Home Depot's Social Responsibility Approach

Home Depot is the world's largest home improvement retailer operating in 45 states, Canada, Chili and Puerto Rico. Home Depot stores aim to serve both do-it-yourselfers and professional contractors with home improvement superstores carrying between 40,000 and 50,000 different products. Home Depot has also been listed as one of Fortune's most admired specialty retailers for the past six years. In order for companies to succeed in the competitive current marketplace they must consider not only the bottom line and their investors but also their impacts on the community, their employees, and their customers. Home Depot was founded on the idea that treating employees well is an important responsibility. Home Depot believes employees that are well treated will serve the company well. Home Depot was also founded on the importance of corporate community involvement, and is currently focusing its community efforts on at-risk youth, affordable housing, the environment and disaster preparedness, response and relief. As another part of its pursuit of socially responsible behavior Home Depot has explicitly stated values that include taking care of its people, excellent customer service, building strong relationships, entrepreneurial spirit, respect for all people, creating shareholder value, doing the "right" thing and giving back. Home Depot has good coverage of its social responsibility efforts on its web page. In this study, we will be answering questions to expose those values and activities due to business ethics perspective, to lay out Home Depot as a company actively seeking opportunities to contribute to the groups and individuals in its environment- in other words, socially responsible.
Home Depot has identified four areas of focus in its responsibility toward the community including affordable housing, at-risk youth, the environment and disaster preparedness, response and relief.
Affordable Housing
The Home Depot Foundation defines an affordable home as one that