The Chef's Warehouse - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

The Chef’s Warehouse is Medium Risk.

The Chefs’ Warehouse Inc. 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 Chefs’ Warehouse 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	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:

Medium

Rationale:

The Chefs’ Warehouse integrates ESG into its business practices. From its ESG Program overview: “ESG is central to The Chefs’ Warehouse’s long-term value creation, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.” (1). The company integrates DEI into its supply chain. From its Human Rights Policy: “ We strive to foster supplier diversity by actively seeking to engage with suppliers that are owned by underrepresented groups, including but not limited to suppliers by women, suppliers owned or staffed by members of vulnerable, marginalized or underrepresented social groups, as well as small and medium-sized suppliers. We create an inclusive and competitive environment that encourages the participation of diverse suppliers in our procurement processes” (2). However, the company has not publicly 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:

The Chefs’ Warehouse 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 Chefs’ Warehouse requires its employees to take DEI training (1). The company appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its recruitment and hiring. From its 2024 Annual Report: “We believe that a diverse workforce creates a healthier, stronger and more sustainable company. As a foundation of diversity and inclusion, we focus on increasing underrepresented populations across our business.” (2). The Chefs’ Warehouse also appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its supply chain. From its Human Rights Policy: “We recognize that supplier selection plays a vital role in driving economic growth and social progress. We strive to foster supplier diversity by actively seeking to engage with suppliers that are owned by underrepresented groups, including but not limited to suppliers by women, suppliers owned or 2 staffed by members of vulnerable, marginalized or underrepresented social groups, as well as small and medium-sized suppliers. We create an inclusive and competitive environment that encourages the participation of diverse suppliers in our procurement processes” (3). The Chefs’ Warehouse does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (4).

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 company supports ESG & DEI within its business practices. From its 2024 Annual Report: “Among other things, the ESG Committee reviews and evaluates: our progress towards meeting our diversity goals and compliance with our responsibilities as an equal opportunity employer;” (1).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

The Chefs’ Warehouse 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 Chefs’ Warehouse does not operate a PAC or engage in lobbying at this time (1)(2)(3).