Only one company out of 100 analyzed for the 2025 Viewpoint Diversity Score Business Index scored higher than 50%, as most have limited protections for free speech and religious liberty, and some continue to make improvements.
The conservative legal nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom released its fourth annual Viewpoint Diversity Score Business Index last week, which examines 100 companies’ respect for free speech and religious liberty.
A higher score indicates the presence of policies designed to safeguard free speech and religious liberty. Scores were calculated using 46 performance indicators.
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Factors that determined a company’s score included the presence of a “public anti-viewpoint discrimination policy,” support for “non-profits hostile to free speech,” support for “laws harmful to speech or religion,” the presence of a “religious accommodation policy and process” and inclusion of religious discrimination in training for new hires and supervisors. The index also considers whether companies blacklist organizations “in consultation with non-profits hostile to free speech” or avoid “divisive concepts” in public messaging.
“Companies don’t exist to appease activists but to deliver the best quality of goods and services,” ADF Senior Counsel Jeremy Tedesco said in a statement. “We have a lot of work still to do, but we’re confident that our combined efforts will make a lasting impact on America’s business leaders as they seek to do right by their investors, employees, and customers.”
The Texas-based human resources solutions company Insperity, assigned to the “business services” category by ADF, had a viewpoint diversity score of 62%, which marked a 4% increase from last year. It recorded a “market score” of 67%, a “workplace score” of 48% and a public square score of 79%.
Paychex, another organization devoted to “business services,” came in a distant second at 46% combined viewpoint diversity score.
At the other end of the spectrum, corporations receiving the lowest scores included the technology giant Apple (3%), the social media platform Pinterest (4%), the rideshare company Lyft (4%) and the computer software company Adobe (5%).
Several companies improved their standing from last year’s index. Last year’s index inspired 22 “policy and behavioral changes” among companies listed.
Paychex and the internet commerce site eBay saw their scores rise 12% compared to last year. Improvements at eBay increased the company’s score from 0% to 12%.
The telecommunications giant AT&T increased its score from 11% in 2024 to 14% in 2025, while the banking company JP Morgan Chase boosted its score from 9% to 12% in 2025.
Snapchat’s parent company, Snap Inc., and Airbnb increased their scores from 7% to 10%, and the credit card company Visa and banking company Wells Fargo jumped from 8% to 10%. Citigroup improved by one percentage point to 15% in 2025, while video call company Zoom increased from 12% to 13%. Telecommunications company Verizon recorded a score of 11% in 2025, up from 10% the year before. Hewlett-Packard recorded a 9% score in 2025, up one point from 2024.
On the other hand, several prominent companies saw their scores decrease compared to last year: Bank of America (13% to 12%), American Express (12% to 11%), Allstate (11% to 10%), Capitol One (10% to 9%), Citizens Financial Group (11% to 9%), Uber (9% to 7%), Rackspace (16% to 13%), Microsoft (10% to 7%), Dell Technologies (15% to 10%), Meta (15% to 9%) and Mastercard (14% to 7%).
“Activists have weaponized corporations to achieve their fringe political agendas for far too long,” Tedesco said. “Thankfully, we’re starting to see common sense and respect for fundamental freedoms return to the corporate boardroom.”
According to ADF, 92% of digital services providers embrace “acceptable use policies” that censor “hate speech” and “intolerance,” while 90% of companies examined promote workforce training policies that focus on critical theory.
Nearly two-thirds (64%) of companies support the pro-LGBT advocacy group Human Rights Campaign, which pressures companies to embrace LGBT ideology in the workplace. The same share supports the Southern Poverty Law Center, a far-left organization that has developed a reputation for labeling companies that support traditional marriage and other conservative causes as “hate groups.”
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
