Alibaba Group - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Alibaba Group is High Risk.

Note: This company is likely subject to the influence and control of the Chinese Communist Party, which actively censors speech and denies the freedoms we strive to protect. Therefore, 1792 Exchange urges extra caution when evaluating this vendor for business relationships.
Alibaba is High Risk. The company yields to political activism in shaping corporate governance, potentially alienating consumers, dividing employees, and harming shareholders. Alibaba embraces corporate initiatives that redirect its central focus from business goals to partisan policies and divisive issues. This approach fails to safeguard free exercise, free speech, and free enterprise.

Rating Criteria

Corporate Weaponization Risk Levels
Criteria	Risk Level
Cancellations	High Risk
Discriminatory Philanthropy	Lower Risk
Employment Protection	Medium Risk

Corporate Weaponization ⓘ

Corporate Governance and Public Policy Risk Levels
Criteria	Risk Level
Advocacy Bias	Medium Risk
Funding	Lower Risk
Political Actions	No Data

Corporate Governance and Public Policy ⓘ

Rating Criteria Detail

Criteria Risk Level Rationale

Corporate Weaponization

Criteria:

Has canceled 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:

High

Rationale:

Alibaba has not publicly terminated business relationships due to religious or political beliefs. However, the Chinese Communist Party has exercised influence and potential control of Alibaba through various actions such as fining the company over its choice of vendors and entering into deals to control more of the company (1)(2). After CEO Jack Ma criticized China’s monetary policy, he went missing without explanation for months (3). In 2023, Ma reduced his ownership in the company from over 50% to just over 6% (4).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Alibaba does not discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or beliefs (1)(2).

Criteria:

Employment policies fail to protect against viewpoint or other discrimination and/or are ideological in nature.

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

Alibaba does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (1)(2).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy

Criteria:

Uses corporate reputation to support causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

Alibaba subsidiary Tmall has run ads with LGBT themes, winning them praise from LGBTQ organizations such as LoveMatters (1). The company sells various Pride themed items at wholesale prices on its website (2). Alibaba is committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2030 (3). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of the company using its reputation to advance ideological causes or policies (4).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Alibaba has not used corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (1).

Criteria:

Uses corporate political actions and/or financial contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.

Risk Level:

N/A

Rationale:

Alibaba does not operate a PAC or report on its lobbying at this time (1)(2)(3).