Equinix

California
Cloud & Data Storage

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

Summary:

Equinix has been accused of silencing religious investors' concerns when Equinix showed support for the Equality Act. The company does not have viewpoint protection for its employees. Equinix advocates for and funds the LGBTQ and Black Lives Matter (BLM) movements. Equinix fails to protect employees from viewpoint discrimination, vets vendors for their LGBTQ policies and expanded its Sexual Orientation training for employees. Equinix does not discriminate against religious organizations when making charitable donations, however. The company has not canceled clients or vendors due to views or beliefs. For these reasons, Equinix 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

Equinix 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 (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Equinix supports a program where it will match employees’ donations to faith-based charities up to $1000 annually (1). Equinix does not discriminate against faith-based charities in its charitable giving.

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Equinix does not protect its employees 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

In 2020, Equinix signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge (1). Equinix created Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity training for its employees (2). Equinix also advocates for the Equality Act and transgender participation in youth sports (3)(4). Equinix was accused of ignoring the concerns of religious investors when it signed in support of the Equality Act (5). Equinix has opposed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which prohibits teaching gender identity and sexual orientation in schools to kids in K-3rd grade (5). Equinix also published an article in support of Pride Month and BLM (6).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Equinix created sponsorships for many LGBTQ activist organizations (1). Equinix also donates to the BLM Foundation (2).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
N/A
Rationale

Equinix does not have a PAC; its employees are prohibited from making donations on behalf of the company (1).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
March 22, 2023

Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer

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