Onto Innovation Inc. - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Onto Innovation Inc. is Medium Risk.

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

Onto Innovations integrates ESG into its business practices. From the RBA Supplier Code of Conduct, which the company adopted: “Participants shall establish and report against an absolute corporate-wide greenhouse gas reduction goal. Energy consumption and all Scopes 1, 2, and significant categories of Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions shall be tracked, documented, and publicly reported.” (1). The company 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 (2). However, Onto Innovations has not 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:

Onto Innovation does not discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or beliefs (1).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Onto Innovation appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its hiring. From its 2024 ESG Report: “Onto is focused on driving diverse thought and approaches through the hire and development of a balanced workforce” (1). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its business structure through the establishment of gender targets for its hiring. The company is seeking to maintain a 20% female workplace (2). Onto Innovation operates a supplier diversity program. “All new suppliers are required to undergo screening and verification, which includes a questionnaire on their social impacts and governance. Our current questionnaire is designed to identify enterprises owned by women, veterans, and minorities” (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:

Onto Innovation supports DEI within its business practices. From its 2024 Annual Report: “We strive to promote and cultivate an inclusive and diverse culture that welcomes and celebrates everyone without bias” (1). The company supports ESG within its business practices. From its 2024 ESG Report: “Our commitment to environmental stewardship, workforce diversity, and robust governance is highlighted in this ESG report” (2).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Onto Innovation has not used corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (1).

Criteria:

Uses corporate political actions and/or financial contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.

Risk Level:

N/A

Rationale:

Onto Innovation does not operate a PAC or report on its lobbying at this time (1)(2)(3).