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 19 on the list, having spent $273,336,323 on lobbying between 1998 and 2024.

Source: Open Secrets (2024)

5/20 in Social Benchmark

The 2024 Social Benchmark assesses the world's 2,000 most influential companies on their responsibility in meeting society's fundamental expectations towards three measurement areas: respecting human rights, providing decent work, and acting ethically. This company was assessed in 2023 and received a score of 5/20. The average score was an alarmingly low 4.6/20 and the highest score was 15.5/20.

Source: World Benchmarking Alliance (2024)

Fined for anti-competitive behaviour

In 2019, a federal judge approved a $15.5m settlement in a class action lawsuit over set-top box rentals. The lawsuit argued that Comcast's requirement that premium cable subscribers rent its set-top boxes was anti-competitive and unlawful.

Source: Philadelphia Business Journal (2019)

28/100 S&P Global ESG Score

This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 28/100 in the Media category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 18 Nov 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)

Antitrust fine

In 2020 the European Commission fined several companies belonging to Comcast Corporation (including NBCUniversal Media LLC) 14.3 million euros for restricting traders from selling licensed merchandise within the European Economic Area to territories and customers beyond those allocated to them.

Source: European Commission (2020)

Consumer Protection violations

In June 2019, a judge ordered this company to pay $9.1m in penalties for violating Washington state's Consumer Protection Act. The judge ruled that Comcast signed nearly 50,000 customers up for a monthly maintenance plan without their consent and misrepresented the monthly cost associated with it.

Source: Geek Wire (2019)

CEO Pay Ratio of 385:1

In 2022 the median pay for a worker at this company was US$83,399. The CEO was paid 385 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)

Excessive CEO pay

As You Sow's 2022 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, Brian Roberts came in at number 30 on the list, having been paid US$32,713,267 in 2021. In As You Sow's 2021 report this company's CEO came in at number 14. 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 (2022)

Retirement plan investments

The Invest Your Values Corporate Retirement Plan Sustainability Scorecard by As You Sow rates retirement plans on seven environmental and social sustainability issues. This company's default corporate retirement plan offered to employees is the Vanguard Target Retirement Fund which is rated Fair for gender equality and civilian firearms, and Poor for fossil fuels, deforestation, prison industrial complex, military weapons and tobacco. This retirement plan has millions of dollars invested in fossil fuels, deforestation-risk agribusiness, and arms manufacturers.

Source: As You Sow (2022)

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 51 on the list, with contributions totalling $71,665,819 between 1990 and 2024.

Source: Open Secrets (2024)