Zendesk

California
CRM & Project Management

Risk Level:

Rating - Caution
Medium Risk

Summary:

Zendesk has not publicly canceled contracts or employees due to religious or political beliefs but does vet suppliers based on their LGBTQ policies. The company does not have viewpoint protections for its employees. Zendesk has donated to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Zendesk endorses the Equality Act. Zendesk has been accused of being "hostile to dissenting viewpoints" and is in discussions with activist investors to change leadership. The company imposes stricter qualifications on faith-based charities in order to receive funding but does not prohibit charity to religious groups. For these reasons, Zendesk 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

Zendesk received a score of 100 on the Corporate Equality Index from the HRC (1). Among other requirements, this means the company has pledged to vet vendors based on LGBTQ policies. The company has not publicly canceled employees or contracts due to religious or political beliefs. However, Zendesk was accused by investors of being “hostile to dissenting viewpoints” and is in talks to change corporate leadership because of these discussions (2)(3).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Zendesk will support faith-based organizations on “the condition that said the organization does not require exposure to, or conversion to any religious doctrine in order to be a beneficiary of the program or an employee of the organization” (1).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Zendesk does not protect employees from political affiliation (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

Zendesk signed an open letter in support of the Equality Act (1). The company promotes adding pronouns to electronic platforms for gender identification (2). It has not otherwise used its corporate reputation to advance ideological agendas.

Criteria

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

Risk Level
Rationale

Zendesk has donated to SPLC  (1). Zendesk also offers to reimburse $3,000 annually to employees, spouses, and dependents that travel to get an abortion (2). Zendesk has donated “nearly $5.2 million in software and service for nonprofit organizations to leverage its support tools” for LGBTQ groups and encourages clients to donate as well (3). Zendesk has also donated to the HRC (4).

Criteria

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

Risk Level
N/A
Rationale

Zendesk does not have a PAC.

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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