Fate Therapeutics, Inc. - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Fate Therapeutics, Inc. is Medium Risk.

Fate Therapeutics, Inc. 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	Lower Risk

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:

Fate Therapeutics, Inc. integrates ESG into its business practices. From its 2025 Proxy Statement: “You can learn about how we incorporate [environmental stewardship, social responsibility, good corporate governance and investment in human capital] and practices into our operations on our website” (1). However, the company 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:

Fate Therapeutics, Inc. does not appear to discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or beliefs (1). The company’s charitable giving focus areas are autoimmune and cancer research, diversity career programs, STEM education, and food drives (2).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Fate Therapeutics, Inc. appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its hiring. From its 2022 Annual Report: “We are committed to actively seeking out highly qualified women and minority candidates, as well as candidates with diverse backgrounds, skills and experiences” (1). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its leadership composition. From its 2025 DEF 14A: “Additionally, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considers whether nominees assist in achieving a mix of board members that represents a diversity of background and experience, which is not only limited to race, gender or national origin, and is committed to actively seeking out highly qualified women and minority candidates” (2). The company 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:

Fate Therapeutics, Inc. supports DEI within its business practices. From its Corporate Responsibility page: “Our commitment to diversifying the representation of our organization is a commitment that starts at the top” (1). The company supports DEI within its business practices. From its 2025 DEF 14A: “We are dedicated to the principles of environmental stewardship, social responsibility, good corporate governance and investment in human capital” (2).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Fate Therapeutics, Inc. 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:

Lower

Rationale:

Fate Therapeutics, Inc. does not operate a PAC at this time and has not used its lobbying for ideological purposes (1)(2)(3).