Astec Industries - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Astec Industries is Medium Risk.

Astec Industries, Inc. is Medium Risk. The company often yields to political activism in shaping corporate governance, potentially alienating consumers, dividing employees, and harming shareholders. The company elevates merit, excellence, and integrity ahead of race and identity-based policies. Astec occasionally embraces corporate initiatives that redirect its central focus from business goals to partisan policies and divisive issues at times. This approach fails to safeguard free exercise, free speech, and free enterprise.

Rating Criteria

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

Corporate Weaponization ⓘ

Corporate Governance and Public Policy Risk Levels
Criteria	Risk Level
Advocacy Bias	High 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:

Medium

Rationale:

Astec expects its suppliers to “Comply with all applicable environmental laws, regulations, policies and standards” (1). However, the company has not canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs (2).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Astec does not appear to discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or beliefs. The company’s charitable giving focus areas are “Health & Human Services, Workforce Readiness & STEM-focused Education, Environment, [and] Economic Development” (1)(2).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

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

Corporate Governance and Public Policy

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Astec is committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 (1). The company supports DEI within its business practices. From its 2021 Notice of Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement: “With the support of our Board of Directors, we continue to explore additional diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives” (2). The company supports ESG within its business practices. From its 2021 Notice of Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement: “As part of our evolving strategy, we intend to deploy ESG-related goals and key performance indicators across our businesses, and to report on material goals and our performance results” (3).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Astec 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:

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