
FedEx
Corporate Bias Rating
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Risk Level:
Summary:
FedEx is High Risk. The company yields to political activism in shaping corporate governance, potentially alienating consumers, dividing employees, and harming shareholders. FedEx embraces corporate initiatives that redirect its central focus from business goals to partisan policies and divisive issues. This approach fails to safeguard free exercise, free speech, and free enterprise.
View Full Corporate Bias Ratings ReportHas canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.
FedEx received a score of 85 on the 2025 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. The company recruits employees based on sexual identity issues. The company discriminates against vendors that do not promote divisive sex and gender policies, indicating it prioritizes sexual issues over merit (1)(2). The company settled a religious discrimination lawsuit in 2012 after firing an employee over his religious beliefs (3). Since then, the company has not publicly canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs (4).
Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.
Employment policies fail to protect against viewpoint or other discrimination and/or are ideological in nature.
Uses corporate reputation to support causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.
FedEX’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company agrees to allow a controversial stakeholder group focused on sexual identity issues to dictate marketing or advertising strategy. By doing so, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2). The company’s CEO Raj Subramaniam is a member of the Business Roundtable, which supports stakeholder capitalism over traditional shareholder obligations (3). The company’s former CEO Fredrick Smith signed the Business Roundtable’s 2019 Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism over traditional obligations to shareholders (4).
Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.
FedEx’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company covers transgender related costs for its employees and their children, including paid short-term leave, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, chest surgeries, genital surgeries, medical visits and lab monitoring, travel and lodging. Additionally, the company has pledged philanthropic support of at least one organization or event that promotes sex and gender ideology. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company increases health care costs and risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2). FedEx is a Gold Tier corporate sponsor of the Trevor Project, an organization that advocates for controversial sex and gender ideology, including “gender transition” drugs and surgeries for minors, through legislation, litigation, advertising, and PR campaigns. The organization also hosts online chatrooms that allow adults to communicate with minors as young as 13 about sexually explicit topics. Adults in these chatrooms have encouraged minors to adopt transgender identities and withhold this information from their parents (3)(4)(5)(6)(7). The company is a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce and has supported the National Urban League (8)(9). FedEx sponsored The 50th Annual Memphis Pride Festival & Parade in 2025 (10).
Uses corporate political actions and/or financial contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.
FedEx’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company publicly advocated for controversial sex and gender ideology through local, state or federal legislation or initiatives. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2). The company donated to the Equality PAC but has not lobbied for ideological purposes (3)(4)(5).
Board Bias
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CEO of FedEx
Raj Subramaniam
Summary:
Headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, FedEx is a member of the Fortune 250 operating in the Transportation industry. Raj Subramaniam and Frederick W. Smith serve as CEO/President and Chairman, respectively, leading the company’s C-suite executive team and the board of directors. Amongst these teams, the collective leadership is responsible for $738,349 to Republican causes and $491,025 to Democratic causes. Under their tenure, FedEx currently holds a 'High Risk' risk rating.
View Full Board Bias ReportPolitical Contributions of Leadership:
$738,349
$491,025
Republican
Democrat
China Risk Database
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Total Estimated Sanctions (3-year Avg.)
$1,167,937,422
Average Annual Revenue
Global
$76,059,666,667
China Revenue
13.87%
$10,551,330,696
Annual Average of Total Assets
Global
$70,620,333,333
China Assets
13.52%
$9,550,595,602
Shareholder Proposals
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| Date | ESG Category | Proponent | Summary of Resolution | Mgmt Rec | Total Vote % in Favor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9/21/23 | Social | Sisters of St. Francis | Paid Sick Leave Disclosure | against | 10.50% |
| 9/21/23 | Social | Int'l Brotherhood of Teamsters | “Just Transition” Report | against | 29.70% |
| 9/21/23 | Social | Sisters of St. Francis | Paid Sick Leave Disclosure | against | 10.50% |
| 9/21/23 | Environmental | As You Sow | Report on Assessing Systemic Climate Risk from Retirement Plan Options | against | 7.60% |
| 9/21/23 | Environmental | As You Sow | Report on Assessing Systemic Climate Risk from Retirement Plan Options | against | 7.60% |
| 9/21/23 | Environmental | Int'l Brotherhood of Teamsters | “Just Transition” Report | against | 29.70% |
| 9/19/22 | Governance | John Chevedden | Independent Board Chair | Against | 37.50% |
| 9/19/22 | Social | Clean Yield Asset Mgmt. | Report on Alignment of Co. Values & Election Contributions | Against | 36.00% |
| 9/19/22 | Social | Int'l Brotherhood of Teamsters | Report on Lobbying Payments and Policy | Against | 34.60% |
| 9/19/22 | Social | Northstar Asset Management | Report on Racism in Corporate Culture | Against | 12.10% |
| 9/19/22 | Environmental | United Church Funds | Report on Climate Lobbying | Against | 0.00% |
In the News
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Debevoise & Plimpton LLP , Cooley LLP , Freshfields , Goodwin Procter , Hogan Lovells , Kirkland & Ellis , Latham & Watkins LLP , McDermott Will & Emery , Milbank LLP , Morgan Lewis & Bockius , Morrison & Foerster LLP , Perkins Coie LLP , Reed Smith LLP , Ropes & Gray , Sidley Austin , Simpson Thacher & Bartlett , Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP , White & Case , Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP (WilmerHale) , Allen & Overy
Shearman & Sterling LLP , Debevoise & Plimpton LLP , Cooley LLP , Goodwin Procter , Hogan Lovells , Kirkland & Ellis , Latham & Watkins LLP , McDermott Will & Emery , Milbank LLP , Morgan Lewis & Bockius , Morrison & Foerster LLP , Perkins Coie LLP , Reed Smith LLP , Ropes & Gray , Sidley Austin , Simpson Thacher & Bartlett , Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP , White & Case , Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP (WilmerHale)