Synchrony Financial

Synchrony received a score of 100 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). The company integrates ESG into its business practices. From its 2023 ESG Report: “To strengthen our company-wide embrace of our ESG strategy, corporate culture and strategy, including EDIC and other ESG priorities, have been components of our annual incentive plan for executives since 2021” (3). From its Supplier Code of Conduct: “Promote sustainable practices that take into account any impacts their actions would have across all stakeholders, both internal and external. … We expect our suppliers to: …continually strive to improve their sustainability performance, focusing on energy efficiency and reduction of waste, hazardous materials, carbon emissions, and water and natural resources consumption. • Have an operational focus to sustainability” (4). Synchrony promotes divisive sex and gender policies. Its Supplier Code of Conduct requires international vendors to include sexual orientation and gender identity in their nondiscrimination policy (5). However, the company has not canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs (6).

Synchrony’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company will not donate to non-religious charities unless they embrace controversial sexual identity policies (1)(2). Synchrony will not make grants to “a church, mosque, temple, or other religious worship, supporting religious activities or programs” (3).

Synchrony’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company forces employees to attend multiple, controversial trainings on gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender issues, and divisive racial ideology. The company provides gender transition guidelines for its employees and a specific benefits guide with a comprehensive explanation of transgender services funded by the company (1)(2). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its hiring, promotions, leadership composition, and supply chain. From its 2024 Proxy Statement: “We believe diversity makes our business stronger, more innovative and more successful. We have strong hiring practices for women, minorities, veterans, the LGBTQ+ community and people with disabilities;” “…we expanded our development programs designed to increase our pipeline for executive roles in the Company by including more diverse populations;” “….we had a year-overyear increase in diverse demographics driven in part by increasing representation of Blacks and Hispanics at Vice President and above levels in the United States and increasing the number of females in Vice President and above roles globally;” and “Of the diverse suppliers included in RFPs, we increased the total number of diverse suppliers by 26% – from 62 to 78. As a result, we ended 2023 with our diverse supplier spend increasing by 95% from 2022” (3). Synchrony was a supporter of United Way of Greater Charlotte’s (UWGC) Racial Equity 21-Day Challenge. The challenge was a self-guided program of daily learning activities intended to “help participants develop more effective social justice habits around issues of race, power, privilege and leadership.” The challenge was intended to help employees “launch a lifelong commitment to improving equity and dismantling systemic racism” in their communities (4)(5)(6). The company does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (7).

Synchrony’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company agrees to allow a controversial stakeholder group focused on sexual identity issues to dictate marketing or advertising strategy. By doing so, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2). The company opposed various state and local legislation intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (3)(4). Synchrony opposed legislation in Iowa intended to protect parental rights, girls’ sports, bathroom facilities, and gendered spaces (5). The company opposed the Florida Parental Rights in Education Act, which would prohibit teaching gender identity and sexual orientation to kids in K-3rd grade (6). Synchrony’s CEO Brian Doubles is a member of the Business Roundtable, which supports stakeholder capitalism over traditional shareholder obligations (7). The company’s former CEO Margaret Keane signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, which includes a commitment to promote DEI through bias education training in the workplace, strategize on DEI programs/initiatives with other signatories, and engage boards of directors when developing and evaluating DEI strategies (8)(9). Synchrony 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 (10). The company is a member of the Fintech Equality Coalition, which “is focused on redesigning a more inclusive and equitable financial ecosystem” (11). Synchrony is a signatory of the NVCA Human Capital Pledge, “publicly demonstrating their commitment to advancing DEI” (12). The company supports DEI and ESG within its business practices. From its 2024 Proxy Statement: “Synchrony continues to invest in a strong culture by co-creating with our employees an experience that works for our team and for our business, including a focus on total wellness, work-life balance and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Citizenship (“EDIC”),” and “Our Board actively engages on diversity and other environmental, social and governance matters (“ESG”) topics throughout the year” (13). Synchrony scored a 100 out of 100 on the 2023-2024 Corporate Equality Index (CEI) from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a political stakeholder group (14)(15).

Synchrony provides a benefits package for employees that covers transgender medical procedures for covered employees and dependents, including children (1). The company’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. Additionally, the company has pledged philanthropic support of at least one organization or event that promotes sex and gender ideology. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company increases health care costs and risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (2)(3). Synchrony sponsored Out for Undergrad’s Marketing Conference (4)(5). The company donated $355,542 to various LGBTQ initiatives (6)(7)(8)(9)(10). Synchrony donated $5 million to Thurgood Marshall College Fund, National Urban League, Equal Justice Initiative, and other related causes (11)(12). The company is a coalition member of OneTen, appearing to prioritize diversity over merit in its hiring (13)(14)(15). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of Synchrony using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (16).

Synchrony’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company publicly advocated for controversial sex and gender ideology through local, state or federal legislation or initiatives. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2). In 2026, 2025, and 2024, Synchrony donated to Equality PAC (3)(4).