Archer-Daniels-Midland Company — Ethics Grade D+

Archer-Daniels-Midland Company receives an overall ethics grade of D+ (35/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Agriculture. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 40
• privacy: 70
• consumer: 45
• environment: 30
• humanRights: 35

Documented incidents (3)

• Lysine Price Fixing (high, 1996) — One of history's most famous price-fixing cases where ADM executives conspired to fix the global price of the animal feed additive lysine. The company paid a then-record $100 million fine and executives served prison time.
• Illinois Water Contamination (medium, 2023) — A carbon capture well operated by ADM in Illinois leaked, leading to concerns about local groundwater safety. Regulators found that the company failed to notify the public promptly after the incident was detected.
• Accounting Practices Investigation (high, 2024) — Placed its CFO on leave and initiated an internal investigation into accounting practices within its nutrition segment. The news caused a significant drop in stock price and raised transparency concerns.

Documented good deeds

• Regenerative Agriculture — Launched a program to enroll 2 million acres in regenerative agriculture practices to sequester carbon and preserve soil health.

Ethical alternatives

• Lundberg Family Farms — Leader in organic farming and sustainable soil management with transparent supply chains.