Tesla

Texas
Automobiles and Components

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

Summary:

Tesla has not fired any employees or canceled business contracts for ideological reasons. The company did get into trouble for firing a pro-unionization worker who was eventually rehired. Tesla does not have viewpoint protections in place for employees. It has donated to ideological PACs and advocated for the Equality Act. However, Tesla's corporate funds do not go to ideological groups, nor has it used its corporate image to advance an agenda. For these reasons, Tesla 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

Tesla received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign. Among other requirements, this means Tesla has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies (1). Tesla was ordered by the National Labor Relations Board to rehire an employee who it claimed was fired over pro-unionization statements (2)(3). However, Tesla claims it fired the employee for posting internal employee profiles to Facebook illegally and that the firing was never related to that employee’s political beliefs.

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Tesla restricts its donations and community engagement to groups, schools, and programs supporting STEM education. There is no language about restrictions or requirements for giving to religious groups (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Tesla has viewpoint and religious protections for suppliers, but only religious protections for employees (1)(2). It does not protect employees from viewpoint discrimination.

Corporate Governance and Public Policy
Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Tesla signed an open letter in support of the Equality Act but has otherwise stayed out of political discussion unrelated to its business (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Tesla announced that it was expanding its health insurance offering to include “travel and lodging support for those who may need to seek healthcare services that are unavailable in their home state,” including abortions. (1)

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Tesla has donated to the Black Lives Matter PAC and other ideological groups (1).

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

Company reports are intended for educational use only. Full Disclaimer

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