Kohl’s
Corprate Bias Ratings
Risk Level:
Summary:
Kohl's, a department store, fired an employee after they opposed a "racial equity" clothing line; the employee has filed a retaliation lawsuit. Kohl's vets vendors according to LGBTQ policies and does not provide its employees with protections against viewpoint discrimination. The company covers the cost of "medically necessary transition-related care" for its employees and their children. The company pledged $1 million to BLM and related causes and funds multiple LGBT organizations. Kohl's requires unconscious bias training for all employees. For these reasons, Kohl's 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.
Allegedly, a lawsuit was permitted to go on from a former supervisor at Kohl’s, alleging she was fired as retaliation for opposing a “racial equity” line of merchandise that included logos and slogans similar to those used by Black Lives Matter (1). Kohl’s received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index. Among other requirements, this means the company has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies (2)(3).
Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.
Kohl’s charitable giving guidelines require that organizations abide by its nondiscrimination policy, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, thereby excluding some religious charities (1).
Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.
Kohl’s does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (1).
Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.
Kohl’s had all of its recruiters attend an “Unconscious Bias, Influencing, Diversity Sourcing, and Diversity 101 training” (1). Additionally, all employees had to attend “unconscious bias” training as of 2020. Kohl’s also celebrates LGBTQ Pride Month, including launching a line of Pride Month merchandise (2). In 2023, the company celebrated LGBTQ Pride month by offering LGBTQ baby onesies (3)(4). While promising to fight racial justice, Kohl’s CEO also condemned “systemic racism” and confirmed full unconscious bias training for the whole company (5). It also has a “racial equity” line of clothing, with logos similar to those commonly used by Black Lives Matter (6).
Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.
Kohl’s 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). Kohl’s pledged $1 million to the Black Lives Matter movement and related causes, including the National Urban League (3)(4). The company is a copper sponsor of Out & Equal and a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (5)(6). Kohl’s pledged $100,000 to The Trevor Project in 2019 and 2022 (7)(8).
All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
December 5, 2023
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