Kroger

Food and Staples Retailing

Risk Level:

Rating - Danger
High Risk

Summary:

Kroger fired two Christian employees who requested not to wear the gay pride logo on their work aprons. Kroger's workplace policies do not include protection against viewpoint discrimination. Kroger has also politicized its corporate reputation and used funds to advance ideological groups hostile to freedom of expression. For these reasons, Kroger receives a "High 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

Kroger fired two Christian employees who opted not to wear the rainbow logo emblematic of LGBTQ pride (1). Kroger received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Among other requirements, this means the company has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies (2).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Kroger will not provide employee matching grants to churches or religious organizations (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Kroger 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

Kroger has advocated for the Equality Act and told employees to do the same. Kroger has encouraged employees to support the HRC and the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (1)(2). Kroger partners with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (3). Kroger created a PRIDE month collection and uses its PRIDE Associate Resource Group to create an LGBTQ allyship guide (4).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Kroger funds the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce and enables community donations to Planned Parenthood (1)(2). Kroger also announced it would fund travel expenses for its employees to get an abortion (3).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Kroger donates without ideological prejudice or agenda (2)(3).

 

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
March 7, 2023

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