Ensign Group - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Ensign Group is Medium Risk.

Ensign Group 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. 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	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:

In 2018, The US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General reported that “The Ensign Group Agreed to Pay $7,000 for Allegedly Violating the Civil Monetary Penalties Law by Employing Excluded Individuals” (1). The company grew profits year-after-year “yet the company kept staffing levels below the national average and levels recommended by experts. Its facilities had higher than average inspection deficiencies and higher COVID infection rates” (2). However, the company has not canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs (3).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

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

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Ensign Group offers DEI training to its employees (1). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its hiring and leadership composition. From its 2023 ESG Report: “[We] hire staff from diverse backgrounds” and the company accounts for its “Board Diversity and Background” (2). The company does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (3).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Ensign Group supports DEI within its business practices, hosting a DEI Committee (1). The company supports ESG within its business practices. From its 2023 ESG Report: “In 2023 and since, the momentum has continued as our ESG Committee has taken further steps to strengthen our commitment” (2). The company supports DEI within its business practices. From its 2022 ESG Report: The company’s DEI Committee “Meets regularly to develop and implement DEI Initiatives across the organization” (3). The company advocates for State Specific LGBTQ Care (4).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Ensign Group 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:

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