Synchrony Financial

Diversified Financials

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

Summary:

Synchrony has not terminated business relationships due to religious or political beliefs, despite not protecting employees from viewpoint discrimination. Synchrony pledges to vet vendors for LGBTQ policies and advocates for pro-LGBTQ policies. The company has not weaponized its funds to advance or support ideological causes or organizations hostile to freedom of expression. For these reasons, Synchrony Financial 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

Synchrony has not terminated business relationships due to religious or political beliefs. It received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign. Among other requirements, this means the company vets suppliers according to their LGBTQ policies (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Synchrony will not donate to houses of worship but does donate to religious organizations that “serve a secular purpose,” “do not require participation in prayer, worship or other religious activities as a condition of receiving service(s) offered,” and “do not serve a religious purpose” (1). Habitat for Humanity and other religious organizations with a secular purpose do receive charitable donations from Synchrony (2).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Synchrony 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

Synchrony has signed open letters supporting the Equality Act and transgender participation in women’s and girls’ sports (1)(2). Synchrony opposed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which prohibits teaching gender identity and sexual orientation in schools to kids in K-3rd grade (3).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Synchrony’s foundation does not donate to ideological organizations hostile to freedom of expression.

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Synchrony has not used its PAC to support ideological groups hostile to freedom of expression (1).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
January 2, 2023

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