Every group along the political spectrum has a ratings system for corporations these days. We maintain our own list of gay-friendly automakers, and of course the Human Rights Campaign has its Corporate Equality Index, which does something similar for Fortune 1000 companies.
Faith Driven Consumer (which is missing a hyphen in “Faith-Driven”, but whatever) recently decided to enter ratings territory itself with a “Faith Equality Index”. According to the group’s website:
The FEI rates and encourages the equal application of equal protections for all groups and measures a company’s commitment and actions in order to create parity, at minimum, between Faith Driven Consumers and other groups that are embraced in the rainbow of employment, philanthropy, and marketing diversity.
For now, let’s ignore the martyrdom theme that runs throughout this kind of rhetoric. I mean, it’s as if they’ve forgotten that people of faith have always dominated the American landscape, and they continue to do so today. If FDC and others don’t understand why folks like the LGBT community are finally asking for a place at the table after being shut out for so long, then there’s no hope for ’em.
No, what’s interesting about FDC is that it has released FEI scores for this year’s Super Bowl advertisers, in the hopes that faith-driven consumers will take notice and boycott those companies. The funny thing is, though, no Super Bowl advertiser scores better than 46 out of a possible 100 on the FEI.
The way I choose to read that is that the companies with the bucks to shell out $5 million for a spot during the Super Bowl aren’t the kind of companies to discriminate against LGBT Americans. Even the companies that scored higher on the FEI don’t discriminate: the FEI simply awards them points for remaining silent on “controversial” issues.
And that’s how ridiculous the FEI is. HRC’s CEI rates companies according to their proactive policies toward LGBT workers. FDC’s FEI rates companies, in part, on how well they keep quiet on issues like LGBT equality. Which is basically like FDC admitting, “Yeah, we know we’re the status quo, and we want companies to keep their traps shut so it’ll stay that way.” Classy.
Anyway, if you want to know how the FEI rates automakers advertising in the Super Bowl, here’s a breakdown:
- Acura 46
- Honda 46
- MINI 36
- Hyundai 30
- Kia 30
- Audi 29
- Buick 29
- Toyota 25
[via Joe.My.God.]