Cass Information Systems

Rating Overview

Cass Information Systems is Medium Risk.

Cass Information Systems, Inc. is Medium Risk. The company often yields to political activism in shaping corporate governance, potentially alienating consumers, dividing employees, and harming shareholders. Cass Information Systems implements race and identity-based policies that replace merit, excellence, and integrity with preferential treatment and outcomes. 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	Medium 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:

Lower

Rationale:

Cass 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:

Medium

Rationale:

The Cass Charitable Contributions Committee requires that organizations “support diversity, equity,

& inclusion” (1). Therefore, it is likely that religious organizations would not be eligible for charitable giving.

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

In 2023, Cass required its employees to take DEI, unconscious bias, and microaggression training (1). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its recruitment. From its 2024 ESG Report: “Cass regularly participates in college outreach programs and other community sourcing initiatives to seek a diverse set of employee candidates, including partnering with local agencies in our markets” (2). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its leadership composition. From its 2025 Proxy Statement: “Diversity in gender, ethnic background… are prioritized when considering candidates for director” (3). The company is an affirmative action employer: “Cass adheres to an Affirmative Action Plan (AAP)” (4). The company does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (5).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Cass supports DEI within its business practices, hosting a DEI Committee (1). Cass supports ESG within its business practices, hosting an ESG committee (2). The company supports ESG within its business practices. From its 2025 Proxy Statement: “The Company is increasingly focused on and committed to strong ESG practices and believes ESG standards and business practices are aligned with the Company’s corporate purpose and values” (3). The company supports DEI within its business practices. From its 2023 ESG Report: The company’s “principles include striving to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within a work

environment that fosters creativity and respect for differences” (4).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Cass 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: