UnitedHealth Group Incorporated | Political contributions congruency report at UnitedHealth Group Incorporated

Status
28.17% votes in favour
AGM date
Previous AGM date
Proposal number
6
Resolution details
Company ticker
UNH
Resolution ask
Report on or disclose
ESG theme
  • Social
ESG sub-theme
  • Corporate purpose
  • Lobbying / political engagement
  • Public health
Type of vote
Shareholder proposal
Filer type
Shareholder
Company sector
Health Care
Company HQ country
United States
Resolved clause
"Resolved:
Shareholders request that UHG publish an annual report, at reasonable expense, analyzing the congruency of political, lobbying, and electioneering expenditures during the preceding year against publicly stated company values and policies, listing and explaining any instances of incongruent expenditures, and stating whether the identified incongruencies have led to a change in future expenditures or contributions."
Whereas clause
"Whereas:
It is the policy of UnitedHealth Group (“UHG”) to make political contributions “to advance policy solutions that focus on achieving universal coverage, improving health care affordability, enhancing the health care experience, and achieving better health outcomes.” However, UHG’s political expenditures appear to be misaligned with the company’s values and policies.
• After the attack on the Capital, UHG said it would pause political donations to federal candidates “to ensure they continue to align with our company’s values,” but contributed nearly $100,000 in 2021 to 31 House candidates who denied election certification on that day.
• Since 2019, UHG has contributed $100,000 to an organization leading efforts to strike down the Affordable Care Act.
• UHG products insure abortion, but based on publicly available records, the proponents estimate that in the last two election cycles, the company and its employee PAC have donated at least $5.3 million to politicians and political organizations working to weaken abortion access. This includes approximately $100,000 to legislators who voted for Texas SB 8, which made it illegal to insure in-state abortions beyond 6 weeks of pregnancy. At least 80% of UHG’s contributions in the South went to anti-abortion politicians ($1.2 million) in the 2020-22 election cycles.
• UHG has stated “Reducing carbon emissions has been a long-standing priority for our company.” Yet it is a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has consistently lobbied to roll back climate regulations and promote regulatory frameworks that would slow the transition towards a lower-carbon economy. Additionally, a Bloomberg analysis found that between 2018 and 2020, for every dollar UHG contributed to climate-friendly members of Congress, it donated $1.67 to members characterized as “ardent obstructionists” of proactive climate policy.
• UHG boasts a perfect score on the Corporate Equality Index, which rates companies on LGBTQ workplace policies. Yet the company has been a top supporter of state attorneys general seeking to revoke LGBTQ civil rights.

Proponents believe that UHG should establish policies and reporting systems that minimize risk to the firm’s reputation and brand by addressing possible missteps in corporate electioneering and political spending that contrast with its stated healthcare and environmental objectives."
Supporting statement
"Supporting Statement:
Proponents recommend that such report also contain management’s analysis of risks to our company’s brand, reputation, or shareholder value of expenditures in conflict with publicly stated company values. “Electioneering expenditures” means spending, from the corporate treasury and from the PACs, directly or through a third party, at any time during the year, which are reasonably susceptible to interpretation as in support of or opposition to a specific candidate."

How other organisations have declared their voting intentions

Organisation nameDeclared voting intentionsRationale
EFG Asset ManagementFor
VidaCaixaFor
Rothschild & co Asset ManagementFor
Kutxabank Gestion SGIIC SAU.Against

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