BP

United Kingdom
Energy

Corprate Bias Ratings

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

British Petroleum (BP) vets vendors according to LGBTQ policies, is part of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, and does not provide its employees with protections against viewpoint discrimination, but has not publicly terminated business relationships based on views or beliefs. The company covers the cost of "medically necessary transition-related care” for its employees and their children and advocates for the Equality Act. BP is a corporate partner of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and funds multiple LGBTQ organizations. BP is a signatory of the Business Roundtable's 2019 Statement on the Purpose of Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism. For these reasons, BP 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

BP is a member of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, which aims to demonetize advertisements and suppress content that “vilifies” individuals based on sexual orientation and gender identity, discusses “debated social issues in a negative or partisan context” or spreads “hate speech” (1)(2)(3). The company received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign. Among other requirements, this means the company has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies (4). However, BP has not publicly known canceled clients or fired employees due to viewpoints or beliefs.

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

The BP Foundation limits its charitable giving to disaster relief, supporting veterans, and general humanitarian aid. It does not discriminate against faith-based charities (1)(2). Its employee donation matching guidelines are not available to the public.

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

BP 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

BP 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 advocates for the Equality Act (3). CEO Bernard Looney is a member of the Business Roundtable and Former CEO Robert Dudley signed its 2019 Statement on the Purpose of Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism over traditional obligations to shareholders and customers (4)(5). BP supports Trans in the City, an organization created by staff at BP to promote “transgender, non-binary and gender diversity in business” (6)(7).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

BP is a member of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (1)(2)(3). The company is a silver partner of the HRC, a brass sponsor of Out & Equal, and a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (4)(5)(6).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

BP donates in a bipartisan manner consistent with its business interests (1).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
June 17, 2023

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