Progress Software Corporation

Rating Overview

Progress Software Corporation is Medium Risk.

Progress Software Corporation is Medium Risk. The company often yields to political activism in shaping corporate governance, potentially alienating consumers, dividing employees, and harming shareholders. Progress 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	High 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:

Progress integrates ESG into its business practices. From its 2024 Proxy Statement: “Corporate social responsibility is an integral part of our culture and we consider environmental, social and governance
issues in multiple aspects of our operations” (1). The company integrates DEI into its supply chain. From its Supplier Code of Conduct: “Suppliers are expected to support diversity and provide equal opportunities to employment in their workplaces” (2). However, Progress 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:

Progress 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:

Progress offers unconscious bias training to its employees (1). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its leadership composition. From its Corporate Governance Guidelines: “the Board believes it is
important to consider diversity of race, ethnicity, gender, age, education, skills, cultural
background, and professional experiences in evaluating candidates” (2). Progress was a signatory of the Gender & Diversity KPI Alliance, appearing to prioritize diversity over merit in its business structure through the establishment of gender and racial targets for its leadership composition and its support of DEI in its hiring and promotions (3)(4). The company protects its employees against viewpoint discrimination (5)

Corporate Governance and Public Policy

Criteria:

Uses corporate reputation to support causes, organizations, or policies hostile to freedom of expression.

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Progress supports DEI within its business practices, employing an Inclusion and Diversity Officer, and hosting a DEI Committee (1). The company supports DEI within its business practices. From its 2023 CSR Report: “Employees at every level, from all regions of the world, are responsible for the success of our inclusion and diversity efforts. Our commitment to creating a culture of belonging within Progress is what makes us a leader in the I&D space” (2). Progress supports ESG within its business practices. From its 2024 Proxy Statement: “It is the role of our Board to guide management in connecting the Company’s ESG efforts to the industry, markets, products and strategies that are unique to Progress in order to ensure such efforts are aligned with the best interests of our stakeholders” (3).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Progress sponsored Sofia Pride, an organization that coordinates LGBTQ Pride parades and events (1)(2). The company’s LGTBQIA+ Employee Resource Group, Plus, hosted an LGBTQ Pride Walk which likely used corporate funds (3). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of Progress using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (4).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

N/A

Rationale:

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