Gannett
Corprate Bias Ratings
Risk Level:
Summary:
Although Gannett (which operates USA Today and other outlets) provides viewpoint protections for its employees, the company demoted a deputy editor for stating that men cannot get pregnant, though the company did not fully cave to employee demands that the editor be fired. The company vets vendors according to LGBTQ policies and but 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. Gannett has donated to many different advocacy organizations and supported the 2020 BLM protests. For these reasons, Gannett receives a High Risk rating.
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.
Gannett received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign (1). Among other requirements, this means the company has pledged to vet vendors for LGBTQ policies. In 2022, primary Gannett publication USA Today demoted its deputy editorial page editor for tweeting his position that men cannot get pregnant. Gannett’s LGBTQ Employee Research Committee lobbied for the editor to be fired, although the publication appears to have compromised despite the growing progressivism within the publication’s leadership (2)(3).
Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.
Gannett’s gift matching guidelines note that “gifts to sectarian organizations may be matched at the Foundation’s discretion, if the organization uses the funds primarily to benefit the community” (1).
Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.
Gannett protects employees from both religious and viewpoint (political affiliation) discrimination (1).
Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.
Gannett 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 has published some pages expressing support for events such as Pride Month and the 2020 racial justice protests (3)(4). However, after the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Gannett sent a memo to its journalists urging them to remain neutral on their public social media platforms (5).
Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.
Uses corporate political contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.
Gannett does not operate a PAC.
All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
November 28, 2023
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