UPS

Georgia
Transportation

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

Summary:

United Parcel Service (UPS) once fired an employee due to their hair length and eventually settled the lawsuit for alleged religious discrimination. The company has since amended this policy. UPS does not have viewpoint protections for its employees. UPS also funds the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). The company also actively uses its corporate image to promote the Equality Act, but it has not used PAC dollars to promote ideological groups hostile to freedom of expression. UPS has not canceled any business contracts due to views or beliefs. For these reasons, UPS 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

UPS has a written policy requiring suppliers not to discriminate on the basis of LGBTQ identity and received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the HRC  (1). In 2019, UPS reached a settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over a 2015 incident where UPS was accused of firing or not hiring employees who would not cut their hair due to religious beliefs (2). The company has since amended this policy and is under the guidance of new leadership.

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

UPS does not discriminate against religious groups regarding its charitable giving (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

UPS does not protect its employees from viewpoint discrimination in its nondiscrimination policy (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

UPS has come out in support of the Equality Act and has regularly used press releases to support ideological agendas (1)(2)(3).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

UPS is a Platinum Sponsor of the Human Rights Campaign (1). UPS has donated over $200,000 to National Urban League affiliates and $15,000 to the Anti-Defamation League (2).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

The UPS corporate PAC does not use its funds for ideological purposes (1).

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

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