The Cheesecake Factory - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

The Cheesecake Factory is Medium Risk.

Cheesecake Factory is Medium Risk. The company often yields to political activism in shaping corporate governance, potentially alienating consumers, dividing employees, and harming shareholders. The company elevates merit, excellence, and integrity ahead of race and identity-based policies. Cheesecake Factory 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	High 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	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:

High

Rationale:

The company also fired an employee in 2019 for complaining about Trump-related remarks that a manager had been using that the employee found offensive (1). The company integrates ESG into its business practices. From its news page: “The company has an established track record of leading and operating its restaurants in alignment with environmental sustainability and social responsibility – including tying a portion of fiscal 2022 executive bonus compensation to its sustainable sourcing policy and climate commitments” (2).

Criteria:

Charitable giving (including employee matching programs) policies or practices discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or religious beliefs.

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

The Cheescake Factory does not appear to discriminate against charitable organizations based on views or beliefs (1)(2).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

The Cheesecake Factory offers inclusivity training to its managers (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:

High

Rationale:

The Cheesecake Factory is committed to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 (1). The company supports ESG within its business practices. From its Corporate Social Responsibility Report: “On a day-to-day basis our ESG Committee, which includes our Legal, Investor Relations, Human Resources, and Sustainability teams, is responsible for developing our reporting approach and commitments” (2). Also, From its 2024 Corporate Social Responsibility Report: “The ESG Committee then updates our Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and President, and as appropriate, will raise ESG issues to the Board of Directors (3). The Cheesecake Factory supports DEI within its business practices. From its Corporate Social Responsibility Report: “We created our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging working group to help provide focus, feedback and ideas in this important area – including evaluating opportunities for development and leadership training for all staff members” (4).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

The Cheesecake Factory 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:

N/A

Rationale:

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