KPMG

The KPMG Chair in the UK was pressured into stepping down after comments that unconscious bias seminars are “crap” and that no classes/seminars have ever changed anything; he also said that employees were “lucky” and needed to “stop moaning” about COVID-19 (1)(2). The company also cut ties with Phil Mickelson after he made comments criticizing the Saudi’s human rights violations (3). KPMG received a score of 100 on the 2025 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group. The company recruits employees based on sexual identity issues. The company discriminates against vendors that do not promote divisive sex and gender policies, indicating it prioritizes sexual issues over merit (4)(5). The company promotes divisive sex and gender policies. Its Supplier Code of Conduct requires international vendors to include sexual orientation in their nondiscrimination policy (6).

KPMG‘s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company will not donate to non-religious charities unless they embrace controversial sexual identity policies (1)(2). The company does not appear to discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or beliefs (3)(4).

KPMG‘s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company forces employees to attend multiple, controversial trainings on gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender issues, and divisive racial ideology. The company provides gender transition guidelines for its employees and a specific benefits guide with a comprehensive explanation of transgender services funded by the company (1)(2). KPMG’s US Chair and CEO Paul Knopp signed Catalyst’s Champions for Change pledge, indicating its support of DEI in its leadership composition through the establishment of gender and racial targets (3)(4). The company’s 2023 sustainability report states, “The collective goal of all KPMG member firms is to achieve a figure of 33 percent women at partner and director level globally by 2025,” (5). The company is a signatory of the Gender & Diversity KPI Alliance, appearing to prioritize diversity over merit in its business structure through the establishment of gender and racial targets for its leadership composition and its support of DEI in its hiring and promotions (6)(7). Additionally, “KPMG US has developed its Supplier Diversity program that seeks to include people from all backgrounds in the sourcing and procurement process, with the goal to organically grow spend with our network of suppliers from diverse backgrounds” (8). KPMG does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (9).

KPMG‘s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company agrees to allow a controversial stakeholder group focused on sexual identity issues to dictate marketing or advertising strategy. By doing so, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2). KPMG signed an open letter endorsing the Equality Act, a contentious proposal to amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act by adding sexual orientation and so-called gender identity as protected categories. The legislation would, among other implications, grant biological men access to women-only spaces such as sports teams and public restrooms, and compel healthcare providers to deliver sex-denying healthcare (3). The company is a signatory of the Net Zero Financial Service Providers Alliance, committed to carbon neutrality by 2050 (4). CEO William B. Thomas is a member of the Business Roundtable and Former CEO Lynne Doughtie signed its 2019 Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism over traditional obligations to shareholders (5)(6). KPMG signed Orlando Economic Partnership’s DEI pledge, committing themselves to fight systemic racism, prioritize the success of diverse people in its workplace, and ensure DEI “is a strategic imperative with demonstrated commitment and actions” (7). The company’s CEO, Paul Knopp, signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, which includes a commitment to promote DEI through bias education training in the workplace (8)(9). In June 2017, KPMG co-founded CEO Action, the largest CEO-driven business initiative to advance DEI in the workplace (10). KPMG offers DEI consulting services (11). The company supports ESG within its business practices. From its 2024 Impact Report: “To us, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles are not mere buzzwords, but the guiding principles embedded in our organization, driving positive change both internally and externally” (12). The company scored a 100 out of 100 on the 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group (13)(14).

KPMG provides a benefits package for employees that covers travel/lodging costs for an abortion and transgender medical procedures for covered employees and dependents, including children (1)(2)(3)(4). KPMG‘s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company covers transgender related costs for its employees and their children, including paid short-term leave, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, chest surgeries, genital surgeries, medical visits and lab monitoring, travel and lodging. Additionally, the company has pledged philanthropic support of at least one organization or event that promotes sex and gender ideology. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company increases health care costs and risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (5)(6). KPMG is a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (7). The company is a Titanium partner of PFLAG, an LGBTQ+ activist group that promotes books for children with sexually explicit and gender fluid content and advocates against laws that inform parents of their child’s gender dysphoria or prevent unapproved transgender medical treatments for minors (8)(9)(10). In 2022 KPMG pledged $1.5 billion investment over 3 years to, “focus on our ESG change agenda” (11). KPMG and KPMG Foundation is a corporate partner of Ashoka, a global network of entrepreneurs focused on widespread, systemic social and environmental change (12). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of the company using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (13).

KPMG‘s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company publicly advocated for controversial sex and gender ideology through local, state or federal legislation or initiatives. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2). In 2020, 2022, 2024 the company donated to Equality PAC (3)(4)(5)(6). The company has not used its lobbying for ideological purposes (7).