Verizon
Risk Level:
Summary:
Verizon fails to protect its employees against viewpoint discrimination. It uses its reputation and corporate funds to advance ideological causes and groups hostile to freedom of expression. Verizon has donated to Planned Parenthood. Verizon has selectively worked with vendors according to their policies on LGBTQ rights. Verizon terminated its relationship with One America News Network (OANN). For these reasons, Verizon receives a "High Risk" rating.
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.
High-level officials in the Trump campaign had their texting campaign temporarily paused for a period of about five days in 2020, a pivotal time in the election (1). Verizon claims that the cessation of service was a third-party decision to make sure the campaign met spam/privacy criteria for the texts, while the Trump campaign argues it was unnecessary and political. Verizon terminated its relationship with conservative OANN in 2022 (2). Verizon received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign. Among other requirements, this means the company has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies (3).
Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.
Verizon does not discriminate against religious organizations in its charitable giving and matches employee contributions to churches and religious groups (1). However, its corporate grants do allow for the company to exclude religious organizations unless the donations benefit the community at large (2).
Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.
Verizon does not protect its employees against viewpoint discrimination (1).
Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.
Verizon advocates for the Equality Act and transgender participation in female sports (1)(2). It has also spoken out against voting integrity laws in multiple conservative states (3). Verizon has opposed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which prohibits teaching gender identity and sexual orientation in schools to kids in K-3rd grade (4).
Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.
Uses corporate political contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.
Verizon has donated to the Equality PAC (1).
All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
March 23, 2023
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