Viasat - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Viasat is Medium Risk.

Viasat, 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 elevates merit, excellence, and integrity ahead of race and identity-based policies. 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	Lower 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	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:

Viasat received a score of 45 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 2025 ESG Impact Report: “Viasat welcomed 75 of our top suppliers to our annual supplier executive day, where we shared our ESG priorities. We also awarded our first ESG award to a supplier to acknowledge its collaboration and improvement in key ESG impact areas.” (3). From its 2025 ESG Impact Report: “Viasat’s commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices is about leading by doing what’s right — for people, the planet, and the world, including the space environment” (4). Viasat promotes divisive sex and gender policies. Its Guide to Business Conduct requires international vendors to include sexual orientation and gender identity in their nondiscrimination policy (5). However, the company has not publicly canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs (6).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Viasat does not 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:

Viasat’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company provides gender transition guidelines for its employees (1)(2). The company does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (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:

Viasat supports ESG within its business practices. From its 2025 ESG Impact Report: “The priority topics listed to the right form the basis for our ESG priorities and strategy and guide our efforts to ensure that we are appropriately managing our sustainability risks and opportunities and, where possible, minimizing any
negative impacts.” (1). The company supports DEI within its business practices. From its Careers page, the company’s Security Project Manager stated: “…my leaders are invested in learning why diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are vital not only to the success of the company, but to the sense of belonging for their employees like me.” (2).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

Viasat’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company provides a benefits package for employees which includes some transgender medical benefits for covered employees and dependents, including children. This may include paid short-term leave, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, chest surgeries, genital surgeries, medical visits and lab monitoring, travel and lodging. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company increases health care costs and risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of Viasat 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:

Lower

Rationale:

Viasat has not used its PAC donations or lobbying for ideological purposes (1)(2)(3).