H&M

Sweden
Retailing

Corprate Bias Ratings

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

H&M vets vendors for LGBTQ policies but has not publicly terminated business relationships based on views or beliefs. The company covers expenses for employees' out-of-state abortions in the U.S. H&M funds multiple LGBTQ organizations and pledged $500,000 to BLM and related causes. The company signed letters opposing Florida's Stop Woke Act and various "anti-LGBTQ" legislation. However, H&M protects its employees against viewpoint discrimination and does not discriminate against religious organizations in its charitable giving. For these reasons, H&M 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

H&M has a written policy pledging to vet vendors for LGBTQ policies. Its Code of Conduct is “applicable to all suppliers” and business partners of H&M and includes a commitment to not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

H&M does not discriminate against religious organizations in its charitable giving. The H&M Foundation focuses on funding initiatives and research that “enable a socially inclusive and planet positive textile industry”. H&M also provides emergency relief (1)(2).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

H&M protects 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

H&M opposed Florida’s HB7 (“Stop Woke Act”), which aims to prevent the proliferation of critical race theory in public education (1). H&M signed a letter from the Human Rights Campaign opposing “anti-LGBTQ” legislation and  promoted unfettered abortion access as part of its commitment to “equal opportunity in the workplace” (2)(3)(4). H&M also opposed Florida’s state law to prevent teaching about sexuality and gender identity in public school classrooms for ages K-3rd grade (5). H&M partnered with The Marsha P. Johnson Institute to highlight “queer artists: in a gallery (6).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

H&M covers expenses for employees’ out-of-state abortions in the U.S. (1). H&M pledged $500,000 to Black Lives Matter and related causes (2)(3). The company is a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (4). In 2023, H&M partnered with The Marsha P. Johnson Institute and the Trevor Project, running a campaign that matched donations to the Trevor Project up to $150,000 (5). H&M’s Beyond the Rainbow campaign made a $100,000 donation to the United Nations Free & Equal campaign (6).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
N/A
Rationale

H&M does not operate a PAC at this time. The company “does not provide direct financial contributions to individual politicians or political parties” (1).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
September 14, 2023

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