Adobe

California
Software and Services

Risk Level:

Rating - Danger
High Risk

Summary:

Adobe has pledged to vet vendors for their LGBTQ policies, and it does not protect employees from viewpoint discrimination. Adobe has funded Planned Parenthood but discriminates against religious charities. It has also advocated for the Equality Act and transgender participation in youth sports. Adobe pulled ads created by the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) reporting on the damage done by the "Defund the Police" movement. For these reasons, Adobe receives a "High Risk" rating.

Criteria
Risk Level
Rationale
Corporate Weaponization
Criteria

Has denied service to customers, suppliers, or vendors due to their political views or religious beliefs OR corporately boycotts, divests, or sanctions regions, people groups, or industries.

Risk Level
Rationale

Adobe received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign. Among other requirements, this means Adobe has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies (1)(2). Adobe joined Microsoft’s tech alliance group coordinating to combat “disinformation” online (3). In August 2020, Adobe rejected ads created by RAGA that were meant to highlight the harms of the “Defund the police” movement; the ads were compilations of newscasts and actual footage from real-life events (4).

Criteria

Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.

Risk Level
Rationale

Adobe’s employee matching program does not match gifts to “religious organizations, churches, temples, or seminaries” (1).

Criteria

Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.

Risk Level
Rationale

Adobe does not protect its employees from viewpoint discrimination (1).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy
Criteria

Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

Adobe advocates for the Equality Act and transgender participation in youth sports (1)(2). Adobe signed an open letter opposing a Florida bill that would prevent teaching gender identity and sexual orientation in schools to kids in K-3rd grade (3). Adobe also joined an amicus brief in the Bostock v. Clayton County case (4). Adobe has also promoted transgender and LGBTQ groups (5). Adobe has signaled its support of the Paris Climate Accords, even denouncing the Trump administration for pulling out of the treaty and subsequently thanking the Biden Administration for getting back in (6)(7).

Criteria

Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

Adobe has funded Planned Parenthood (1). The company also pays for its employees’ travel to get an abortion (2). Adobe raised over $20,000 for LGBTQ groups (3). Adobe also joined the “Stop Hate for Profit” Facebook boycott, temporarily pulling ads and funding from Facebook over a dispute for its alleged lack of censorship (4). Adobe has pledged $20 million to the Black Lives Matter movement and related causes (5)(6).

Criteria

Uses corporate political contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.

Risk Level
N/A
Rationale

Adobe does not have a PAC or register political giving activity.

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
March 28, 2023

Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer

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