Candlewick Press - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Candlewick Press is Lower Risk.

Candlewick Press does not yield to political activism in shaping corporate governance, preventing initiatives that potentially alienate consumers, divide employees, and harm shareholders. The company elevates merit, excellence, and integrity ahead of race and identity-based policies. Candlewick Press does not embrace corporate initiatives that redirect its central focus from business goals to partisan policies and divisive issues. This approach protects 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	Medium Risk
Funding	Medium 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:

Anthony Horowitz claims Walker Books told him what “he could and couldn’t say” (1). However, Candlewick Press 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:

Lower

Rationale:

Candlewick Press does not discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or beliefs. It donates books to nonprofits with a “primary mission [involving] literacy efforts” (1)(2).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

Candlewick Press 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:

Medium

Rationale:

Candlewick Press signed the National Coalition Against Censorship pledge in December 2021, highlighting LGBT books (1)(2). Candlewick Press publishes many LGBTQ books including ‘Twas the Night Before Pride by JoAnn McClintick (3)(4). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of Candlewick Press using its reputation to advance ideological causes or policies (5)(6).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

Candlewick Press funds libraries that seek to expand “underserved communities” among which are “nontraditional families” via the Light the Way Grant (1). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of Candlewick Press 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:

N/A

Rationale:

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