Eli Lilly and Company

Indiana
Pharmaceuticals Biotechnology and Life Sciences

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

Summary:

Eli Lilly has not ended any business relationships due to viewpoints or beliefs, despite its pledge to vet vendors for LGBTQ policies. The company advocates for the Equality Act, denounces religious freedom legislation, and promotes transgender ideology. Eli Lilly does not have viewpoint protections for its employees. It has also spoken out against state efforts to reform its own election processes. Eli Lilly has also funded Planned Parenthood but otherwise does not use funds to advance ideological agendas. For these reasons, Eli Lilly 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

Eli Lilly and Company has not publicly terminated business relationships due to religious beliefs or political views. The company received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign. Among other requirements, this means Eli Lilly has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies (1). 

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

The Lilly Foundation matches employee donations to health, education, and culture organizations. Contributions made “primarily for religious purposes” or to organizations that “promote religion” are ineligible (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Eli Lilly does not have viewpoint protection for its employees in its nondiscrimination policy (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

Eli Lilly is an advocate for the Equality Act (1). In addition, Eli Lilly put out a commercial featuring a seemingly transgender man and uses the language, “the body you are randomly assigned at birth shouldn’t determine how well you are cared for” (2). The company also spoke out against Indiana’s state legislature revising election procedures after the pandemic and against the state’s religious freedom restoration act law in 2015 (3)(4). The company criticized the state’s abortion ban, saying “that it would be forced to look outside the state for employment growth” (5).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Eli Lilly has previously funded Planned Parenthood (1). It is unclear if the company is currently supporting the organization. Eli Lilly has pledged $25 million to the Black Lives Matter movement and related causes (2)(3).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Eli Lilly donates in a bipartisan manner consistent with business interests (1)(2). 

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
March 29, 2023

Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer

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