John Bean Technologies Corporation

Rating Overview

John Bean Technologies Corporation is Medium Risk.

John Bean Technologies (JBT) 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. JBT 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	Medium Risk
Funding	Medium 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:

JBT integrates ESG into its business practices. From its Supplier Code of Conduct: “Suppliers are expected to cooperate with JBT on carbon reporting and environmental compliance, including setting and reporting on emission reduction targets” (1). The company promotes divisive sex and gender policies. Its Supplier Code of Conduct requires international vendors to include sexual orientation in their nondiscrimination policy (2). However, the company has not publicly 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:

JBT 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:

JBT offers DEI training to its employees (1). JBT appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its hiring, promotion, leadership composition, and supply chain. From its Supplier Diversity page: “As part of JBT’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, we have established a dynamic supplier diversity program” (2). From its JBT 2022 ESG Report: The company “[Continues] to increase female and minority representation in leadership through acquisitions and inclusive hiring and promoting practices” while it also accounts for “Diversity Among [Its] Leadership” (3). JBT claims to be an affirmative action employer: “Equal opportunity extends to all aspects of the employment relationship, including but not limited to hiring, promotions, training and development, working conditions, compensation and benefits. All employment decisions are made based on the individual’s qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, gender identity or sexual orientation” (4). JBT does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (5).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

JBT supports DEI within its business practices, hosting a Diversity & Inclusion Council (1). JBT’s CEO Brian Deck signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, which includes a commitment to promote DEI through bias education training in the workplace (2)(3)(4). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of the company using its reputation to advance ideological causes or policies (5).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

JBT sponsored Sandusky Pride (1). Otherwise, JBT has not used corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (2).

Criteria:

Uses corporate political actions and/or financial contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.

Risk Level:

N/A

Rationale:

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