Sanoma Group - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Sanoma Group is Medium Risk.

Sanoma Group 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. 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	High Risk
Employment Protection	High Risk

Corporate Weaponization ⓘ

Corporate Governance and Public Policy Risk Levels
Criteria	Risk Level
Advocacy Bias	High Risk
Funding	Medium 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:

Sanoma integrates ESG into its business practices. From its 2025 Annual Report: “In 2025, Sanoma advanced its supplier due diligence by introducing a two-step supplier segmentation and ESG screening process: first, procurement categories are screened for environmental and human rights impacts and risks, then suppliers in higher-risk categories are assessed at the supplier level” (1). The company promotes divisive sex and gender policies. Its Supplier Code of Conduct requires international vendors to include sexual orientation in their nondiscrimination policy (2). However, Sanoma 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:

High

Rationale:

Sanoma does not give to “religious movements or actors” (1).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Sanoma offers unconscious bias training to its employees (1). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its business structure through the establishment of gender targets for its hiring, promotions and leadership composition. The company is seeking “50/50 gender balance in managerial positions by 2030” and “The Board of Directives’ objective is to be gender balanced, with the share of under-represented gender being at least 40%” (2). Sanoma protects its employees against viewpoint discrimination (3).

Corporate Governance and Public Policy

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

Sanoma is aligned with the Paris Agreement, which entails a commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 (1). The company supports ESG within its business practices. From its Sustainable Investment Web Page: “Sanoma is among the leading companies in the learning and media industry when it comes to managing ESG risks and opportunities. Our commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance principles ensures long-term value creation, responsible growth, and transparency for investors” (2). Sanoma supports DEI within its business practices. From its News Web Page: “DE&I is at the core of our Sustainability strategy, and our community at Sanoma is diverse in many aspects” (3). The company uses its platforms to support LGBTQ Pride Month, including “Transgender Day of Visibility” (4)(5). Sanoma has publicly supported Ukraine in its war with Russia (6).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

Sanoma has donated to organizations that support the Ukrainian efforts in the war with Russia (1). Valkeakoski Sanomat, a Sanoma affiliate, was the “official patron of the Valkeakoski Pride parade” (2). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of Sanoma using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (3).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

N/A

Rationale:

Sanoma does not operate a PAC or engage in lobbying at this time (1)(2)(3).