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Washington, D.C. — A new analysis from government watchdog Accountable.US identifies at least 49 corporations and their executives — including FedEx, Facebook, Disney, Target, and more — that are not backing up their claims to support racial equity and addressing systemic inequality. Each of these companies hypocritically remain members of the boards and leadership ranks of the major industry groups actively lobbying against the Build Back Better Act, which has been called “‘the biggest racial justice bill in generations.‘”  

“Corporate pledges and slogans promoting racial equity mean nothing when they hide behind industry groups that are stopping at nothing to kill the most impactful racial justice bill in decades,” said Kyle Herrig, president of Accountable.US “Companies must do more than pay lip service to marginalized communities and the appalling income inequality crisis, they need to back it up with action – or at the very least cut ties with those trying to make matters worse.” 

KEY DETAILS FROM THE REPORT:

  • The U.S. Chamber of Commerce vowed to do “everything we can” to block the Build Back Better package. Its board of directors includes at least 11 executives from corporations that have touted commitments to racial equity, including: 
    • FedEx, Nasdaq, Chevron, UPS, Intuit, IBM, Honeywell, Facebook, United Airlines, U.S. Bank, and Steptoe & Johnson.
       
  • ​The Business Roundtable called the Build Back Better package “troubling” as it prepared “‘a significant, multifaceted campaign'” against its tax increases. Its exclusive membership is stocked with at least 10 CEOs from purportedly equity-friendly corporations, including: 
    • ​Walmart, Johnson & Johnson, General Motors, JPMorgan & Chase, Marriott International, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Microsoft, Target, and Mastercard.
       
  • PhRMA has run ads against the Build Back Better package and has spent more than $15 million on lobbying this year. Its board and leadership ranks represent 10 companies that have publicly shown concern about racial justice: 
    • ​Merck, Genentech, Biogen, Novartis, Gilead, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, Novo Nordisk, and AstraZeneca.
       
  • ​The RATE Coalition was preparing a “seven-figure” ad campaign against the Build Back Better package while its “chief advisor” opposed “any” of its tax increases. The coalition’s small membership includes 8 companies that have claimed credit for addressing racial inequality: 
    • AT&T Altria, Capital One, Cox Enterprises, CVS Health, Synchrony, Verizon, and the Walt Disney Company.
       
  • The National Association of Manufacturers was lobbying against the Biden agenda “‘in every way you can imagine'” and was poised to join forces in the U.S. Chamber’s efforts against the Build Back Better package. Its executive committee and board include executives from at least 10 corporations that have claimed concerns about racial disparities: 
    • Trane Technologies, Dow Inc., Ecolab, Caterpillar, Celanese, SC Johnson, Salesforce, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Raytheon, and PPG. 

SEE MORE FROM ACCOUNTABLE.US: 

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