Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) — Ethics Grade D+

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) receives an overall ethics grade of D+ (39/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Defense & Aerospace. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 25
• privacy: 80
• consumer: 40
• environment: 35
• humanRights: 30

Documented incidents (3)

• High Workplace Injury Rates (high, 2022) — OSHA reports for the Newport News shipyard showed injury rates significantly higher than the industry average. Workers cited decaying infrastructure and extreme pressure to meet Navy deadlines.
• Submarine Part Certification Fraud (high, 2021) — The company was involved in a settlement regarding the falsification of strength tests for steel used in Navy submarines. Compromised parts risked the structural integrity of nuclear-powered vessels.
• Industrial Discharge into James River (medium, 2023) — State environmental monitors noted repeated violations regarding the discharge of zinc and other heavy metals from the shipyard into the James River, impacting local oyster beds.

Documented good deeds

• Vocational Training Excellence — HII operates one of the oldest and most successful trade apprenticeships in the US, providing debt-free degrees and skilled trade certification.

Ethical alternatives

• Austal USA — More modern facilities with a better recent track record for employee safety and additive manufacturing safety.