IFM Investors’ engagement with Wesfarmers

IFM Investors has been actively engaging with Wesfarmers (ASX: WES), one of Australia’s largest listed companies and owner of major local retail brands, for a number of years. At an investor briefing hosted by IFM Investors on 1 May 2018, Wesfarmers representatives provided an update on the progress of the company’s oversight and management of their agricultural and apparel supply chains within the Coles, Kmart and Target businesses.

Wesfarmers attendees included representatives from Investor Relations, Coles’ Responsible Sourcing and Quality, and Department Stores’ Sustainability Development teams. IFM Investors representatives included members of the Listed Equities and Responsible Investment teams. A number of investors and ACSI representatives were also in attendance. The number of investors who attended and the enthusiastic volume of questions put forward reflect the continued high priority IFM Investors and the investor community place on labour and human rights issues in the supply chain.

This latest briefing follows previous IFM Investors-initiated briefings by Wesfarmers on risk in their domestic and international supply chains, particularly for Coles supermarkets.