Reynolds American - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Reynolds American is Lower Risk.

Reynolds American Inc. is High Risk. The company 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. Reynolds American embraces corporate initiatives that redirect its central focus from business goals to partisan policies and divisive issues. 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	High Risk
Employment Protection	Medium Risk

Corporate Weaponization ⓘ

Corporate Governance and Public Policy Risk Levels
Criteria	Risk Level
Advocacy Bias	Lower Risk
Funding	Lower Risk
Political Actions	Lower 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:

Reynolds American integrates ESG into its business practices. Its “dedication to ESG is embedded across all areas of the business” (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:

High

Rationale:

Reynolds American will not fund “Requests from Churches” (1)(2)(3).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

Reynolds American had a history of divisive corporate policies and practices. However, in June 2025, the company pledged to shift its policies and practices away from stakeholder capitalism and back toward neutrality. The company pledged to dissolve its DEI and affirmative action programs, DEI goals, all DEI trainings for employees, and reaffirm merit as its main focus (1). The company does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (2).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Reynolds American had a history of having a divisive corporate reputation. However, in June 2025, the company pledged to shift some of its policies and practices away from stakeholder capitalism and back toward neutrality. The company pledged to shift its reputation away from social movements such as LGBTQ allyship, and pride month. The company pledged to adopt a policy of corporate neutrality on divisive political or social topics. The company pledged to take corporate oversight of ERG activities so their logo is never used without approval at Reynolds American (1). The company is committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2030 (2). Otherwise, the company has not supported ideological causes or policies (3).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Reynolds American had a history of divisive corporate giving. However, in June 2025, the company pledged to shift its policies and practices away from stakeholder capitalism and back toward neutrality. The company pledged to no longer donate to Pride events (1). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of the company using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (2).