroed-In Technologies

. The compromised data included names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers . Notifications were sent in late November 2023, several months after the breach . This incident has led to potential class-action lawsuits . Prior to the breach, Dollar Tree had implemented measures like PCI-DSS assessments and cybersecurity training . Following the incident, the company acknowledged the growing importance of cybersecurity and the need for enhanced IT systems to protect against unauthorized access .

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

In 2023, Dollar Tree achieved a 68% waste diversion rate from landfills

. The company reported that 42% of its product packaging contained recycled materials . Efforts to reduce plastic packaging resulted in a 15.3% reduction in plastic packaging across product lines . Overall, total generated waste was reduced by 6% , and recycled waste increased by 11% in 2023 , with recycling programs processing 42,000 tons across 7,400 retail locations . Dollar Tree joined the Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag and launched a 'Bring Your Own Bag' pilot program in select cities to encourage customers to use reusable bags .