Restaurant Brands International (RBI)

Burger King, Tim Hortons, Popeye's, Firehouse Subs
Canada
Food Beverage and Tobacco

Corprate Bias Ratings

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

Restaurant Brands International (RBI) vets vendors according to LGBTQ policies and does not protect its employees against viewpoint discrimination. However, it has not publicly terminated business relationships based on views or beliefs. The company covers the cost of "medically necessary transition-related care” for its employees and their children and integrates ESG into all of its business practices. RBI and its subsidiaries have supported and funded multiple LGBTQ ideological causes and events. The company requires implicit bias training for its employees and is committed to carbon neutrality by 2050. However, RBI does not appear to discriminate against religious organizations in its charitable giving. For these reasons, Restaurant Brands International 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

Restaurant Brands International (RBI) received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index. Among other requirements, this means the company has a written policy pledging to vet vendors for LGBTQ policies (1)(2). RBI integrates ESG into all of its business practices. The company states, “In 2022, executive
compensation was tied to ESG metrics related to both diversity and responsible sourcing.” (3).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

RBI does not appear to discriminate against religious organizations in its charitable giving (1)(2).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

RBI 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

Burger King debuted the “Pride Whopper” during Austria’s Pride month in 2022 and Popeye’s supported the BLM movement (1)(2). In response to the Black Lives Matter movement, Restaurant Brands International’s corporate office announced that it would be instituting diversity hiring quotas, including for people of certain ethnic identities (3).  RBI is committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and has implemented implicit bias training for its employees (4)(5).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

RBI 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). In June 2021, Burger King announced in a tweet that it would be donating a portion of proceeds from chicken sandwich sales during LGBTQ Pride Month “even on Sundays” to the HRC, resulting in donations of $250,000 (3). RBI insures that donations to its foundation will go to a wide variety of organizations, “including women, Black, Indigenous, people of color and those who identify as LGBTQ+” (4). Burger King is a Signature Partner of the Urban League of Broward County, Florida and a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (5)(6).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

RBI does not operate a PAC at this time and has not lobbied for ideological purposes (1)(2).

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

Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer

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