Tobacco manufacturer
Previously known as Philip Morris, Altria is USA's largest tobacco company. Spun off Kraft Foods in 2007 and Philip Morris International in 2008, with Philip Morris USA remaining as their primary business unit.
Company Assessment
(Last updated Oct 2024)
Praise
Criticism
Information
Altria Group Inc
Praise
Criticism
Information
CDP Climate Change score of A-
In 2023, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change score of A-.
Source: CDP
(2023)
CDP Water Security score of A-
In 2023, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security score of A-.
Source: CDP
(2023)
CDP Forests score of B
In 2023, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts towards removing commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation from its direct operations and supply chains. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Forests score of B.
Source: CDP
(2023)
100% on Corporate Equality Index
This company is listed as having best practice on a report card on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in corporate America.
Source: Human Rights Campaign
(2021)
Plastic pollution
In 2023 Break Free From Plastic engaged 8,804 volunteers in 41 countries to conduct 250 brand audits. These volunteers collected and audited 537,719 pieces of plastic waste. This company ranked as one of the world's top 10 plastic polluters.
Source: #breakfreefromplastic
(2023)
F grade in Plastic Promises Scorecard
As You Sow's 2024 Plastic Promises Scorecard measures the corporate ambition and action of 225 large companies across six industries on six core pillars of plastic packaging pollution prevention: 1) Recyclability, 2) Reduction, 3) Recycled Content, 4) Recovery, 5) Reuse, and 6) Producer Responsibility. This company received a grade of F.
Source: As You Sow
(2024)
Tobacco - direct
Involved in manufacture of tobacco-related products as a core business.
Source: company website
(2020)
Animal testing
For decades, Big Tobacco used misleading tests on animals—and ignored what was clear from studies on humans—to claim that cigarettes were not harmful to human health. These days, Philip Morris continues to abuse and kill animals voluntarily to develop new ingredients and products even though the tests are not required, superior non-animal methods exist, and the health risks of tobacco are well known.
Source: PETA
(2021)
Top spender on lobbying in USA
This company is on OpenSecrets.org's list of "Top Spenders on Lobbying", a list of the 20 organizations that have spent the most trying to influence US government policy. This company comes in at number 20 on the list, having spent $261,235,200 on lobbying between 1998 and 2024.
Source: Open Secrets
(2024)
JUST Capital ranking
JUST Capital polls Americans every year to identify the issues that matter most in defining just business behaviour. For their 2024 rankings the public identified 20 issues, which are organised under the headings Workers, Communities, Customers, Shareholders and Environment. JUST Capital then define metrics that map to those issues and track and analyse the largest, publicly traded U.S. companies. This analysis powers their rankings, in which this company ranked 697th of 937 companies, and 26th of 32 Food, Beverage & Tobacco companies.
Source: JUST Capital
(2024)
Political donations
This company is on OpenSecrets.org's list of "Top Donors", a list of the 100 biggest givers in US federal-level politics since 1990. Companies on this list lobby and spend big, with large sums sent to candidates, parties and leadership PACs. This company comes in at number 80 on the list, with contributions totalling $51,674,604 between 1990 and 2024.
Source: Open Secrets
(2024)
Multinational Monitor's '10 Worst Corporations'
Named one of Multinational Monitor's '10 Worst Corporations' in 2006. [Listed under information due to age of report]
Source: Multinational Monitor
(2006)
46.5% in Newsweek Green Ranking 2017
This company received a score of 46.5/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.
Source: Newsweek
(2017)
Excessive CEO pay
As You Sow's 2021 report, 'The 100 Most Overpaid CEOs', reveals the 100 most overpaid CEOs from USA's 500 largest public companies (as determined by the S&P 500 list). This company's CEO, Howard A. Willard, III came in at number 97 on the list, having been paid US$15,417,616 in 2020. According to the report, "Most CEOs have come to be grossly overpaid, and that overpayment is harmful to the companies, the shareholders, the customers, the other employees, the economy, and society as a whole."
Source: As You Sow
(2021)
CEO Pay Ratio of 121:1
In 2022 the median pay for a worker at this company was US$133,782. The CEO was paid 121 times this amount. Exorbitant CEO pay is a major contributor to rising inequality. CEOs are getting more because of their power to set pay, not because they are increasing productivity or possess specific, high-demand skills. The economy would suffer no harm if CEOs were paid less (or taxed more). In contrast, the CEO-to-typical-worker compensation ratio was 20-to-1 in 1965 and 58-to-1 in 1989.
Source: AFL-CIO
(2023)
Climate action commitments
As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target.
Source: We Mean Business
(2021)
Modern Slavery statement
California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: company website
(2021)
OpenSecrets.org profile
OpenSecrets.org tracks the influence of money on U.S. politics, and how that money affects policy and citizens' lives. Follow link to see this company's record of political donations, lobbying, outside spending and more.
Source: Open Secrets
(2024)
42/100 S&P Global ESG Score
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 42/100 in the Tobacco category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 21 Oct 2022). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global
(2022)
Company Details
Type:
Public company
Revenue:
25.4 billion USD
(2018)
Employees:
8,300
(2018)
Subsidiaries:
Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV
(8% owned)
Brewer
InBev acquired Anheuser-Busch in 2008 for US$52 billion, to become the world's largest brewer and one of the world's top five consumer products companies. In 2013 the company acquired the half of Mexico's largest brewer, Grupo Modelo (maker of Corona beer), it didn't already own. In 2016 the company acquired SABMiller for over US$100 billion. AB InBev is part owned by the men behind Brazilian private equity firm 3G Capital, who also own 51% of Burger King and 25% of KraftHeinz.
Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc.
Brewer and aluminium can manufacturers and recyclers
Worlds #1 aluminium can recycler. One of the largest manufacturers of aluminum cans in the US. Makers of Budweiser beer.
Acquired by InBev in 2008 for US$52 billion, to become the world's largest brewer (overtaking SABMiller). Sold its theme park division in 2009 to The Blackstone Group.
SABMiller PLC
Beverages
Previously the world's second largest brewer, until it was acquired by the world's largest brewer AB InBev in 2016 for over US$100 billion. SABMiller is a major bottler of Coca-Cola products and its beers dominate many markets throughout Africa and Asia. Bought Australian brewer Foster's Group in 2011, which became part of AB InBev until 2020 when it was sold to Asahi.
Grupo Modelo S.A.B. de C.V.
Brewer
Mexico's #1 beer company, with 63% of the Mexican beer market. In 2012 Anheuser-Busch InBev bought the 50% of the company it didn't already own.