Chewy - 1792 Exchange

Corprate Bias Ratings

Risk Level:

High Risk

Summary:

Chewy is an online retailer of pet food and pet-related products. PetSmart acquired Chewy in 2017; in 2020, Chewy was spun off as an independent company. The company might cover the cost of "medically necessary transition-related care” for its employees and their children. Chewy does not discriminate against religious organizations in its charitable giving. However, the company canceled Mike Lindell's MyPillow products, scrubbing them from the site in the aftermath of the 2020 election. Chewy is a copper sponsor of Out & Equal. Chewy does not have viewpoint protections for its employees and vets vendors for LGBTQ policies. For these reasons, Chewy 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

PetSmart, the former parent company of Chewy, received a score of 90 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign (1). Among other requirements, this means the company has pledged to vet vendors for LGBTQ policies. In late 2020, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell claimed that Chewy stopped selling MyPillow brand dog beds due to his public questioning of the 2020 election results (2). Although Chewy has not released an official statement on the matter, the company no longer features MyPillow products.

Criteria

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

Risk Level

Rationale

Chewy’s charitable giving focuses on animal welfare initiatives, including providing pet food, suitable shelter, and medical supplies to animals in need (1)(2). Chewy does not discriminate against religious organizations.

Criteria

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

Risk Level

Rationale

Chewy does not provide explicit viewpoint protections to employees (1)(2).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy

Criteria

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

Risk Level

Rationale

PetSmart’s HRC CEI profile indicates that Chewy might cover the cost of “medically necessary transition-related care” for its employees and their children (1)(2).

Criteria

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

Risk Level

Rationale

Chewy is a copper sponsor of Out & Equal (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level

N/A

Rationale

Chewy has not made political contributions as a newly independent public company.

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
June 7, 2023

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