Mastercard

New York
Diversified Financials

Risk Level:

Rating - Danger
High Risk

Summary:

Mastercard publicly terminated business relationships due to political views with The David Horowitz Freedom Center after the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) accused them of being a hate group. Mastercard has used its corporate dollars, image, and policies to advance leftist policies and causes hostile to freedom of expression. It gives to groups like the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and enables employee giving to Planned Parenthood while limiting employee donation matching to religious organizations. Mastercard vets vendors for pro-LGBTQ policies but does not have viewpoint protections for its employees. For these reasons, Mastercard 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

Mastercard publicly terminated business relationships due to political views with The David Horowitz Freedom Center after the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) accused them of being a hate group (1)(2). The company received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the HRC. Among other requirements, this means Mastercard has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies (3)(4).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Mastercard will match employee donations to religious organizations that engage in community work under a separate 501(c)(3) status (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Mastercard does not protect its employees from 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

Mastercard has weaponized its corporate image and attempted to leverage support for the Equality Act and opposition to the Georgia voting reform law (1)(2). Mastercard utilizes a new product code for legal firearms, allowing for the potential tracking of legal gun purchases (3).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Mastercard is a corporate partner of the HRC (1). Mastercard also indirectly donates to Planned Parenthood through employee gift matching (2). Mastercard has announced that it will cover employee travel and lodging for out-of-state abortions (3).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Mastercard has contributed to the Equality PAC (1).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
March 23, 2023

Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer

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