Macfarlanes - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Macfarlanes is Medium Risk.

Macfarlanes is Medium Risk. The company often yields to political activism in shaping corporate governance, potentially alienating consumers, dividing employees, and harming shareholders. Macfarlanes 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	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:

Macfarlanes integrates ESG into its business practices. From its Responsible Business webpage: “We assess whether suppliers have a clear approach to sustainability, such as a carbon or biodiversity management plan, or a commitment to the circular economy” (1). The company integrates DEI into its supply chain. From its Responsible Business webpage: “We favour suppliers who operate inclusively and can evidence their approach, such as participation in the Social Mobility Foundation Employer Index or the Disability Confident scheme” (2). Otherwise, Macfarlanes 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:

Macfarlanes does not appear to discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or beliefs. The company’s charitable giving focus areas are Papyrus, Dementia UK, Haven House, and Rainbow Trust (1).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Macfarlanes offers unconscious bias and “Inclusion Essentials” training to its employees (1). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its business structure through the establishment of gender and racial targets for its hiring. The company is seeking 35% women partners and 10% of partners from an ethnic minority background by 2030 (2). Macfarlanes 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:

Macfarlanes is a member of the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance, which aims to influence regulatory bodies and legal associations with net-zero emission and subsequent decarbonization goals (1)(2). The company is aligned with the Paris Agreement, which entails a commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 (3). Macfarlanes supports DEI within its business practices. From its Inclusion webpage: “At Macfarlanes, inclusion is not an initiative – it is central to who we are” (4). The company supports ESG within its business practices. From its Sustainability webpage: “We recognise that sustainability is a shared responsibility and we encourage everyone at the firm to play their part. Our Environmental Committee and Green Network – involving people from across the firm – help drive our initiatives forward” (5). MacFarlanes requires its management to take “Conversations about Race” workshops (6).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

Macfarlanes partners with Stonewall (1). Otherwise, the company 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:

Macfarlanes does not operate a PAC or engage in lobbying at this time (1)(2)(3).