Willdan Group - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Willdan Group is Medium Risk.

Willdan 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 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	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:

Willdan Group integrates ESG into its business practices. From its 2024 Sustainability Report: “In addition to reducing our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, we are targeting to reduce our Scope 3 emissions (emissions from our value chain)” (1). Also from its 2024 Sustainability Report: “As we grow — adding new teams, locations, and capabilities — we will continue integrating ESG considerations into our operations to support longterm resilience and greater impact” (2). However, the company 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:

Lower

Rationale:

Willdan Group does not appear to discriminate against religious organizations based on views or beliefs (1).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

High

Rationale:

The company offers unconscious bias and microaggression training to its employees (1). It appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its business structure through the establishment of gender and racial targets for its hiring. The company states “We are committed to increasing the percentage of our minority workforce” (2). The company operates a supplier diversity program: “Willdan’s Supplier Diversity Program is founded on our commitment to partnering with and utilizing diverse businesses to the greatest extent possible. We recognize that supplier diversity is a critical element to our success, as well as a matter of policy and national interest for social and economic benefit” (3). It 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:

Willdan Group has pledged to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 (1). The company supports DEI within its business practices, creating a DEI Working Group of employee-led committees in 2022 (2). It supports ESG within its business practices. From its 2024 Sustainability Report: “We are continuing to develop and enhance our ESG framework and to support an ESG culture among Willdan team members” (3).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Willdan Group 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:

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