Goodwill Industries

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Sustainability Summary

  • Good On You - Not found
  • Ethical Consumer - This information is locked, visit Ethical Consumer's website
  • B Corp - Not found
  • Trustpilot - 2.9/5 (15 reviews)
  • This is an unclaimed profile. Goodwill Industries has not joined Sustainability Tracker to verify their sustainability credentials. We gathered what we could from public sources.
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Goodwill Industries Sustainability Profile

Goodwill Industries is not currently tracking sustainability.

Sustainability Summary

  • Good On You - Not found
  • Ethical Consumer - This information is locked, visit Ethical Consumer's website
  • B Corp - Not found
  • Trustpilot - 2.9/5 (15 reviews)
  • This is an unclaimed profile. Goodwill Industries has not joined Sustainability Tracker to verify their sustainability credentials. We gathered what we could from public sources.
Powered by Tracker AI BETA; there may be errors
Goodwill Industries appears to focus its sustainability work on reuse, repair, recycling, and waste reduction. Its thrift stores and donation model help keep items in use longer, which can cut landfill waste and reduce the need to make new products. The content also shows local Goodwill groups testing recycling programs for glass, electronics, textiles, plastics, batteries, and more. Some locations are also tracking waste and energy data more closely. Public sentiment is mixed: third-party sources praise the circular shopping model, but some Trustpilot reviews mention product quality and website problems. Positive Sentiment Found Public sentiment in the content is mostly positive around Goodwill’s reuse model. The Commons Earth describes Goodwill as a thrift chain that supports secondhand shopping, extends product life, and helps keep items out of landfills, which it links to a more circular economy. A 2019 PR Newswire release also says shopping and donating at Goodwill helps reduce waste and supports job training, and it notes that local Goodwill groups collectively diverted nearly four billion pounds of unused goods from landfills. Trustpilot snippets show some positive interest too, including a 2.9 average TrustScore on one Goodwill-related page, though the snippet does not give a full breakdown of the reviews. Common Criticisms: The negative sentiment in the content is limited but real. One Trustpilot snippet for shopgoodwill.com says reviewers report poor product quality, with items often arriving broken, and it also mentions complaints about the website. Another Trustpilot result for Goodwill Industries International shows only that 93 people had reviewed the brand, but the snippet does not provide a score. The material does not show a major sustainability scandal, but it also does not provide strong independent proof for every claim, so some parts of the picture remain unverified. That means consumers still have to rely on a mix of self-reported updates and scattered review feedback rather than a full independent assessment.

Goodwill Industries Sustainability Actions

Expanded recycling programs

In 2024, a Goodwill group in South Carolina said it had started or expanded recycling work for glass and electronics. The electronics program sorts donated devices, saves usable parts, wipes private data using Department of Defense standards, and resells items that still work. It also handles harmful materials more carefully when devices cannot be reused. The group said these steps help cut waste and keep more material out of landfills.

Cut single-use plastic bags

Goodwill said it is phasing out single-use plastic shopping bags across its stores and replacing them with reusable or other lower-waste options. This is meant to reduce plastic pollution and push shoppers toward habits that create less waste. The source describes this as an ongoing store-wide change rather than a one-time project.

Tracked waste and energy data

Goodwill Industries of Alberta said it built a sustainability action plan using waste audits, energy audits, and a carbon inventory, which is a count of greenhouse gas emissions. It also worked with outside groups such as Green Economy Canada, the City of Edmonton, and KPMG to gather and check data. The group said it now tracks key measures like energy use and waste each month and reviews them with finance staff.

Diverted donated goods from landfill

Goodwill Industries of Alberta said its Goodwill Impact Centre diverts 90% of donated goods from landfills in the Edmonton region and more than 19 million kilograms provincially each year. The centre also supports reuse through an outlet store, repair work, and repurposing items such as furniture and bicycles. The goal is to keep products in use longer and reduce waste from disposal and new manufacturing.

Built repair and reuse programs

Since opening its Impact Centre in 2017, Goodwill Industries of Alberta said it has expanded recycling to electronics, appliances, books, plastics, lightbulbs, and batteries. It also started repair and reuse programs, including Repair for Good for broken furniture, You Can Ride 2 for adapted mobility items, and a uniform mending program. These efforts are meant to extend product life instead of replacing items early.

Goodwill Industries Sustainability Commitments

2024

Expand glass recycling

Goodwill said its glass recycling pilot had already shown cost and environmental benefits, and it planned to expand the program in the near future. The source does not give a later target year, so this is a near-term commitment rather than a long-range pledge.

2024

Explore textile recycling

Goodwill said it was exploring textile recycling so clothing and fabric that cannot be resold or donated can still be kept out of landfill. The source says this work was still in the planning stage, but it was presented as a future step in the group’s waste-reduction plan.

2026

Quarterly impact scorecard

Goodwill said it was developing an environmental impact scorecard to report on sustainability progress every quarter. The scorecard is meant to track waste reduction, recycling rates, and resource use so the group can check whether its programs are working and improve them over time.


Sustainable Development Goals

Goodwill Industries is committed to advancing these Global Goals to promote prosperity for people & planet.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Has Goodwill Industries published a sustainability report?

Confidence: Low. As of July 2026, Goodwill Industries has not clearly published one central, brand-wide sustainability report in the material provided. Instead, the content shows local updates, project pages, and job postings that describe separate recycling, waste, and tracking efforts. That means the information is spread across different sources rather than gathered into one public report. Consumers who want a fuller picture can ask the relevant Goodwill network or local chapter for its latest sustainability update or impact data.. Sources: Goodwill SC update, Clean50 - https://www.goodwillsc.org/news-events/news/sustainability-update/, https://clean50.com/projects/a-sustainable-action-plan-for-good/

What is Goodwill Industries' sustainability rating?

Confidence: Moderate. As of July 2026, Goodwill Industries does not have a clear independent sustainability rating in the material provided from major assessors like Good On You or B Corp. The Commons Earth describes Goodwill as a strong example of secondhand shopping and circular use, but that is more of a profile than a formal score. Trustpilot shows a 2.9 out of 5 average TrustScore on one Goodwill-related page, which reflects customer experience rather than sustainability performance. Consumers should treat the overall picture as mixed and check local chapter data where possible.. Sources: The Commons Earth, Trustpilot - https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/576/goodwill, https://www.trustpilot.com/review/makegoodwill.com

What sustainability certifications does Goodwill Industries have?

Confidence: Low. As of July 2026, no sustainability certification is clearly confirmed for Goodwill Industries in the material provided. The content mentions GuideStar’s Platinum Seal of Approval in a press release, but that is a charity transparency marker, not a sustainability certification. It also explains what B Corp certification means, but it does not show Goodwill as certified. Consumers looking for verified environmental or social standards should ask the specific Goodwill chapter for current certifications or third-party audits.. Sources: PR Newswire, B Corp - https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/this-earth-day-practice-a-sustainable-lifestyle-at-goodwill-300835585.html, https://www.bcorporation.net/certification/

What is Goodwill Industries doing about waste and recycling?

Confidence: High. As of July 2026, Goodwill Industries is doing a lot of its sustainability work through reuse, repair, and recycling. The content says some locations have glass recycling pilots, electronics recovery, textile recycling plans, and programs for furniture repair, uniform mending, batteries, plastics, and more. One Alberta site says it diverts 90% of donated goods from landfill, and a South Carolina update says one network diverted over 43 million pounds of waste in a year. These actions focus on keeping items in use longer and reducing landfill waste.. Sources: Goodwill SC update, Clean50, PR Newswire - https://www.goodwillsc.org/news-events/news/sustainability-update/, https://clean50.com/projects/a-sustainable-action-plan-for-good/, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/this-earth-day-practice-a-sustainable-lifestyle-at-goodwill-300835585.html

Is Goodwill Industries' packaging sustainable?

Confidence: Low. As of July 2026, Goodwill Industries has not publicly shared much detailed information about packaging in the material provided. One update says the group is phasing out single-use plastic shopping bags and moving toward reusable or lower-waste alternatives, which is a positive sign. But there is no broader public breakdown of packaging materials, recycled content, or end-of-life handling. Consumers who care about packaging can ask their local Goodwill store what bag and packaging options it uses now.. Sources: Goodwill SC update - https://www.goodwillsc.org/news-events/news/sustainability-update/

Is Goodwill Industries ethical in how it treats workers and communities?

Confidence: Moderate. As of July 2026, the material suggests Goodwill Industries has a strong community and workforce mission, but it does not give a full independent labour audit. The 2019 press release says local Goodwill groups help people find jobs and training, and the job posting describes values such as respect, inclusion, and well-being. That said, these are self-reported claims, not a third-party labour review. Consumers who want a deeper answer should look for local chapter policies, wage data, and worker protections.. Sources: PR Newswire, PAC job posting - https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/this-earth-day-practice-a-sustainable-lifestyle-at-goodwill-300835585.html, https://pac.org/job/manager-sustainability

What is Goodwill Industries' carbon footprint?

Confidence: Low. As of July 2026, Goodwill Industries has not publicly disclosed a full carbon footprint in the material provided. One Alberta project says it completed a carbon inventory, which means it counted greenhouse gas emissions for part of its operations, but the actual numbers are not shown here. The South Carolina update also says the group is building a scorecard to track sustainability progress, including resource use. Consumers who want emissions data should ask for the latest carbon inventory or climate report from the relevant Goodwill chapter.. Sources: Clean50, Goodwill SC update - https://clean50.com/projects/a-sustainable-action-plan-for-good/, https://www.goodwillsc.org/news-events/news/sustainability-update/