Citizens Financial, chose to withdraw an outstanding loan with a group that had received scrutiny for their involvement in the Dakota Access Pipeline, which caused protests at the bank in 2018. It is unclear if the loan was not renewed due to political pressure. Citizens Financial scored a 100 on the 2023 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. By complying with the HRC’s controversial demands, Citizens Financial increases the risk of dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders. The company covers transgender-related medical costs for its employees and their children and provides specific sexual orientation and gender identity-based benefits. It also uses sex and gender ideology criteria in employee recruitment, vendor selection, marketing, and philanthropic support. Citizens Financial forces employees to undergo multiple ideological trainings and uses its reputation, corporate funds, and political influence to support controversial sex and gender ideologies, organizations, and legislation. Citizens Financial provides a benefits package for employees which covers travel/lodging costs for an abortion and transgender medical procedures for covered employees and dependents, including children. The company is a PCAF member, committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and pledged $10 million to BLM and related causes. Citizens Financial sponsored several LGBTQ Pride parades and is a partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). The company donated to the Equality PAC. For these reasons, Citizens Financial receives a High Risk rating.