Avison Young - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Avison Young is Medium Risk.

Avison Young often yields to political activism in shaping corporate governance, potentially alienating consumers, dividing employees, and harming shareholders. The company implements race and identity-based policies that replace merit, excellence, and integrity with preferential treatment and outcomes. Avison Young 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	High 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:

Avison Young integrates ESG into its business practices. From its ESG Report: “All employees are responsible for incorporating our ESG commitments and policy directives into their day to day business activities. While there are key decisions makers, ESG integration is a core job requirement for each of our staff members and we offer training to help support them in this regard” (1). However, the company has not publicly canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs (2)(3).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Avison Young does not discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or beliefs. However, it will only give to religious organizations that provide non-sectarian services (1).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Avison Young requires its leadership to take inclusive leadership training (1). The company offers D&I training to its employees (2). Avison Young appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its recruitment and hiring. From its 2022 Impact Report: “Creating, maintaining and nurturing a diverse and engaged workforce is at the top of the list for the HR team at Avison Young” (3). The company does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (4).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Avison Young is committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2030 (1). The company supports DEI within its business practices, employing a D&I Advisory Council (2). Avison Young received the GlobeSt. Real Estate Forum’s Diversity Champion Award in 2021 and its CEO received the Diversity Champion Award for advocating for women and gender equality (3)(4). The company is committed to CREW Network’s CRE pledge for action which focuses on the advancement of DEI (5)(6)(7)(8).