Cigna

Connecticut
Health Care Equipment and Services

Corprate Bias Ratings

Risk Level:

Rating - Danger
High Risk

Cigna allegedly discriminates against potential hires based on their inherent characteristics and belief systems. By classifying Christian beliefs as a form of privilege, Cigna has demonstrated that it prioritizes hiring people of other belief systems through its diversity initiatives. Cigna does not protect against viewpoint discrimination. The company funds abortion-related travel expenses for employees covers the cost of "medically necessary transition-related care” for its employees and their children. Cigna is a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, temporarily paused donations to conservative politicians, and is a signatory of the Business Roundtable's 2019 Statement on the Purpose of Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism. For these reasons, Cigna 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

A whistleblower revealed that Cigna avoids hiring people if they are “too privileged” based on Cigna’s wide-ranging privilege scale that includes race and religion (1). Cigna 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 (2). Cigna temporarily paused political contributions to conservative politicians who “hindered the peaceful transition of power” in 202o (3).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Cigna will provide direct grants to religious organizations that engage in non-sectarian community work under a separate 501(c)(3) status (1). Cigna does not have any rules banning religious organizations from its employee donation matching program (2)(3).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Cigna 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

Cigna actively advocated for the Equality Act and has publicly committed to multiple acts of advocacy for the LGBTQ movement (1)(2). Cigna also pushes for critical race theory training and classifying people as “oppressors” and “oppressed” and asking for white people to “cede power” to people of color, according to a whistleblower article (3). The training uses a very broad definition of privilege, which includes religious people, and asks them to “check their privilege” while referring employees to extremist literature to re-educate themselves on class, race, and privilege. Cigna participates in CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion and CEO Action for Racial Equity (4)(5). Cigna CEO David Cordani is a member of the Business Roundtable and signed its 2019 Statement on the Purpose of Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism over traditional obligations to shareholders and customers (6)(7).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Cigna 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). Cigna reimburses employees for elective abortions, including out-of-state travel costs (3)(4). The company is a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (5). The Cigna Group Foundation donated $175,000 to The Trevor Project and other LGBTQ organizations (6).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Cigna has not used its PAC for ideological purposes (1).

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

Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer

Voting History

Date
ESG Category
Proponent
Summary of ResolutionMgmt RecTotal Vote % in Favor
5/11/23EnvironmentalHumane Society of the U.S.Report on Cage-Free EggsAgainst8.90%
4/26/23GovernanceJohn CheveddenGive the Owners of 15% of Common Stock the Power to Call a Special Shareholder MeetingAgainst46.80%
4/27/22GovernanceJohn CheveddenSpecial Meetings - Reduce Ownership Req. to 10%Against46.98%
4/27/22SocialClean Yield Asset Mgmt.Report on Congruency of Political Spending with Company Values and PrioritiesAgainst46.04%
4/27/22SocialProxy ImpactReport on Gender Pay GapAgainst32.69%
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