Premier Inc. - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Premier Inc. is Medium Risk.

Premier Inc. is Medium Risk. The company 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. Premier 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	High 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:

Premier integrates ESG into its business practices. From its Premier 2022 Sustainability Report: “Integration of ESG into Executive Compensation – The Compensation Committee approved the inclusion of two ESG-related metrics in our annual incentive plan beginning in FY2023” (1). However, the company has not publicly canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs (2)(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:

Premier does not appear to 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:

Premier appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its recruitment, hiring, leadership composition, supply chain. From its Premier 2023 Sustainability Report: “we have enhanced our approaches by addressing recruitment sources and development programs, as well as engaging hiring managers in understanding the need to grow diverse pools of available and qualified talent” and “believe diversity on our Board also helps to advance the diversity of our corporate leadership and overall DEIB strategy” (1). From its Supplier Diversity page: “Our supplier diversity program provides minority, women and small veteran (veteran, disabled veteran, service disabled veteran) and LGBTQ+ business enterprises (MWVBEs) the opportunity to partner with us” (2). The company is an affirmative action employer: “In addition, as a federal contractor, Premier complies with government regulations, including affirmative action responsibilities, where they apply” (3). Premier 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:

Premier supports DEI within its business practices, employing a Chief DEI Officer and hosting a DEIB Council (1). The company was a signatory of the Health Sector Pledge, committing itself to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Signatories were expected to develop and release a climate resilience plan and appoint a corporate executive to oversee its implementation (2). Premier’s CEO, Michael J. Alkire, signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, which includes a commitment to promote DEI through bias education training in the workplace (3)(4).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Premier 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:

High

Rationale:

In 2021, 2022, Premier lobbied for Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 (1)(2). In 2021, 2022, Premier lobbied for Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act (3)(4). Premier has not used its PAC donations for ideological purposes (5)(6).