Kroger

Harris Teeter, Fred Meyer, Vitacost, King Soopers, City Market, Fry's, Gerbes, Ralphs, Home Chef
Ohio
Food and Staples Retailing

Corprate Bias Ratings

Risk Level:

Rating - Danger
High Risk

Kroger fired two Christian employees who requested not to wear the gay pride logo on their work aprons. By complying with Human Rights Campaign's controversial demands, Kroger increases the risk of dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders. The company covers transgender-related medical costs for its employees and their children. It also uses sex and gender ideology criteria in employee recruitment, vendor selection, marketing, and philanthropic support. Kroger uses its reputation, corporate funds, and political influence to support controversial sex and gender ideologies, organizations, and legislation. The company provides a benefits package for employees which covers travel/lodging costs for an abortion and transgender medical procedures for covered employees and dependents, including children. Kroger does not provide its employees with protections against viewpoint discrimination. Kroger pledged $13 million to BLM and related causes and provides a benefits package for employees which covers travel/lodging costs for an abortion. Kroger uses its reputation and corporate dollars to fund LGBT causes and organizations. 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 85 on the 2023 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. The company recruits employees based on sexual identity issues. The company discriminates against vendors that do not promote divisive sex and gender policies, indicating it prioritizes sexual issues over merit (2)(3).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Kroger’s HRC CEI rating indicates the company will not donate to non-religious charities unless they embrace controversial sexual identity policies (1)(2)(3). Harris Teeter will not donate to political or religious organizations on the basis that the company cannot “fund drives conducted by religious or political organizations” (4).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Kroger does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (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

The company has advocated for the Equality Act and told employees to do the same (1). Kroger has encouraged employees to support the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (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). Harris Teeter and Kroger partner with the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (5). Harris Teeter created a PRIDE month collection with several suppliers “to inform, educate and uplift both the LGBTQ community and potential future allies” (6). Kroger’s HRC 2023 CEI rating indicates the company agrees to allow a controversial stakeholder group focused on sexual identity issues to dictate marketing or advertising strategy (7)(8). By doing so, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders.

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Kroger provides a benefits package for employees which covers travel/lodging costs for an abortion and transgender medical procedures for covered employees and dependents, including children (1)(2)(3)(4). Kroger’s HRC 2023 CEI rating indicates the company covers transgender related costs for its employees and their children, including paid short-term leave, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, chest surgeries, genital surgeries, medical visits and lab monitoring, travel and lodging. Additionally, the company has pledged philanthropic support of at least one organization or event that promotes sex and gender ideology (5)(6). By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company increases health care costs and risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders. Kroger funds the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce and enables community donations to Planned Parenthood (7)(8). Kroger pledged $13 million to the Black Lives Matter movement and related causes (9)(10)(11). Harris Teeter’s supplier-driven Pride collection included an offering of limited-edition Vizzy hard seltzer produced in partnership with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) (12).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Kroger’s HRC 2023 CEI rating indicates the company publicly advocated for controversial sex and gender ideology through local, state or federal legislation or initiatives (1)(2). By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (3)(4).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
March 27, 2024

Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer

Voting History

Date
ESG Category
Proponent
Summary of ResolutionMgmt RecTotal Vote % in Favor
4/4/23EnvironmentalSay on ClimateAgainst15.75%
4/4/23EnvironmentalFinancing of the Canadian Oil and Gas SectorAgainst0.87%
6/22/23SocialArjuna CapitalReport on Racial and Gender Pay GapsAgainst51.60%
6/22/23EnvironmentalAs You SowRecyclability of PackagingAgainst31.60%
6/22/23SocialSisters of St. Francis of PhiladelphiaReport on Public Health Costs from Sale of Tobacco ProductsAgainst12.60%
6/22/23SocialLouis B. and Diana R. Eichold TrustListing of Charitable Contributions $10,000 or MoreAgainst6.60%
6/22/23GovernanceNational Center for Public Policy ResearchReport on EEO Policy RisksAgainst1.90%
6/23/22EnvironmentalAs You SowReport on Efforts to Reduce Plastic UseAgainst38.37%
6/23/22EnvironmentalFriends Fiduciary Corp.Report on Efforts to Eliminate HFCs (Hydrofluorocarbons) in Refrigeration and Reduce GHG EmissionsAgainst35.40%
6/23/22SocialSisters of the Presentation of BVMReport on Risks to Buisness Due to Increased Labor Market PressureAgainst29.53%
6/23/22SocialDomini Impact InvestmentsReport on Human Rights and Protection of FarmworkersAgainst20.85%

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