Paramount Global
Corprate Bias Ratings
Risk Level:
Summary:
Paramount Global (since 2022, formerly ViacomCBS), the parent network of Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, CBS, and more, vets vendors according to LGBTQ policies and does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees. However, it has not publicly terminated business relationships based on views or beliefs. The company frequently uses its reputation to speak on political matters, promoted LGBTQ content to kids, and partnered with the NAACP to promote activists. Paramount Global funded Amnesty International and has donated $5 million to social justice organizations. The company is a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) and discriminates against some religious organizations in its charitable giving. Paramount Global donated to the Equality PAC and has lobbied for ideological purposes. For these reasons, Paramount Global 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.
Paramount Global has a written policy pledging to vet vendors for LGBTQ policies. Its Global Business Code of Conduct requires vendors to include sexual orientation and gender identity in its nondiscrimination policy (1). The company has not publicly fired customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs.
Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.
ViacomCBS’s charitable giving guidelines require that organizations abide by its nondiscrimination policy, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, thereby excluding some religious charities (1).
Employment policies fail to protect against discrimination based on political affiliation/views and/or religion.
Paramount Global does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (1).
Uses corporate reputation to support ideological causes and/or organizations hostile to freedom of expression.
As ViacomCBS, Paramount Global denounced state election integrity efforts to reform their own election processes after the pandemic (1). CBS announced a new reality tv show called “The Activist,” where activists will “compete in missions, media stunts, digital campaigns and community events” (2)(3). Another affiliate, Nickelodeon, has added pro-LGBTQ messaging to many of its kids’ shows (4)(5). ViacomCBS noted that they would “monitor” a 2019 fetal heartbeat law in Georgia and considered moving production from the state (6).
Uses corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.
Paramount 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). In 2020, ViacomCBS donated $5 million to several different social justice organizations, including Amnesty International and National Bail Out (3). Paramount and ViacomCBS are corporate partners of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) (4).
All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
December 5, 2023
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Voting History
| Date | ESG Category | Proponent | Summary of Resolution | Mgmt Rec | Total Vote % in Favor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/8/23 | Governance | Not Disclosed | Board Chair Is an Independent Director | Against | 2.90% |
| 5/8/23 | Social | N/A - Undisclosed | Report on Political Spending | Against | 0.00% |
| 6/8/22 | Governance | N/A - Undisclosed | Special Meetings - Reduce Ownership Req. to 25% | Against | 5.04% |