Heineken N.V. — Ethics Grade C

Heineken N.V. receives an overall ethics grade of C (52/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Food & Beverage. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 40
• privacy: 85
• consumer: 75
• environment: 60
• humanRights: 45

Documented incidents (3)

• Slow Russia Exit (medium, 2023) — The company faced criticism for the long delay in exiting the Russian market following the invasion of Ukraine. Critics alleged the company continued to launch new products despite promises to leave.
• Abuse of Beer Promotion Girls (high, 2018) — Investigations revealed that female promoters in Africa and Southeast Asia were subjected to sexual harassment and poor working conditions while promoting Heineken products. The company was accused of failing to protect these precarious workers.
• Tax Evasion Allegations in Vietnam (medium, 2021) — The company was ordered to pay back taxes after local authorities investigated transfer pricing and profit shifting strategies. The settlement involved millions in unpaid corporate taxes.

Documented good deeds

• Water Balancing Initiative — Implemented a program to reach 100% water balancing in water-stressed areas by 2030, restoring local watersheds.

Ethical alternatives

• BrewDog — Carbon negative status and public employee ownership schemes.