Williams-Sonoma

Pottery Barn, West Elm, Rejuvenation
California
Retailing

Corprate Bias Ratings

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

Williams-Sonoma corporately funds the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and supports the Equality Act. Williams-Sonoma has not publicly terminated business relationships due to views or beliefs, though it does vet suppliers according to its LGBTQ policies. Williams-Sonoma does not protect its employees against viewpoint discrimination, though it does not discriminate against religious organizations in its charitable giving. For these reasons, Williams-Sonoma earns 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

Williams-Sonoma received a score of 90 on the Corporate Equality Index from the HRC. Among other requirements, this means the company has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies (1). However, Williams-Sonoma has not publicly terminated business relationships due to views or beliefs.

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Williams-Sonoma’s charitable giving policy will match employee donations to qualifying charitable organizations of up to $500 a year (1). Williams-Sonoma donates without ideological prejudice.

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Williams-Sonoma does not provide protections against 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

Williams-Sonoma is part of CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion and the United Nations Free & Equal campaign for LGBTQ policies (1). Williams-Sonoma has signed an open letter in support of the Equality Act (2)(3).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

William-Sonoma is a National Corporate Gold Partner with the HRC (1). The company donates to many LGBTQ-interest lobbyist organizations (2). William-Sonoma donated $9.5 million to the Trevor Project as part of its Pride fundraiser, which included hosting a drag queen cook-off (3)(4). William-Sonoma donated $250,000 to a list of organizations that included the NAACP and the National Urban League (5). Williams-Sonoma runs fundraisers for the National Urban League and other organizations through its merchandise sales (6). Williams-Sonoma’s subsidiary West Elm signed the Fifteen Percent Pledge and “committed to dedicate 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned brands” (7)(8).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
N/A
Rationale

Williams-Sonoma does not have a PAC (1).

All links were last accessed and all information was updated on:
September 20, 2023

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