Sweetgreen

California
Food Beverage and Tobacco

Corprate Bias Ratings

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

Sweetgreen, which is a restaurant chain, 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. Sweetgreen supports the Equality Act and opposed the new voting integrity election bill. The company committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2027 and to enhancing programs focused on anti-racism and bias. Sweetgreen has supported and funded multiple LGBTQ and BLM ideological organizations. However, Sweetgreen does not appear to discriminate against religious organizations. For these reasons, Sweetgreen 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

Sweetgreen 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). Sweetgreen has not publicly fired customers, suppliers, or vendors 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

Sweetgreen 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

Sweetgreen does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (1)(2).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy
Criteria

Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level
Rationale

Sweetgreen signed an open letter in support of the Equality Act and publicly opposed Georgia’s 2021 election integrity bill among many other organizations in a New York Times full-page advertisement (1)(2). The company committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2027 and to enhancing programs focused on anti-racism and bias (3)(4). Sweetgreen supports LGBTQ causes through its Pride-focused marketing campaign (5).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Sweetgreen 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’s Pride campaign partnered with Covenant House, an LGBTQ organization, to donate $25,000 through its Pride-focused marketing campaign (3). Sweetgreen also partnered with an artist to produce 4,000 Black Lives Matter uniform shirts for each of its employees (4).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
N/A
Rationale

Sweetgreen does not operate a PAC at this time (1).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
November 29, 2023

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