Epson - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Epson is Medium Risk.

Epson 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. Epson 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:

Epson promotes divisive sex and gender policies. Its Supplier Code of Conduct requires international vendors to include sexual orientation and gender identity in their nondiscrimination policy (1). However, Epson has not 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:

Epson does not 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:

Epson requires its managers to take diversity management training (1)(2). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its business structure through the establishment of gender targets for its recruitment, hiring, and leadership composition. The company is seeking “female employees to account for 8% of management positions and 10% of leadership roles by March 2026” and to “recruit new graduates, with a goal of securing at least 25% women” (3). Epson Europe is a member of myGwork, a professional job and networking platform that connects employers with LGBTQ+ professionals and advances workplace diversity and inclusion initiatives. Corporate membership benefits vary by level and include LGBTQ+-focused services in areas such as talent recruitment, job postings, employer branding, employee engagement, DEI programming and training, and media exposure (4)(5)(6). The company protects its employees against viewpoint discrimination (7).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Epson is aligned with the Paris Agreement, which entails a commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 (1). The company is aligned with the Paris Agreement, which entails a commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 (2). The company supports DEI within its business practices. From its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion page: “DE&I is one of our material management issues” (3). The company supports ESG within its business practices. From its sustainability webpage: “We are working to realize our environmental vision by promoting decarbonization and closing the resource loop, developing environmental technologies, and providing products and services that reduce environmental impacts.”(4)(5).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Epson 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:

Epson does not operate a PAC or report on its lobbying at this time (1)(2)(3).