Bud Light's parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev SA (BUD) has been working hard to distance itself from the recent controversy surrounding a one-time promotional campaign with transgender TikTok celebrity Dylan Mulvaney. And while the dust has yet to settle, the company's CEO has assured shareholders that Anheuser-Busch's losses were minimal.
In the wake of the conservative backlash over the partnership, Anheuser-Busch offered up a tepid response, claiming that the company “never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people.” For consumers, the statement contained no commitment to stand with Mulvaney or the LGBTQ community. Now, if Anheuser-Busch continues to stay mum about the issue, the company could lose a very prestigious consumer ranking.
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The Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index is the "national benchmarking tool on corporate policies, practices and benefits pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees." For buyers who support LBGTQ rights, the index is a much-used guide for where to spend their dollars.
In a letter sent on May 9, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) notified Anheuser-Busch that its 100-point score on the index, as well as its designation of "Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality", will be removed. The beer giant has 90 days to respond in defense of its ranking.
In the past, the HRC has garnished a company's scores due to the handling of transphobia. In 2021, Netflix received a suspension for its handling of transphobic jokes in a Dave Chappelle comedy special.
