Antisemitism Watchdog Gives Corporate Giants Failing Grades in Handling of Antisemitism

Stop Antisemitism released a report on August 10 giving the biggest corporations in the United States failing grades over their handling of antisemitism.

The report gives “F” grades to Google, Unilever and Cigna. The report criticized Google for not firing Kamau Robb after the unearthing of a 2007 blog post of his that stated, in part: “If I were a Jew I would be concerned about my insatiable appetite for war and killing in defense of myself. Self defense is undoubtedly an instinct, but I would be afraid of my increasing insensitivity to the suffering others.” Robb was reassigned from heading Google’s Diversity, Strategy and Research to STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, Math] work. The report also noted that Google’s diversity standards omit antisemitism.

Unilever, the parent company of Ben & Jerry’s, also received an “F” because of Ben & Jerry’s decision to cease conducting business in the “Occupied Palestinian Territory.” “This action arguably violates the IHRA [International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance] Working Definition of Antisemitism by applying double standards against the Jewish State of Israel,” the report stated. “The move was widely decried as antisemitic.” The report also criticizes Unilever for not mentioning anything about Jews or antisemitism in their diversity policies and for not issuing “known statements or posts in solidarity with the Jewish community.” Unilever CEO Alan Jope has stated, “Unilever rejects completely and repudiates unequivocally any form of discrimination or intolerance. Anti-Semitism has no place in any society. We have never expressed any support for the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and have no intention of changing that position.”

Cigna received an F grade because its diversity standards also don’t mention anything about Jews or antisemitism, nor have they issued any statements expressing support for the Jewish community. Their Enterprise Resource Groups don’t include a group for Jews.

A bevy of corporations received “D” grades in the report: Amazon, Anthem, Microsoft, Estee Lauder, Procter and Gamble, Costco, Walgreen’s, Kroger, Gap, Abercrombie and Fitch, Aetna, United Healthcare and Humana. The reasons for this grade included no mention of antisemitism or Jews in their diversity policies and that these businesses haven’t issued any known statements in support of the Jewish community.

Apple, Nike and Johnson & Johnson all earned “C” grades in the report; these three corporations don’t mention Jews or antisemitism in their diversity polices, nor have they issued any statements of support to the Jewish community, but they do provide groups and networks that could open the door for groups for American Jews and Israelis to be established.

Two companies that received “B” grades, Facebook and Walmart, both don’t mention antisemitism or Jews in their diversity policies but do provide diversity groups that could give a platform for the Jewish community. Additionally, Facebook “has taken much needed steps to address the deep hate speech issues directed toward Jews on its platform,” the report stated, pointing to Facebook’s 2020 measures banning Holocaust denial on its platform as well as “antisemitic stereotypes about the collective power of Jews.”

L’Oreal and American Eagle Outfitters were the only companies to receive “A” grades in the report. L’Oreal was lauded for explicitly stating that antisemitism is antithetical to the company’s values and for dropping a brand influencer in 2018 after her antisemitic tweets came to light. American Eagle Outfitters garnered praise in the report for providing a “Jewish Connection Group” where Jewish employees can “celebrate the Jewish culture through education and recognition of holiday rituals throughout the year.”

“Overall the research shows that corporations have failed their Jewish employees. Corporations need to drastically revamp their corporate and DEI policies and practice genuine allyship to protect their Jewish employees from rising antisemitism,” the report concluded, urging corporations to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism, include antisemitism in their diversity policies and “cultivate a safe space for Jewish employees to express their beliefs that are core to their religion and identity.”

Stop Antisemitism Executive Director Liora Rez said in a statement, “Jews, the most victimized group per capita in the U.S. by hate crimes, have been targeted and marginalized in the American corporate workplace. This is unacceptable. StopAntisemitism.org calls on all corporations, including the 25 named in this report, to strengthen their corporate platforms, allyship practices, and [Diversity, Equity and Inclusion] policies to support their Jewish employees and put an end to antisemitism in the workplace.”