Zayo Group - 1792 Exchange

Rating Overview

Zayo Group is Medium Risk.

Zayo 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 implements race and identity-based policies that replace merit, excellence, and integrity with preferential treatment and outcomes. 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	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:

Zayo Group integrates ESG into its business practices. From its Net Zero Commitments Report: “Zayo commits to reach net-zero GHG emissions across the value chain by FY2045” (1).
From its 2022 Supplier Code of Conduct: “Zayo has established a target to reach net
zero emissions by 2030. We expect our suppliers to set similar goals” (2). The company integrates DEI into its supply chain. From its Supplier Code of Conduct: “Additionally, all suppliers are expected to promote a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring and retaining employees” (3). However, Zayo Group has not publicly canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs (4).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Lower

Rationale:

Zayo Group does not appear to discriminate against charitable 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:

Zayo Group appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its recruitment, hiring, supply chain, and leadership composition. From its 2023 Sustainability Report: ” Launched our Sponsorship Pilot Program to address the challenge of diverse representation in leadership,” “Partnered with our Talent Acquisition team to craft inclusive job descriptions, diversify our talent pool, and improve recruitment pipelines,” and “We are committed to ensuring diversity among our supply chain with a commitment to year-overyear improvement in the number of, and spend with, women and minority owned suppliers” (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:

Zayo Group is committed to net zero emissions by 2030 (1). The company supports DEI within its business practices. From its 2023 Sustainability Report: “In 2023, we prioritized diversity, inclusion, and connection, celebrating differences and fostering inclusivity within and beyond our workplace” (2).
Zayo Group supports ESG within its business practices. From its 2023 Sustainability Report: “Zayo is focused on creating a more sustainable future through our efforts in environmental impacts, social responsibility and corporate governance (ESG). Our ongoing ESG initiatives demonstrate our dedication to meeting key performance indicators that are important to our customers, vendors, partners, lenders and employees” (3).

Criteria:

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

Risk Level:

Medium

Rationale:

Zayo Group funded Out In Tech (1). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of the company using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (2).

Criteria:

Uses corporate political actions and/or financial contributions for ideological, non-business purposes.

Risk Level:

N/A

Rationale:

Zayo Group does not operate a PAC or report on its lobbying at this time (1)(2)(3).