EU Puts ESG Laggards on Notice Amid Investing ‘Revolution’
Originally published July 18, 2023
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Red Flag Case Studies Highlight Corporations Putting Shareholder Value at Risk
Referenced
July 18, 2026
What are some of the red flags we focus on? Certainly, stock price performance matters a great deal because, among other things, it can alert shareholders and others to a corporation that is in the process of embodying “go woke, go broke.” For example, as of July 9, 2026, has apparently underperformed the S&P 500 the past five years, three years, year, and year-to-date, to the tune of roughly 115 percentage points combined. (On the other hand, it is important to note that outperforming an index like the S&P 500 doesn’t necessarily guarantee all is well because a corporation could still be leaving profit on the table pursuing non-pecuniary and politicized agendas.) Another source of “red flag” information we rely on is the 1792 Exchange’s Corporate Bias Ratings and Board Bias Report. In the case of Disney, we get a “high risk” rating, including for concerns related to the promotion of radical gender ideology as well as wasteful and destructive climate commitments. The full article can be found in Daily Signal.
Risks Associated with HRC Foundation Partnership
Brief
July 17, 2026
What Is the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF)? The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF) is the educational and charitable affiliate of the Human Rights Campaign, operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. HRCF advances LGBTQ+ priorities through research, resources, benchmarking tools, programs, and public education intended to shape policies and practices across workplaces, municipalities, healthcare systems, schools, and other institutions.1,2 What Does the HRCF Do? Administers an annual Corporate Equality Index (CEI), which evaluates companies based on workforce protections, benefits, culture, and outreach and engagement related to LGBTQ+ issues.3–5 Administers an annual Municipal Equality Index (MEI), which evaluates cities based on their non-discrimination laws, benefits, contractor standards, municipal services, law enforcement, and local leadership related to LGBTQ+ issues.6–8 Administers a biannual Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), which evaluates hospitals and healthcare facilities based on their training, patient services, employee benefits and policies, community engagement, and responsible citizenship related to LGBTQ+ issues.9,10 Operates a Welcoming Schools program that provides LGBTQ+ training, lesson plans, booklists, in-person training/programming, and other resources for youth-serving professionals to create “gender-inclusive” schools and support transgender and non-binary students.11–15 Risks of Corporate Partnership Partisan Alignment Risk HRCF’s programs promote policy frameworks and institutional standards widely associated with progressive policy priorities.16,17 …
Risks Associated with HRC Corporate Partnership
Brief
July 17, 2026
What Is the Human Rights Campaign (HRC)? The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), functioning as a 501(c)(4), is the largest LGBTQ+ advocacy organization in the United States. Founded as a political action committee in 1980 to support pro-LGBTQ+ candidates, it has since expanded into programs, research, campaigns, lobbying, and mobilization to support and advance pro-LGBTQ+ policies, legislation, and officials.1 What Does the HRC Do? LGBTQ+ issue advocacy and lobbying for LGBTQ+ policy and legislation at the federal, state, and local levels.2 Electoral engagement aimed at mobilizing pro-LGBTQ+ voters and supporters to elect pro-LGBTQ+ leaders.3 Institutional advocacy to advance LGBTQ+ policies and practices in major systems, including schools, workplaces, hospitals, and communities.4 Risks of Corporate Partnership Partisan Alignment Risk HRC is a 501(c)(4) advocacy organization involved in lobbying and electoral activity, advancing policy priorities aligned with the Democratic Party platform.5–7 Corporate sponsors have been accused of taking political sides through association.8 HRC’s endorsements overwhelmingly favor Democratic candidates, creating a partisan perception.9 HRC’s affiliated PAC overwhelmingly funds Democratic candidates, including presidential candidates.10–12 Corporate support for the HRC, particularly when not balanced by comparable support for organizations promoting conservative or traditional values, could be perceived as political side-taking.13 Controversial Policy Advocacy HRC’s advocacy extends …
HRC National Dinner Sponsorships Plummet 54.5%
July 16, 2026
The Human Rights Campaign is currently recruiting sponsors for its 2026 National Dinner, and its sponsorship materials provide a revealing comparison. Because these advertisements list sponsors from the previous year, 1792 Exchange was able to compare the 2024 and 2025 National Dinner sponsor rosters. The result: HRC National Dinner sponsorships have declined by 54.5%. This sharp decrease fits a broader pattern. HRC corporate sponsorships fell 38% from 2024 to 2025, while participation in the organization’s Corporate Equality Index among Fortune 1000 companies declined 61% from 2025 to 2026. These developments are especially notable because corporate sponsorship of the HRC/HRCF and their events and participation in the CEI had historically moved in only one direction: upward. That trajectory began to change following Tractor Supply’s June 2024 apology, when it became the first major company to publicly distance itself from both the HRC and the CEI. However, this decline did not occur in isolation. A dedicated group of organizations, investors, and journalists has increasingly exposed the extent of the HRC’s influence over corporate policies and practices. At the same time, a broader cultural, political, and legal movement has challenged DEI programs and corporate support for modern gender ideology. Together, these developments have brought the reputational, legal, …
The Invitation Before American Business
Newsletter
July 14, 2026
This past week, as flags waved and fireworks lit skies from coast to coast, America marked its 250th birthday. We celebrated this bold experiment in self-government and ordered liberty that has produced unprecedented prosperity and human flourishing. Our Semiquincentennial marks one extraordinary chapter and opens the door inviting us to commence our nation’s next 250 years. The question now before us is whether American enterprise will help write that future, or drift from the principles that made the first 250 years possible. American companies are foundational civic institutions whose decisions shape employment, culture, speech, technology, and the daily lives of millions. With that influence comes responsibility. To embrace America today means choosing to strengthen the constitutional order, national cohesion, individual liberty, viewpoint neutrality, and merit that have defined our success. It means investing in American workers and communities rather than treating them as costs to minimize. It means protecting open debate inside company walls instead of policing lawful beliefs. It means rejecting imported ideologies that divide customers and employees in favor of the unifying promise that talent and character determine outcomes. The Founders understood that unchecked power threatens liberty, whether it resides in government or private hands. Today’s corporations hold …