CenterSquare - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

CenterSquare is Medium Risk.

CenterSquare is Medium Risk. The company 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. CenterSquare 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:

CenterSquare is a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment, incorporating ESG issues into investment analysis, decision-making, and other business practices (1)(2). CenterSquare integrates ESG into its business practices by using “ESG considerations into our listed equities investment process” (3). However, CenterSquare has not canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs (4).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

CenterSquare does not appear to discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or beliefs (1)(2).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

CenterSquare appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its recruitment, hiring, promotions, and leadership composition. From its DEI Commitments page, “We are continuing to increase diverse representation across our management and leadership ranks, leveraging existing and prospective talent. Our commitment to diversity, with a focus on inclusion, is evidenced in our policies, programs and throughout our business” (1). CenterSquare offers ESG training to its employees (2). CenterSquare does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (3)(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:

CenterSquare is a signatory of the Investor Agenda, committing to a alignment with the Paris Agreement (1)(2). CenterSquare promotes the Science Based Target Initiatives, an organization committed to helping companies meet net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 (3). CenterSquare is a member of the Global Real Estate Engagement Network, a nonprofit committed to moving the real estate industry to net-zero emissions by 2050 (4)(5). CenterSquare is a member of Climate Action 100+, committed to carbon neutrality by 2050 (6)(7). CenterSquare published multiple articles promoting ESG business practices (8).