Pinterest

Pinterest received a score of 70 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). In 2019, Pinterest permanently suspended the pro-life organization Live Action from the site due to “misinformation” (3). Similarly, a leaked document detailing Pinterest’s “Sensitive Terms List” revealed that the site censors religious terms such as “Bible verses” and “Christian Easter,” citing them as “brand unsafe” (4). 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 (5)(6)(7). The company promotes divisive sex and gender policies. Its Supplier Code of Conduct requires international vendors to include sexual orientation in their nondiscrimination policy (8).

Pinterest’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company will not donate to non-religious charities unless they embrace controversial sexual identity policies (1)(2). Pinterest 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).

Pinterest appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its leadership composition. From its Corporate Governance Guidelines: “The Board and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also actively seek to achieve a diversity of occupational and personal backgrounds on the Board” (1). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its recruitment and hiring. From its 2024 ESG Impact Report: “To realize a truly representative workplace, we need to focus on achieving a diverse applicant pool and inclusive hiring process. Recruitment and hiring priorities include our Diverse Slates Approach, dedicated talent communities, apprenticeship program and recruitment partnerships” (2). The company does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (3).

Pinterest 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 (1). The company opposed various state and local legislation intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (2)(3). The company has publicly supported Black Lives Matter and its CEO is a signatory to CEOs for Gun Safety (3)(4). The company’s CEO, Ben Silbermann, denounced various states’ legislative efforts to protect election integrity and security (5). The company is aligned with the Paris Agreement, which entails a commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 (6). The company supports DEI within its business practices, employing a Chief Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer (7). The company supports DEI within its business practices. From its 2024 ESG Impact Report: “We utilize the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), a widely recognized tool that allows us to understand successes and challenges, as we engage various inclusion, diversity, equity and justice related issues” (8). The company supports ESG within its business practices. From its 2024 ESG Impact Report: “At the board level, our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee reviews Pinterest’s ESG strategy, goals, and significant initiatives on ESG matters” (9). The company scored a 70 out of 100 on the 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group (10)(11).

Pinterest 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). Pinterest’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. 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). The company was a Premier 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 (6)(7)(8)(9)(10). Pinterest was a member of the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (11)(12)(13). The company hosted a fundraiser for the American Civil Liberties Union for Trans Day of Visibility (14)(15). The company pledged $1.5 million to BLM movement and related causes, which included a $500,000 in stocks donated to “organizations committed to racial justice and promoting tolerance” (16)(17)(18). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of the company using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (19).

In 2022, Pinterest lobbied for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act of 2022 (1). The company does not operate a PAC at this time (2)(3).