Bath & Body Works

L Brands
Ohio
Retailing

Corprate Bias Ratings

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

Bath & Body Works vets vendors according to LGBTQ policies and does not protect its employees against viewpoint discrimination. However, the company has not publicly terminated business relationships based on views or beliefs. Bath & Body Works covers the cost of "medically necessary transition-related care” for its employees and their children. The company has opposed state-level election security legislation and donated $1 million to the HRC. The company pledged $1 million to BLM and related causes and is a corporate partner of the NGLCC. Bath & Body Works discriminates against religious organizations in its charitable giving. For these reasons, Bath & Body Works receives a Medium 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

Bath & Body Works received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index. Among other requirements, this means the company has a written policy pledging to vet vendors for LGBTQ policies (1)(2). Bath & Body Works has not publicly fired customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs.

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Bath & Body Works will not match employee donations to churches or religious organizations “churches or religious or sectarian organizations unless engaged in a significant project benefiting the greater community,” (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Bath & Body Works does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (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

Bath & Body Works has opposed state-level legislation regarding school curricula in Ohio (1). Former CEO Andrew Meslow also signed a letter published by CivicAlliance, a left-wing group that has opposed state-level voting legislation, such as in Georgia (2).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Bath & Body Works has a perfect score on the HRC’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index. This score indicates the company covers the cost of “medically necessary transition-related care” for its employees and their children (1)(2). The company has donated $1 million to the HRC (3). Bath & Body Works has also pledged a million dollars to the Black Lives Matter movement and related causes (4)(5).The company is a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (6).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Bath & Body Works has not used its PAC donations or lobbied for ideological purposes (1)(2).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
December 5, 2023

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