Comcast

Pennsylvania
Media and Entertainment, Telecommunication Services

Corprate Bias Ratings

Risk Level:

Rating - Danger
High Risk

Comcast has severed ties with employees and business partners based on their political views once activists applied pressure and has no policies in place to protect against this political discrimination. The company covers the cost of "medically necessary transition-related care” for its employees and their children. Comcast pledged $100 million to BLM and related causes and covers employee abortion costs. The company is a corporate partner of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and may have funded Planned Parenthood. Comcast is a signatory of the Business Roundtable's 2019 Statement on the Purpose of Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism. However, it does not discriminate against religious organizations in its charitable giving. For these reasons, Comcast 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

Comcast received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign. Among other requirements, this means Comcast has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies (1). In 2018, Comcast fired a long-term employee over alleged ties to the Proud Boys group after public pressure from activists. It does not seem that the employee engaged in any illegal behavior (2)(3). In 2020, Comcast cut ties with a lobbyist who issued criticisms of Black Lives Matter (4).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Comcast does not appear to discriminate against religious organizations in its charitable giving (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Comcast does not protect its 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

Comcast 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 is also an advocate for the Equality Act and has issued statements opposing the Georgia election security bill (3)(4)(5). CEO Brian Roberts 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

Comcast donated $100 million dollars to the Black Lives Matter movement and related causes (1)(2)(3). Comcast has also donated to multiple United Way chapters, some of which may have donated to Planned Parenthood (4). Comcast announced that it would fund employees’ travel to get an abortion (5). Comcast is a bronze partner, a silver sponsor of Out and Equal, and a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (6)(7)(8).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Comcast used to donate in a bipartisan manner consistent with its business interests but has donated to ideological groups such as the Equality PAC (1).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
July 12, 2023

Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer

Voting History

Date
ESG Category
Proponent
Summary of ResolutionMgmt RecTotal Vote % in Favor
6/7/23GovernanceArjuna CapitalReport on Political Spending Values CongruencyAgainst18.90%
6/7/23SocialSEIU Master TrustPerform a Racial Equity AuditAgainst10.76%
6/7/23EnvironmentalJohn CheveddenReport on Paris-Compliant Plan to Cut Carbon FootprintAgainst9.71%
6/7/23EnvironmentalAs You SowReport on Retirement Plan Alignment with Climate GoalsAgainst5.97%
6/7/23SocialNational Legal and Policy CenterReport on Ties to Communist ChinaAgainst1.70%
6/1/22SocialArjuna CapitalReport on Investigation of Effectiveness of Sexual Harassment PoliciesAgainst22.28%
6/1/22SocialSEIU Master TrustIndependent Racial Equity AuditAgainst18.30%
6/1/22EnvironmentalElizabeth Kantor TrustReport on Retirement Plan Options Alignment with Climate GoalsAgainst5.95%
6/1/22SocialNational Center for Public Policy ResearchReport on Risks of Omitting "Viewpoint" & "Ideology" from EEO PolicyAgainst1.44%
6/1/22SocialNational Legal and Policy CenterReport on Charitable ContributionsAgainst0.92%

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