Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance

MassMutual 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 (1)(2). The company is a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment, incorporating ESG issues into investment analysis, decision-making, and other business practices (3)(4). MassMutual 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 (5). However, it has not publicly canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs (6).

MassMutual’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 likely uses Benevity as its charitable giving platform. Benevity vets charities according to the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Hate List, which includes mainstream libertarian, conservative, family, and religious advocacy organizations (3)(4)(5).

MassMutual’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). The company requires its employees to take unconscious bias training (3)(4). MassMutual appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its recruitment, hiring, and leadership composition. From its 2019 Sustainability Report: “In 2019, we increased the diversity of our workforce for the third year in a row, as well as the percentage of employees who self-identify as LGBTQ, veteran, or as having a disability” (5). From its Corporate Governance Guidelines: “In conducting this review process, the TGC considers the skill needs of the Board, the current and potential future size of the Board and the diversity of the Board” (6). The company does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (7).

MassMutual’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). The comany opposed various state and local legislation intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (3)(4). MassMutual opposed legislation in Iowa intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (5). The company opposed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which would prohibit teaching gender identity and sexual orientation to kids in K-3rd grade (6). MassMutual signed an amicus brief in opposition to the 2016 North Carolina bathroom bill HB2, which required people to use the bathroom of their biological sex (7). The company’s CEO Roger Crandall is a member of the Business Roundtable and signed the Business Roundtable’s 2019 Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation, which promotes stakeholder capitalism over traditional obligations to shareholders (8)(9). MassMutual’s CEO Roger Crandall signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, which includes a commitment to promote DEI through bias education training in the workplace, strategize on DEI programs/initiatives with other signatories, and engage boards of directors when developing and evaluating DEI strategies (10)(11). The company 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 (12). MassMutual is a member of the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials, committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 (13)(14)(15). The company is aspiring to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (16). MassMutal supports DEI within its business practices, employing a DEI Officer (17). The company supports DEI within its business practices. From its 2019 Sustainability Report: “We seek and value diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences that reflect the markets we serve, and remain committed to advocating for fairness, equity, and inclusion” (18). MassMutual claims to have opposed the Defense of Marriage Act and supported its repeal, as well as supporting the 2015 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage (19).

MassMutual provides a benefits package for employees that covers travel costs for an abortion and transgender medical procedures for covered employees and dependents, including children (1). The company’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 (2)(3). MassMutual pledged $50,500,000 to racial equity causes, which included a $500,000 donation to the Urban League of Springfield (4)(5)(6). MassMutual is a member of the MCCA, indicating its focus on recruiting, retaining, and promoting employees based on race (7)(8). The company was a copper sponsor of Out & Equal (9). MassMutual is a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (10). In 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, MassMutual donated a total of $312,500 to the Urban League of Springfield (11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16). In 2021, 2022, and 2023, the company donated a total of $300,000 to the Healing Racism Institute of the Pioneer Valley (17)(18)(19). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of the company using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (20).

MassMutual’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). The company has not used its PAC donations or lobbying for ideological purposes (3)(4)(5).