Qualcomm

California
Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment

Corprate Bias Ratings

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

Qualcomm scored a 55 on the 2023 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. By complying with Human Rights Campaign’s controversial demands, Qualcomm 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, and philanthropic support. Qualcomm uses its corporate funds and political influence to support controversial sex and gender ideologies and organizations. Qualcomm has sponsored local Planned Parenthood facilities and pledged $1.5 million to the Black Lives Matter movement. The company supports the Equality Act and is a brass sponsor of Out & Equal. Qualcomm is a signatory of the Business Roundtable's 2019 Statement on the Purpose of Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism. However, the company has not used its political contributions for ideological purposes. For these reasons, Qualcomm 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

Qualcomm received a score of 55 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 (1)(2). However, the company has not publicly terminated business relationships based on political views or religious beliefs.

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Qualcomm’s HRC CEI rating indicates the company will not donate to non-religious charities unless they embrace controversial sexual identity policies (1)(2).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Qualcomm 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

Qualcomm has signed an open letter in support of the Equality Act and invited notable critical race theorist Ibram X. Kendi to speak to employees on issues of race (1)(2). In 2016, the company spoke out against a North Carolina legislation, HB2, that would require people to use the bathroom of their biological gender (3)(4). CEO Cristiano R. Amon is a member of the Business Roundtable and Former CEO Steve Mollenkopf signed its 2019 Statement on the Purpose of Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism over traditional obligations to shareholders and customers (5)(6).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Qualcomm’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 (1)(2). By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company increases health care costs and risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders. The company has sponsored local Planned Parenthood facilities and pledged $1.5 million to the Black Lives Matter movement and related causes (3)(4)(5). Qualcomm is a brass sponsor of Out & Equal (6).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Qualcomm has not used its PAC donations or lobbied for ideological purposes (1)(2)(3).

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

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