Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company

Rating Overview

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company is Medium Risk.

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock 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:

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock integrates ESG into its business practices. From its Sustainability Web Page: “GLDD practices effective environmental, safety, social and governance processes in everything we do” and from its 2024 Sustainability Web Page: “We recognize the importance of collaborating with our suppliers to integrate our sustainability priorities into their practices” (1)(2). The company 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 (3). However, Great Lakes Dredge & Dock 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:

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock 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:

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its supply chain. From its 2023 Sustainability Report: “Great Lakes gives maximum practical opportunity to small business and those with the subcategories Small Disadvantaged Businesses (SDB), Women Business Enterprise (WBE), Women Owned Small Business (WOSB), HubZone, Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB), Small Disadvantaged Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Minority Owned Business Enterprise (MBE), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), and Small Business Enterprise (SBE) to participate on our federal, state, local, and quasigovernmental contracts” (1). The company has a history of divisive corporate policies and practices. However, in 2024, the company removed supplier diversity language from its Sustainability Report. To date, the company has not publicly addressed this change, leaving shareholders without clarity regarding the company’s reasoning or future direction (2). Great Lakes Dredge & Dock 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:

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock supports DEI within its business practices. From its 2021 Sustainability Report : “Great Lakes remains steadfast in our commitment to enhancing representation and development of key talent, including greater diversity, throughout the company” (1). The company supports ESG within its business practices. From its 2024 Sustainability Report: “During the past year, with the help of a third-party sustainability advisor, we conducted a comprehensive assessment to determine the sustainability matters most material to our Company across environmental, social, and governance pillars” (2). Great Lakes Dredge & Dock has a history of divisive corporate policies and practices. However, in 2023, the company removed DEI language and policies from its Sustainability Report. To date, the company has not publicly addressed this change, leaving shareholders without clarity regarding the company’s reasoning or future direction (3).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock 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:

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock has not used its PAC donations or lobbying for ideological purposes (1)(2)(3).