Diageo

Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Tanqueray, Bailey's, Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Don Julio, Ciroc, Ketel One, J&B, Casamigos, Buchanan's
New York
Food Beverage and Tobacco

Corprate Bias Ratings

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

Diageo 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. However, the company 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. The company pledged $20 million to BLM and related causes and is a Platinum sponsor of the Human Rights Campaign. Diageo supports the Equality Act and is a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. However, the company does not discriminate against religious organizations in its charitable giving and has not used its PAC contributions for ideological purposes. For these reasons, Diageo 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

Diageo 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 has received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the HRC. Among other requirements, this means the company has a written policy pledging to vet vendors for LGBTQ policies (4). However, there are no known instances of Diageo terminating business relationships due to views 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

Diageo does not publish any charitable giving guidelines (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Diageo does not provide protections against 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

Diageo 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 a member of the Business Coalition for the Equality Act (3). Diageo joined the #StopHateForProfit initiative (4).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Diageo is a member of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media and a Platinum Partner with the HRC (1)(2)(3)(4). Diageo also pledged $20 million to the Black Lives Matter movement and related causes around Baltimore, where its subsidiary Guinness maintains a brewery location (5)(6). The company is a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (7).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

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

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

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