Meta Platforms

Meta 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). Facebook regularly faces criticism for censoring conservative voices, most prominently its suspension of then-President Trump (3). It also banned Franklin Graham for a post in 2016 supporting a North Carolina law requiring individuals to use public bathrooms corresponding to biological sex (4). Facebook did reverse one ban on a book publisher that it said had happened “in error,” though the company has not continued this trend of restoring unfairly suspended accounts (5). Facebook has censored Christians and Christian-led groups for sharing and discussing abortion or seeking charitable support to end forced marriages of Christian women in Islamic countries (6)(7)(8). Instagram, a subsidiary of Meta, suspended the conservative account “Libs of TikTok” for “violating community guidelines,” although the account simply reposted videos from left-leaning accounts on the platform (9). Facebook openly collaborates with the Anti-Defamation League and NAACP to police “hate speech” (10). Facebook also labeled a post from Ben Carson as misleading when he decried the recently signed legislation in Colorado legalizing abortion up until birth (11). The company was a member of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media, which demonetized and suppressed content that it deemed to spread “hate speech” or “misinformation”, discuss “debated social issues in a negative or partisan context”, or “vilif[y]” individuals based on sexual orientation and gender identity. These arbitrary guidelines were used to censor mainstream perspectives online (12)(13)(14). The company integrates ESG into its business practices. From its RBA Code of Conduct: “Energy consumption and all Scopes 1, 2, and significant categories of Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions shall be tracked, documented, and publicly reported” (15). The company promotes divisive sex and gender policies. Its RBA Code of Conduct requires international vendors to include sexual orientation and gender identity in their nondiscrimination policy (16).

Meta’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 religious organizations based on views or beliefs (3)(4).

Meta’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). In September 2023, America First Legal filed a lawsuit against Meta over discriminatory practices in hiring (3)(4). The company had a history of supporting DEI in its business practices. However, in January 2025, Meta announced it would absolve its DEI team, end DEI in its supply chain, end all racial/gender quotas, and end equity and inclusion training (5)(6)(7)(8). The company offers DEI training to its employees (9). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its leadership composition. From its 2025 Corporate Governance Guidelines: “The Board’s policy is to encourage selection of directors who will contribute to Meta’s success and its mission to build the future of human connection and the technology that makes it possible. Meta is committed to a policy of inclusiveness and to pursuing diversity in terms of background, skills, experience, and perspective” (10). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its supply chain. From its 2022 Diversity Report: “So that our supplier base reflects the people and communities we serve, we launched our Supplier Diversity program in October 2016 to help diverse suppliers do business with Meta — and with the people and communities that Meta connects” (11). The company protects its employees from religious and viewpoint discrimination (12).

Meta’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 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 (3). Facebook opposed various state and local legislation intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (4)(5). The company opposed legislation in Iowa intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (6). The company also opposed Georgia’s voting integrity law (7). The company opposed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which prohibits teaching gender identity and sexual orientation in schools to kids in K-3rd grade (8). Facebook dedicated resources to LGBTQ Pride Month and “amplifying LGBTQ+ communities” even in countries where homosexual behavior is banned (9)(10). Moreover, Facebook partners with multiple LGBTQ advocacy groups and lobbyists, like the HRC (11). Facebook declared Kyle Rittenhouse a mass murderer before the trial even began and did not allow searches for his name or related content (12). Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, denounced various states’ legislative efforts to protect election integrity and security (13). Meta was a contributing member of GARM’s Global Media Sustainability Framework which provides an action plan for media companies to transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions (14). The company is committed to net zero emissions by 2030 (15). The company supports ESG within its business practices. From its 2023 ESG Data Index: “Ensure Board and management oversight of material risks and opportunities, including those related to ESG” (16). 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 (17)(18).

Meta 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). 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 (4)(5). Meta was a member of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (6)(7)(8). The company has donated over $40 million to the Black Lives Matter movement and related causes (9)(10). Facebook was a Silver Tier corporate sponsor of the Trevor Project, an organization that advocates for controversial sex and gender ideology, including “gender transition” drugs and surgeries for minors, through legislation, litigation, advertising, and PR campaigns. The organization also hosts online chatrooms that allow adults to communicate with minors as young as 13 about sexually explicit topics. Adults in these chatrooms have encouraged minors to adopt transgender identities and withhold this information from their parents. Instagram was a Silver Tier corporate sponsor of the Trevor Project (11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16). Facebook is a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (17). Facebook created a site with the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce to support LGBTQ-owned businesses (18). The company is a titanium partner and Facebook is a silver 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 (19)(20)(21). The company is a member of the MCCA, indicating its focus on recruiting, retaining, and promoting employees based on race (22)(23). Meta sponsored the Capital City Pride in 2025 (24). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of Meta using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (25).

Meta’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 for ideological purposes (3)(4). In 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, the company lobbied for the Equality Act (5)(6)(7)(8).