Better Health for All

Sherwin-Williams was found liable for $1.15 billion in 2014

, with a $305 million settlement finalized in 2019 , due to its failure to disclose health risks associated with lead paint, requiring removal from California homes. The company also agreed to a $14 million cleanup in 2017 of a New Jersey site contaminated with 23,000 cubic yards of lead and arsenic from a former paint plant . Despite these significant past health harms and lack of transparency, Sherwin-Williams has introduced products with health benefits, including the 2015 "Paint Shield," an EPA-certified microbicidal paint that kills over 99.9% of bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA for up to four years . In 2021, the "Living Well™ Collection" was launched , featuring air-purifying technology to reduce VOCs and sanitizing technology that eliminates 99.9% of certain bacteria on surfaces for up to four years . The Sherwin-Williams Foundation has also invested in community health in Northeast Ohio , supporting University Hospitals for underserved women and infants , expanding support for the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition , and entering a five-year agreement with MetroHealth to boost Pediatric Lead Clinic services and School Health Programs .

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

In 2024, Sherwin-Williams' total giving to nonprofit organizations was over $7.5 million.

This amount represents approximately 0.17% of its total segment profit before tax of $4.49 billion. The company has committed to economic inclusion through its Building Our Future project, with a goal to allocate $225 million to minority-owned, woman-owned, and small businesses, having allocated $173 million as of May 2023. Specific project spend goals include 15% for Minority Business Enterprise, 7% for Female Business Enterprise, and 8% for Cleveland Small Business Enterprise, based on a minimum $600 million investment. Sherwin-Williams partners with organizations like the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development and the Urban League of Greater Cleveland to support minority-owned businesses and contractors, including facilitating access to capital and loans through partners such as UBIZ Venture Capital and ECDI. The company also supports a HomeWork painter training program for unskilled individuals and increased funding for the Architects Foundation Diversity Advancement Scholarship for minority architecture students.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

In August 2023, Sherwin-Williams received a penalty of $164,539 from OSHA for serious workplace safety violations at its Garland, Texas facility

. This constitutes one substantiated labor-law violation within the past three years. Data for other KPIs, such as living wage coverage, CEO to median pay ratio, collective bargaining share, safety incident rate, pay equity ratio, worker engagement score, turnover rate, insecure contract share, and health insurance coverage, was not provided or was not company-wide in scope.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

Sherwin-Williams has implemented a Supplier Code of Conduct

, a Human Trafficking Policy , and a Conflict Minerals Policy , which mandate compliance with laws and prohibit forced labor, child labor, and human trafficking within its supply chain . The company requires suppliers to certify that they do not engage in or support human trafficking, slavery, or servitude, and that they do not use any indentured, bonded, prison, or forced labor . A risk-based audit tool is used to review supply chain practices . Through its supplier diversity initiative, Sherwin-Williams has awarded over $300 million to minority-owned, female-owned, and small businesses . However, the provided articles do not contain the specific quantitative data points required by the rubric for scoring, such as percentages of spend, audit frequencies, incident numbers, traceability coverage, remediation speeds, or the percentage of the total procurement budget directed to diverse suppliers.

Honest & Fair Business

In the past three years (February 2023 - February 2026), Sherwin-Williams incurred $1,807,500 in ethics-related fines and settlements.

This includes a $1,000,000 settlement in March 2023 for alleged DBE fraud, a $470,000 settlement in June 2023 for an undisclosed supply-chain surcharge, a $290,000 OSHA fine in February 2024 for safety violations, and a $47,500 federal fine in October 2023 for improper hazardous waste storage. The company has a comprehensive Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy (Policy 511) which applies worldwide, prohibits facilitation payments, and requires annual training for all employees. It also mandates due diligence and annual compliance certification from third parties, and conducts annual risk assessments. Sherwin-Williams maintains a Whistleblowing Policy with an independent third-party EthicsPoint Reporting System that allows for confidential and anonymous reporting, and a non-retaliation policy for good faith reporting. Annual training on this policy is in place for all new and existing workers.

Kind to Animals

Sherwin-Williams maintains a policy of not conducting or outsourcing animal testing unless specifically required by regulations or government authorities.

This indicates that alternative methods are in routine use for all internal safety screens that are not legally mandated. In 2018, the company ceased marketing a 'Mixed Badger' hair brush from its Purdy catalog in response to an investigation into the badger hair industry. Sherwin-Williams also offers a zero-VOC paint line, Harmony®, marketed as safe for pets. The company has contributed to wildlife conservation efforts, including the construction of the Polk Penguin Conservation Center at the Detroit Zoo, and supported a 2021 employee-led project in Dresden, Germany, to create habitats for wild bees.

No War, No Weapons

Sherwin-Williams has engaged in military contracts and projects. The company partnered with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory to produce polysiloxane nonskid coatings for naval ships and U.S. government vessels.

It was awarded a $6.9 million Indefinite Delivery Contract by the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for marine paints and coatings, with $5.5 million obligated. Sherwin-Williams also received the SSPC Military Coatings Project Award of Excellence for its advanced coatings on the USS George Washington and led a $1.4 million research project to develop a Chemical Agent Resistant Coating for military use.

Planet-Friendly Business

The provided articles do not contain specific, quantifiable data points that align with the defined Key Performance Indicators for Planet-Friendly Business. While some environmental initiatives are mentioned, such as a single on-site solar installation supplying 22% of that site's electricity

and a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement for renewable energy credits, no company-wide percentage of operational energy from renewables is provided. Similarly, a 3% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 2023 is noted , but total Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions in tCO₂e are not disclosed. The company aims for a 30% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 2030 , but it is not explicitly stated as an SBTi-validated target. Furthermore, 39% of manufacturing and distribution sites are ISO 14001 certified , but this is an environmental management system standard, not a green building certification like LEED or BREEAM. Information regarding water use per revenue, waste diversion rates, recycled to virgin material ratios, climate justice initiatives, or any other specific KPI metrics is not available in the provided evidence.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

Sherwin-Williams has established two formal partnerships with local community groups: The Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development (NEOHCED)

and The Urban League . These collaborations aim to foster economic inclusion for underrepresented suppliers and aid minority-owned businesses through initiatives like the Latino Construction Capacity Initiative (LCCI) and the Construction Accelerator Program (CAP) . The company has no reported cultural appropriation incidents. Sherwin-Williams supports cultural respect through Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) like the Hispanic Organization for Leadership & Advancement (HOLA), which hosted a summit with over 700 participants in 2022 to educate and celebrate Hispanic and Latino(a) cultures . The company has also supported community art projects celebrating Hispanic culture and projects utilizing traditional designs in retail spaces . Its 'Building Our Future' project supports underserved communities through health, education, and vocational training programs , including the HomeWork painting training program which provided learning opportunities for over 360 individuals in 2022 . Additionally, employee contributions to over 1,400 nonprofit organizations totaled more than $6.4 million .

Safe & Smart Tech

Sherwin-Williams provides users with standard privacy controls, allowing them to opt out of various communications and manage cookie preferences.

Its websites are configured to recognize the Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal where legally mandated. The company maintains a cybersecurity program aligned with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework 2.0. All employees and suppliers are required to comply with applicable laws and regulations, supported by annual global compliance training and standard data protection clauses for international data transfers. An Enterprise Risk Management program, overseen by the Board and facilitated by the CFO, formally assesses the company’s risk environment, including cybersecurity, at least once per year. This includes vulnerability and penetration testing, simulations, and other exercises. The company is also investing in cybersecurity awareness and training, evidenced by the hiring of an analyst to develop and assess enterprise-wide education initiatives. While past cybersecurity incidents have resulted in unauthorized access and business disruptions, none have had a material adverse effect on the company's business or financial condition to date.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

Sherwin-Williams has integrated circular design principles through its 'Sustainability by Design' program within the Packaging Coatings business, focusing on raw material usage, formulations, and product durability.

The company has also implemented waste reduction initiatives, adopting Waste Value Stream Mapping, which identified 39 opportunities for improvement at initial pilot sites. One solution from this program is projected to save 3,700 MWh annually across all U.S. sites. Additionally, its architectural powder coatings demonstrate high material efficiency, achieving near-zero waste in application with up to 97% transfer efficiency when reclaimed.