Ahold Delhaize

Ahold Delhaize USA (ADUSA) received a score of 100 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. The company discriminates against vendors that do not promote divisive sex and gender policies, indicating it prioritizes sexual issues over merit (1)(2)(3). Ahold Delhaize Pensioen, Ahold Delhaize’s pension fund, is a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment, incorporating ESG issues into investment analysis, decision-making, and other business practices (4)(5)(6). Ahold Delhaize integrates ESG into its business practices. From its Standards of Engagement document: “Ahold Delhaize has set science based targets (SBT’s) for the reduction of emissions for scopes 1, 2 and 3. Supplier is urged 1) to consider a similar commitment to science based targets, 2) measure and report on emissions in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, 3) develop and implement reasonable initiatives to realize emissions reductions across the supplier’s value chain, and 4) to develop actions to switch its electricity consumption towards more renewable electricity” (7). From its 2025 Annual Report “The EIP program employs three financial measures that reflect the fundamental key financial metrics of a retail organization: sales growth (30%), underlying operating margin (25%) and operating cash flow (20%). In addition, ESG and other strategic imperatives (25%) are included” (8). The company promotes divisive sex and gender policies. Its Guidance Document on the Standards of Engagement 2026 requires international vendors to include sexual orientation and gender identity in their nondiscrimination policy (9). However, Ahold Delhaize has not canceled customers, suppliers, or vendors based on political views or religious beliefs (10).

Ahold Delhaize’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company will not donate to non-religious charities unless they embrace controversial sexual identity policies (1)(2). Ahold Delhaize does not appear to discriminate against religious organizations based on views or beliefs (3).

Ahold Delhaize’s HRC 2023-2024 CEI rating indicates the company forces employees to attend multiple, controversial trainings on gender identity, sexual orientation, transgender issues, and divisive racial ideology. The company provides gender transition guidelines for its employees and a specific benefits guide with a comprehensive explanation of transgender services funded by the company (1)(2). The company offers intercultural awareness and unconscious bias training to its employees (3). Ahold Delhaize appears to prioritize diversity over merit in its leadership composition. From its Rules of Procedure of the Supervisory Board: “In our Supervisory Board we aspire to represent the diversity of the markets and communities we serve through achieving diversity in gender (identity), nationality and age generation” (4). The company operates a supplier diversity program. “Our supplier diversity program enhances the procurement process by developing strong business relationships with a talented group of diverse owned businesses that offer quality products and services, excellent customer service and competitive costs” (5). Ahold Delhaize does not provide viewpoint protections for its employees (6).

Ahold Delhaize’s HRC 2023-2024 CEI rating indicates the company agrees to allow a controversial stakeholder group focused on sexual identity issues to dictate marketing or advertising strategy. By doing so, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2). ADUSA Supply Chain Companies’ former president Chris Lewis, Food Lion’s former president Meg Ham, The GIANT Company’s president John Ruane, Giant Food’s president Ira Kress, Hannaford Supermarkets’ president Michael Vail, Peapod Digital Labs’ former CEO JJ Fleeman, Retail Business Services’ former president Roger Wheeler, and Stop & Shop’s former president Gordon Reid signed the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion pledge, which includes a commitment to promote DEI through bias education training in the workplace, strategize on DEI programs/initiatives with other signatories, and engage boards of directors when developing and evaluating DEI strategies (3)(4). Food Lion, Giant Food, Hannaford Supermarkets, Peapod Digital Labs, and Stop & Shop signed an open letter endorsing the Equality Act, a contentious proposal to amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act by adding sexual orientation and so-called gender identity as protected categories. The legislation would, among other implications, grant biological men access to women-only spaces such as sports teams and public restrooms, and compel healthcare providers to deliver sex-denying healthcare (5)(6). Ahold Delhaize Pensioen is a member of Climate Action 100+, committed to carbon neutrality by 2050 (7)(8). Ahold Delhaize is aligned with the Paris Agreement, which entails a commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 (9). The company supports DEI within its business practices. From its 2025 Annual Report: “[O]ur brands have a joint commitment to DE&I, brought to life through our 100/100/100 aspiration – we aspire to achieve 100% gender equity, be 100% reflective of the communities the brands serve and have a culture that is 100% inclusive” (10). Ahold Delhaize supports ESG within its business practices. From its ESG webpage: “ESG performance is an important part of how we measure success at Ahold Delhaize. We have a long history of reporting on our ESG performance and we are pleased to see our stakeholders’ interest in this area continuing to increase” (11).

Ahold Delhaize’s HRC 2025 CEI rating indicates the company covers transgender related costs for its employees and their children, including paid short-term leave, puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, chest surgeries, genital surgeries, medical visits and lab monitoring, travel and lodging. Additionally, the company has pledged philanthropic support of at least one organization or event that promotes sex and gender ideology. 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). Food Lion was a partner of the HRC’s Foundation (3). ADUSA is a Friend partner of PFLAG, an LGBTQ+ activist group that promotes books for children with sexually explicit and gender fluid content and advocates against laws that inform parents of their child’s gender dysphoria or prevent unapproved transgender medical treatments for minors (4)(5)(6). Ahold Delhaize’s former subsidiary Peapod Digital Labs was a corporate partner of the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (7). In 2022, Giant Food donated $15,000 to the Capital Pride Alliance during the 2022 Capital Pride Parade in Washington D.C. and $12,500 to the “Can’t Cancel Pride 2022 – Proud AND Together” fundraiser (8). In 2021, Peapod Digital Labs donated $7,500 to Campus Pride, a group aimed to expand LGBT causes on college campuses (9). In 2021, Stop & Shop donated over $80,000 to various LGBTQ organizations, including GLAAD and The Trevor Project (10). In 2020, Food Lion donated $500,000 to various equality and social justice initiatives, including the National Urban League (11). In 2020, Stop & Shop donated $25,000 to seven local organizations supporting the LGBTQ+ community and distributed pride gear at pride parades (12). Otherwise, there are no publicly known cases of Ahold Delhaize using corporate funds to advance ideological causes, organizations, or policies (13).

Ahold Delhaize’s HRC 2023-2024 CEI rating indicates the company publicly advocated for controversial sex and gender ideology through local, state or federal legislation or initiatives. By allowing a political stakeholder group to dictate operations, the company risks dividing employees, alienating customers and harming shareholders (1)(2). The company has not used its PAC donations for ideological purposes and does not report on its lobbying at this time (3)(4)(5).