Brown-Forman - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Brown-Forman is Medium Risk.

Brown-Forman 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. The company 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	High Risk
Employment Protection	Medium Risk

Corporate Weaponization ⓘ

Corporate Governance and Public Policy Risk Levels
Criteria	Risk Level
Advocacy Bias	Medium Risk
Funding	Medium Risk
Political Actions	Lower Risk

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:

Brown-Forman previously tied executive compensation to DEI metrics. However, in 2025, the company followed through on its pledge to “eliminate the prior D&I performance component” and now ties compensation solely to “Company and individual performance goals” (1). The company has not publicly 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:

High

Rationale:

Brown-Forman will not give to “Religious organizations such as churches and synagogues” (1).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

Brown-Forman required its employees to complete “unconscious bias” training. However, in September 2024, the company pledged to cease all DEI training, stop tying executive compensation to hiring based on race/sex, and stop discriminating based on race/sex in its supply chain (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). Brown-Forman does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (6).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

Brown-Forman scored a 100 out of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index. However, in August 2024, the company pledged to shift some of its corporate policies and practices back toward neutral. Brown-Forman pledged to stop submitting data to the HRC (1)(2)(3)(4). Brown-Forman is a Ceres Network Member, committed to carbon neutrality by 2040 (5)(6)(7).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

Jack Daniels, a subsidiary of Brown-Forman, sponsored Pride on 39th in 2025 (1). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of Brown-Forman using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (2).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Brown-Forman publicly advocated for divisive ideology through local, state or federal legislation or initiatives. However, in September 2024, the company pledged to shift its corporate policies and practices back toward neutral (1)(2)(3)(4). Brown-Forman has not used its PAC donations or lobbying for ideological purposes (5)(6)(7).