Marathon Oil - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Marathon Oil is Medium Risk.

Marathon Petroleum Corp. 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. Marathon Oil 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	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:

Marathon Oil received a score of 25 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 (1)(2). The company integrates ESG into its business practices. From its Press Release: “The ongoing pursuit of environmental, social, and governance excellence is foundational to our framework for success” (3). In 2025, Marathon rebranded its ESG policy as Sustainability; however, it remains unclear whether the underlying divisive corporate policies materially changed following the rebrand (4). Marathon Oil integrates DEI into its supply chain. From its Supply Chain webpage: “Partnering with diverse Suppliers, including local suppliers and businesses owned and operated by people who are minorities, women, veterans, person with a disability and/or disadvantaged, attracts qualified suppliers, stimulates local economic development, drives innovation, and creates lasting social benefits in the communities in which we live and work” (5). However, the company has not publicly canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs (6).

Criteria:

Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Marathon Oil does not discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or beliefs. The company’s charitable giving focus areas are “public health, safety, education and the environment” (1)(2).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Marathon Oil offers DEI training to its employees (1). The company operates a supplier diversity program. “Marathon actively builds partnerships with diverse suppliers across our operations, and we are committed to providing equal and impartial opportunities to meet our business needs” (2). However, in 2025 the company removed DEI language and policies from its website. To date, the company has not publicly addressed this change, leaving shareholders without clarity regarding the company’s reasoning or future direction (3). The company does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (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:

CEO Lee M. Tillman signed the Business Roundtable’s 2019 Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism over traditional obligations to shareholders (1). Marathon Oil supports ESG within its business practices. From its Press Release: “The Company believes continuously improving all elements of its ESG performance is foundational to maximizing long-term shareholder value” (2). In 2025, Marathon rebranded its ESG policy as Sustainability; however, it remains unclear whether the underlying divisive corporate policies materially changed following the rebrand (3). Marathon Oil supports DEI within its business practices. From its Values webpage: “Value and respect diversity in culture, background, perspective and experience” (4).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

Marathon Oil partners with LGBTQ Engineers to explore ways to better support underrepresented talent in our workforce and in our communities (1). Otherwise, it 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:

Lower

Rationale:

Marathon Oil has not used its PAC donations or lobbying for ideological purposes (1)(2)(3).