Stakeholder engagement
Wesfarmers regularly engages with stakeholders including investors, team members, customers and communities to understand the positive and negative impacts of our activities and changing stakeholder attitudes and expectations.
Shareholders and investment analysts
Wesfarmers maintains active dialogue with both retail and institutional shareholders through a variety of channels including our annual general meeting, strategy and results briefings, dedicated meetings and events and ad hoc correspondence. The Wesfarmers share register is managed by Computershare Investor Services Pty Limited.
We engage with investors, typically through small, face-to-face forums and meetings. Investor briefings relate to Wesfarmers’ financial results, strategy and operations. These are open to all shareholders to listen to live via public webcasts or delayed through our website and are an opportunity for investment analysts and major institutional investors to ask questions directly to the Managing Director, Chief Financial Officer and divisional managing directors.
The main issues raised by shareholders during the 2025 financial year related to the operating environment, growth opportunities, divisional strategies, progress on our sustainability agenda, capital allocation, and the Group’s outlook.
Sustainability-related discussions included ethical sourcing, circular economy, climate resilience, cyber security, procurement practises, team member health and safety and corporate governance—topics addressed in investor briefings and at our annual general meeting.
Team members
As at June 2025, Wesfarmers employed approximately 118,000 team members. Across the Group we use multiple channels to listen to and communicate with team members, including enterprise social networks such as Workplace, periodic divisional team members surveys, face to face discussions including through yarning circles, whistleblower programs, and via websites and email. Wesfarmers maintains contact with key unions representing team members.
As in previous years, during the 2025 financial year the Group received reports including alleged breaches of the Wesfarmers Code of Conduct, professional development and individual work-related grievances. Where appropriate, we investigate and address concerns raised.
Information about whistleblower reports is reported to our highest governance body, the Board Audit and Risk Committee, annually with processes in place to escalate whistleblower issues to the Board if required.
Customers
Customer feedback is a vital part of our divisions’ operations and is received daily by our divisions via email or by letter, through websites, phone calls and in-person interactions. Emails are monitored every business day and directed to the most appropriate part of the Group for timely response.
Suppliers
The divisions aim to have close working relationships with their suppliers. Each division has an ethical sourcing policy and program intended to identify and mitigate the risk of modern slavery in their operations and supply chains. Some team members are members of supplier bodies.
Government
During the 2025 financial year, Wesfarmers liaised with federal and state governments on a range of issues affecting our businesses, including industrial relations, industry policy, climate change and modern slavery.
Significant time and resources are committed to support government enquiries and reviews, either directly or through submissions made by peak bodies. We endeavour to contribute in a constructive manner.
Media
We maintain regular communication with external media and use our own channels to share updates with stakeholders. ‘Earned’ or independent media is an important avenue for this communication. We work with international, national and local media organisations because we believe it provides transparency and contributes to Wesfarmers’ reputation. Throughout the year, media coverage and enquiries centred on sustainability, transparency, integrity, and corporate governance—alongside continued interest in our financial and operational performance.
Our engagement with media organisations includes holding media conferences to coincide with financial results announcements and other major events, as appropriate. Our corporate affairs departments consider all media enquiries and respond appropriately, guided by what is in the best interests of our company and businesses. The Chairman, Group Managing Director, Chief Financial Officer and Executive General Manager of Corporate Affairs, along with divisional managing directors, are available for other media interviews on request.
Non-government organisations
Wesfarmers’ divisions work collaboratively with diverse non-government organisations (NGOs) and experts on specific issues or contexts for a range of projects.
We build relationships with accredited and reputable NGOs, industry associations and subject matter experts. In 2025, engagement focused on ethical sourcing, climate change, reconciliation, inclusion, and policy/legal reform.
We work with a range of industry associations appropriate for our operations, including the Business Council of Australia, Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation, the Carbon Market Institute, Chemistry Australia (formerly Plastics and Chemicals Industries Association), the National Retail Association, the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Australian Hydrogen Council, Australian Energy Transition Initiative, and the Global Home Improvement Network. While we collaborate with these organisations, Wesfarmers maintains its own independent positions on issues affecting our business.
Wesfarmers’ divisions and corporate teams have also participated in industry forums, such as the Climate Leaders Coalition and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) working groups.
We welcome your feedback on our sustainability performance or reporting.
Contact sustainability@wesfarmers.com.au
GRI 2-12, GRI 2-16, GRI 2-28, GRI 2-29, GRI 3-3