Bath & Body Works

Retailing

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

Summary:

Bath & Body Works vets suppliers according to its LGBTQ policies, although it has not publicly terminated business relationships for ideological purposes hostile to freedom of expression. Bath & Body Works does not have viewpoint protections for its employees. The company has opposed state-level election security legislation while donating to groups such as the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and National Urban League. 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 Corporate Equality Index from the HRC (1). Among other requirements, this means the company has pledged to vet vendors for LGBTQ policies. The company has not publicly terminated other business relationships due to political or religious affiliations.

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 support “churches or religious or sectarian organizations unless engaged in a significant project benefiting the greater community,” although the company does not discriminate against faith-based charities (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 protect 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

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 donated $500,000 to the National Urban League and its affiliates and $1 million to the HRC (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

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

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
January 3, 2023

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