Bonterra - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Bonterra is Medium Risk.

Bonterra 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. Bonterra 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	Lower Risk
Discriminatory Philanthropy	No Data
Employment Protection	Medium Risk

Corporate Weaponization ⓘ

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

Lower

Rationale:

Bonterra has not publicly canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs (1).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

N/A

Rationale:

Bonterra does not publish charitable giving guidelines (1).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

Bonterra 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:

High

Rationale:

Bonterra supports DEI within its business practices. From its Values and DEI page: “our culture is centered on our purpose-driven values and commitment to DEIB” (1). The company also offers “a grantmaker’s checklist outlining key questions to ask when developing a DEI-centered approach” (2). Bonterra supports ESG within its business practices. From its 2023 Impact Report: its subsidiary, WeSpire, “allow[s] even more employees and organizations, regardless of size, to participate in impact initiatives that create an inclusive culture program that improves business performance, enhances CSR and ESG outcomes” (3). The company has a page on its site allowing users to “report” religious content in their children’s online classes to the American Atheists organization (4). Bonterra supports DEI within its business practices, employing a Chief Diversity Officer (5). The company is a member of the “Don’t Ban Equality” business coalition, which advocates against any abortion restrictions because they are “bad for business” (6).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Bonterra partnered with The LGBTQ Victory Fund to increase support for LGBT candidates in the 2020 election (1). Bonterra’s EveryAction also partnered in community canvassing with GLAAD and GLSEN (2)(3). The company encourages its employees to offer pro bono services or donate to “black-led” organizations to offset alleged discriminatory giving and help “overcome systemic challenges” (4). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of Bonterra using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (5).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

N/A

Rationale:

Bonterra does not operate a PAC or engage in lobbying at this time (1)(2)(3).