The Home Depot, Inc.?s (Home Depot) success lies in the strength of its people. As the company rightfully wrote in its 2025 Living our Values report: ?Since we were founded, we have believed that if we take care of our associates, they will take care of our customers and everything else will take care of itself. This is why we strive to provide our associates with the benefits they need to take care of themselves and their families.?1 A healthy workforce has been associated with higher employee productivity2,3 reduced absenteeism and reduced presenteeism (equivalent to working while ?under the weather?). Employees struggling with illness or medical-related stress are less able to perform well.4 McKinsey Health Institute estimates that investing in employee health could lead to economic value improvements equaling 17 to 55 percent of an employee?s average annual pay.5 Poor employee health care access, meanwhile, may undermine Home Depot?s operations, customer experience, and slow future growth. Despite spending nearly 18 percent of gross domestic product on healthcare6, compared to other high-income nations, Americans have the lowest life expectancy, the highest death rates from avoidable causes and treatable conditions, and the highest rates of people with multiple chronic conditions.7 Home Depot has significant exposure to the southern states, where quality of medical services has been identified as insufficient by Newsweek8 and Forbes.9 For example, there is a difference in life expectancy of more than 10 years for men in the Southern States, relative to those in the Western states.10 According to a 2024 survey, 48 percent of insured adults worry about affording their monthly health insurance premium and 21 percent still view costs as a barrier to getting the health care they need.11 With Home Depot?s health insurance, the annual deductible may comprise more than 10 percent of many employees? take home pay. 12 However, opportunities may exist to improve health conditions for employees, and strengthening Home Depot. Research studies have found it possible to improve health outcomes while reducing employer spending.13 It is important for investors to understand how Home Depot ensures sufficiency of quality and timely healthcare access for its employees. It is a best practice for companies to affirm that they are surveying or tracking the sufficiency of employee health care access, including employees? sentiment on the timeliness, breadth, and quality of this care.