Nordstrom

Washington
Retailing

Corprate Bias Ratings

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

Nordstrom vets vendors according to LGBTQ policies and does not provide its employees with protections against viewpoint discrimination, though the company has not publicly terminated business relationships due to views or beliefs. The company covers abortion-related travel costs for its employees and the cost of "medically necessary transition-related care" for its employees and their children. Nordstrom pledged $5 million to BLM and related causes. Nordstrom is a gold partner of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), has supported the Equality Act and opposed various state-level bills, such as an election security bill in Georgia. For these reasons, Nordstrom receives a Medium 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

Nordstrom 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 (1). Due to its diversity hiring practices, America First Legal filed a complaint with the EEOC about Nordstrom’s allegedly illegal hiring practices (2). However, the outcome of the complaint remains to be seen.

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Nordstrom does not discriminate against religious organizations in its charitable giving (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Nordstrom does 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

Nordstrom 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). The company signed an open letter in support of the Equality Act (3). Nordstrom has opposed a Georgia election security bill and signed HRC-led open letters opposing various legislation deemed “anti-LGBTQ,” including bills intended to protect the integrity of women’s sports (4)(5). Nordstrom created a Pride Month campaign in support of the Hetrick-Martin Institute (6). Nordstrom also signed onto the Don’t Ban Equality statement, which opposes abortion restrictions and the overturning of Roe v. Wade (7).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Nordstrom has pledged to cover employees’ abortion-related travel expenses (1). Nordstrom has pledged $5 million to the Black Lives Matter movement and related causes, including the Black Lives Matter Global Foundation and the National Urban League (2)(3)(4). Nordstrom is a Gold partner of the HRC (5). Nordstrom has partnered with a Seattle-based Pride organization focused on programs for youths under the age 18 (6).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
N/A
Rationale

Nordstrom does not have an active PAC.

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
August 11, 2023

Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer

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