Morgan Stanley (E-Trade)

New York
Banks, Diversified Financials

Risk Level:

Rating - Danger
High Risk

Summary:

Morgan Stanley regularly uses its corporate image and funds to support ideological policies and groups hostile to freedom of expression. The company also will not donate to any religious groups and does not provide viewpoint discrimination for its employees. Its PAC has also donated to an ideology-based PAC. Although the bank has not publicly fired retail clients due to ideological differences, the bank will not fund some oil and gas projects or certain businesses dealing with firearms or ammunition. For these reasons, Morgan Stanley receives a High Risk rating. This rating applies to E*Trade, a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley.

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

Morgan Stanley restricts its funding to oil and gas projects and would not pledge to end this discrimination when pressed by the Treasurer of West Virginia (1). Morgan Stanley will also not fund certain legal guns and ammunition dealers (2). The company received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Among other requirements, this means Morgan Stanley has pledged to vet vendors for LGBTQ policies (3).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Morgan Stanley will not donate to religious organizations (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Morgan Stanley 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

Morgan Stanley signed a letter in support of the Equality Act (1). Morgan Stanley also has a history of LGBTQ advocacy, supporting amicus briefs overturning the Defense of Marriage Act (2013 and 2015) and supporting expanding Civil Rights Protections for sexual orientation (2).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Morgan Stanley is a Platinum partner of the Human Rights Campaign (1). Morgan Stanley has also donated and encouraged clients and others to support multiple racial justice organizations, some of which include partisan, leftist groups such as Black Lives Matter, Color of Change, and the American Civil Liberties Union (2). Morgan Stanley also reimburses employee travel costs for abortions (3).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Morgan Stanley has used its PAC for ideological purposes by donating to the Equality PAC (1).

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

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