Screening Categories

Negative Categories

Abortifacients

Companies that produce or distribute abortifacient drugs (pharmaceuticals used to terminate a pregnancy anytime from the moment of conception onward, including those labeled as "contraceptives" but which may cause a fertilized egg to be destroyed).

Abortion Activism

Companies that promote abortion access through legislative support, corporate philanthropic activity, and/or employee travel benefits.

Abortion Services

Companies that own and operate one or more medical facilities that provide abortion procedures at any stage of pregnancy.

Alcohol

Companies that produce at least one alcoholic beverage or exclusively distribute alcoholic beverages.

Cannabis (Cultivation/Processing)

Companies that cultivate or process cannabis for retail or wholesale distribution.

Cannabis (Retail THC)

Companies that produce or distribute retail cannabis products containing THC (which is the psychoactive component of cannabis).

Embryonic Stem Cells

Companies that perform research on or produce products using embryonic stem cells, companies that provide embryonic stem cells to other entities, and companies that utilize propagated stem cell lines which originally derived from embryonic stem cells.

Exploitation

Companies that contribute towards the unlawful and immoral practices of exploiting individuals for labor or sexual purposes, according to the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE).

Gambling

Companies that generate revenue from gambling facilities, products, and/or services (not including third-party stores that offer Lottery services).

In Vitro Fertilization

Companies that offer in vitro fertilization services or manufacture equipment specifically for in vitro fertilization procedures.

LGBT Activism

Companies earning an above-average rating according to an annual self-reported survey conducted by a national LGBT advocacy organization, which rates companies based on their corporate LGBT activism across several areas, including philanthropy, corporate policy, marketing efforts, and legislative support. The average score is calculated from the scores of the Fortune 500 companies that participated in the annual survey.

Sexually Explicit

Companies that derive revenue from the creation, sale, or distribution of sexually explicit content and/or services. This category seeks to cover media types, such as film, print, gaming, and online that contain pornographic content, including platforms that stream movies rated for nudity and/or sex, and other explicit depictions of sex, such as audio pornography or animated sex/nudity. Also included are companies that profit from sexually immoral services, such as strip clubs and LGBT dating services, that actively promote and profit from unbiblical sexual behavior.

State Owned Enterprise

Companies who are owned and/or controlled by a Nation State/government of a country excluded from investment due to significant human rights violations of the following nature (as provided by U.S. Department of State): freedom of religion, sexual exploitation of children, trafficking in persons (Tier 3 only), and/or predominantly governed by Sharia Law. This category includes situations where the State has veto power, or a "golden share" is owned by the State or State-controlled agency. The current countries excluded from investment due to significant human rights violations are China, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

Tobacco

Companies that derive revenue from producing or exclusively distributing tobacco products.

Positive Categories

Air Quality

Companies who responsibly address and manage the impact of air quality resulting from stationary (e.g., factories, power plants) and mobile sources (e.g., trucks, delivery vehicles, planes) as well as industrial emissions (does not include GHG emissions). Category data provided by FactSet.

Business Ethics

Companies who intentionally manage risks and opportunities surrounding ethical conduct of business, including fraud, corruption, bias, negligence, bribery, facilitation payments, fiduciary responsibilities, and other behavior that may have an ethical component. Category data provided by FactSet.

Business Resilience

Companies who display a capacity to manage risks and opportunities associated with incorporating social, environmental, and political transitions into long-term business model planning despite operating in industries where evolving environmental and social realities challenge their current business approach. Category data provided by FactSet.

Critical Risk Management

Companies who display responsible use of management systems and scenario planning to identify, understand, and prevent or minimize the occurrence of low-probability, high-impact accidents, and emergencies with significant probable consequences, taking into consideration the potential human, environmental, and social implications, as well as the long-term ramifications for the company. Category data provided by FactSet.

Customer Privacy

Companies who responsibly address risks related to the use of personally identifiable information (PII) and other user/customer data for secondary purposes including but not limited to marketing through affiliates and non-affiliates, data collecting procedures, managing user/customer expectations, consent processes, and compliance with evolving regulation (does not include cybersecurity risks). Category data provided by FactSet.

Customer Welfare

Companies who responsibly address customer welfare concerns over issues including, but not limited to, health and nutrition of foods and beverages, antibiotic use in animal production, and management of controlled substances. Category data provided by FactSet.

Data Security

Companies who responsibly address management of risks related to collection, retention, and use of sensitive, confidential, and/or proprietary customer or user data, as well as strategic policies for incidents such as data breaches. Category data provided by FactSet.

Employee Wellbeing

Companies who responsibly address their ability to create and maintain a safe and healthy workplace environment that is free of injuries, fatalities, and illness (both chronic and acute) through the implementation of safety management plans, training requirements, regular audits of internal practices, and systematized monitoring and testing. Category data provided by FactSet.

Energy Management

Companies that conscientiously manage the environmental impacts linked to their energy consumption used in their business operations. Category data provided by FactSet.

Environmental Risk Mitigation

Companies who display the ability to manage risks and opportunities associated with direct exposure of their owned or controlled assets and operations as they pertain to the potential or actual physical impacts of environmental factors, including factors such as the increased frequency and severity of extreme weather, shifting climate, sea level change, and other expected physical impacts. Category data provided by FactSet.

Ethical Labor Practices

Companies that responsibly ensure adherence to widely accepted labor standards within the workplace. This encompasses compliance with labor laws and internationally recognized norms and standards, including fundamental human rights and the prohibition of child, forced, or bonded labor, as well as exploitative labor practices. Category data provided by FactSet.

Ethical Sales Practices

Companies that responsibly handle social issues arising from inadequately managing the transparency, accuracy, and comprehensibility of marketing statements, advertising, and product/service labeling. Category data provided by FactSet

Ethical Supply Chain Management

Companies that responsibly address the management of risks within their supply chain and handle issues associated with environmental and social externalities created by suppliers through their operational activities. Such issues include, but are not limited to, environmental responsibility, human rights, labor practices, ethics, and corruption. Category data provided by FactSet.

Fair Competition

Companies who conscientiously manage issues associated with the existence of monopolies, which may include, but are not limited to, excessive prices, poor quality of service, and inefficiencies. Category data provided by FactSet.

GHG Emissions

Companies who responsibly address direct (Scope 1) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions they may generate through their operations, which includes GHG emissions from stationary (e.g., factories, power plants) or mobile sources (e.g., trucks, delivery vehicles, planes). The seven GHGs covered under the Kyoto Protocol are included within the category: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), and nitrogen trifluoride (NF3). Category data provided by FactSet.

Hiring Ethics

Companies who responsibly address their ability to ensure culture, hiring, and promotion practices do not discriminate based on race, gender, ethnicity, religion, and other factors. Category data provided by FactSet.

Human Rights

Companies who responsibly manage the relationship between their business and the communities in which they operate, including, but not limited to, management of direct and indirect impacts on core human rights, the treatment of indigenous peoples, and the impact of local businesses. Category data provided by FactSet.

Low Ecological Impact

Companies demonstrating conscientious knowledge and management of their impact on ecosystems and biodiversity through activities including, but not limited to, land use for exploration, natural resource extraction, and cultivation, as well as project development, construction, and siting. Category data provided by FactSet.

Materials Efficiency

Companies who responsibly address issues related to the resilience of materials supply chains to impacts of climate change and other external environmental and social factors, including, but not limited to, product design, manufacturing, end-of-life management, reduction of key material usage, maximizing planning efficiency, and R&D material diversity. Category data provided by FactSet.

Product Access & Affordability

Companies who conscientiously address their ability to ensure broad access to their products and services, specifically in the context of underserved markets and/or population groups, including the accessibility and affordability of health care, financial services, utilities, education, and telecommunications. Category data provided by FactSet.

Product Safety

Companies who responsibly address issues involving unintended characteristics of products sold or services provided that may create health or safety risks to end-users, meet customer expectations, manage liability concerns, product testing, and intentionally acknowledge recalls or market withdraws. Category data provided by FactSet.

Product Sustainability

Companies that conscientiously acknowledge the characteristics of products and services provided or sold and address customer and societal demand for more sustainable products and services as well as meet evolving environmental and social regulations. Category data provided by FactSet.

Regulatory Adherence

Companies who responsibly engage with regulators in cases where conflicting corporate and public interests may have the potential for long-term adverse direct or indirect environmental and social impacts and display their level of reliance on regulatory policy or monetary incentives while acknowledging the necessity of regulatory compliance within a competitive business environment. Category data provided by FactSet.

Systemic Risk Mitigation

Companies who responsibly manage systemic risks resulting from large-scale weakening or collapse of systems upon which the economy and society depend, such as financial systems, natural resource systems, and technological systems. Category data provided by FactSet.

Waste & Hazmat Management

Companies who responsibly address environmental issues associated with the hazardous and non-hazardous waste they generate and the treatment, handling, storage, disposal, and regulatory compliance. Category data provided by FactSet.

Water Conservation

Companies who conscientiously manage their water use, water consumption, wastewater generation, water recycling, water treatment, and any other operations pertaining to water resources, which may be influenced by regional differences in the availability and quality of and competition for water resources. Category data provided by FactSet.

Neutral Categories

Animal Testing

Companies that are involved in animal testing, which includes testing products on animals, sourcing raw materials that are tested on animals, and companies that are required by law to test products on animals.

Cannabis (CBD Only)

Companies that limit cannabis production and distribution to CBD-only products, which do not contain psychoactive THC compounds.

Cannabis (Pharmaceutical)

Companies that develop pharmaceutical drugs derived from cannabidiol compounds.

Contraceptives (Barrier)

Companies that produce barrier-type contraceptives, such as condoms and diaphragms, which prevent pregnancy by creating a physical barrier (rather than hormonal or chemical means).

GMO Products

Companies that produce or distribute genetically modified organisms (GMO), such as seeds, and companies that use GMO ingredients in their products.

Nuclear

Companies that construct nuclear reactors, produce nuclear energy, or extract uranium for use in nuclear energy or weapon applications.

Weapons (Civilian)

Companies that manufacture firearms for civilian use.

Weapons (Military)

Companies that manufacture weapons for military use (this category does not include maintenance, repair, and operation (MRO) companies).

Inspire Impact Score Screening Categories

Negative Categories

Positive Categories

Neutral Categories