
Lincoln National Corporation
Corprate Bias Ratings
Risk Level:
Summary:
Lincoln National Corporation, a holding company, vets vendors according to LGBTQ policies and does not provide its employees with protections against viewpoint discrimination. The company has not publicly terminated business relationships based on views or beliefs. Lincoln Financial covers the cost of "medically necessary transition-related care" for its employees and their children. The company is a corporate partner of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and utilizes ESG investing strategies, acknowledging that ESG can underperform and miss opportunities to maximize financial returns. Lincoln Financial discriminates against religious organizations in its charitable giving. However, the company has not used its PAC contributions for ideological purposes. For these reasons, Lincoln Financial Group receives a Medium 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.
Lincoln National (including Lincoln Financial Group) received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the HRC (1). Among other requirements, this means Lincoln Financial has pledged to vet vendors for LGBTQ policies (2). However, the company has not publicly fired customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs.
Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.
The Lincoln Financial Foundation focuses on human services, education, and financial wellness. The Foundation “in general does not fund religious organizations” (1). The company’s employee donation matching program does not match donations to religious organizations, among other eligibility requirements (2).
Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.
Lincoln Financial does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (1).
Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.
Lincoln Financial Corporation has not supported ideological causes or policies (1).
Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.
Lincoln Financial 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). Lincoln Financial is a Bronze Partner of the HRC (3). Lincoln Financial also utilizes ESG investing strategies with clients’ money (4). In its prospectus disclaimers, the company acknowledges that ESG investing “generally prohibits investment in certain types of companies, industries, and segments of the U.S. economy.” Thus this strategy “may (i) miss opportunities to invest in companies, industries, or segments of the U.S. economy that are providing superior performance relative to the market as a whole and (ii) become invested in companies, industries, or segments of the U.S. economy that are providing inferior performance relative to the market as a whole” (5).
All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
November 28, 2023
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Voting History
Date | ESG Category | Proponent | Summary of Resolution | Mgmt Rec | Total Vote % in Favor |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
5/25/23 | Governance | Kenneth Steiner | Independent Board Chair | Against | 46.40% |
5/25/23 | Governance | John Chevedden | Shareholder Ratification of Termination Pay | Against | 15.70% |
5/27/22 | Governance | John Chevedden | Submit Severence Agreement to Shareholder Vote | Against | 49.17% |
5/27/22 | Governance | Kenneth Steiner | Require Independent Board Chair | Against | 27.26% |