Sidley Austin terminated the employment of an associate one day after she posted an online letter on her personal blog about the Israel-Palestine conflict. The employee’s letter noted that law firms were conflating critiques against Israel, its government, and its actions as anti-Semitic, which the employee believed would infringe upon free speech. The firm declined to comment on the matter. Sidley Austin received a score of 100 out of 100 on the 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. By complying with the HRC's controversial demands, Sidley Austin increases the risk of dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders. It also uses sex and gender ideology criteria in employee recruitment, vendor selection, marketing, and philanthropic support. Sidley Austin forces employees to undergo multiple ideological trainings and uses its reputation, corporate funds, and political influence to support controversial sex and gender ideologies, organizations, and legislation. Sidley Austin provides a benefits package for employees which covers travel/lodging costs for an abortion and transgender medical procedures for covered employees and dependents, including children. The firm is a member of The Diversity and Flexibility Alliance, indicating its support of DEI in its recruitment, retention, promotions, and leadership composition. Sidley Austin’s Executive Committee Chair Michael J. Schmidtberger signed Catalyst's Champions for Change pledge, indicating its support of DEI in its leadership composition through the establishment of gender and racial targets. The firm is committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Sidley Austin’s CEO, Michael J. Schmidtberger, signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, which includes a commitment to promote DEI through bias education training in the workplace. In 2022, Sidley Austin claimed it would cover the cost of abortion and travel expenses in states banning it. The firm supports several LGBTQ+ Bar associations and offers pro bono services to LGBTQ+ related causes. Sidley Austin has a pro bono partnership with the HRC to repeal legislation intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces. The firm is a part of the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance, committed to work on initiatives that fight “systemic racism”. For these reasons, Sidley Austin receives a High Risk rating.