Better Health for All

CME Group's core business, operating financial derivatives markets, has no direct positive or negative health impact, resulting in a neutral score for most health-related KPIs. The company demonstrates strong commitment to mental health through comprehensive initiatives for both its employees and the community. It provides employees and their dependents with access to no-cost mental health care via its global partner, Lyra

, which reports 90% of members improve with care and 10x higher utilization compared to traditional Employee Assistance Programs . Additionally, the CME Group Foundation launched a $2 million grantmaking initiative in 2023 to support the mental health of young women and girls impacted by trauma and violence in Chicago's underserved communities . However, this $2 million grant represents approximately 0.03% of the company's 2024 revenue of $6.1 billion , which is considered minimal funding for health equity programs. In 2024, CME Group also donated nearly $1 million to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital .

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

CME Group's primary business involves operating derivatives markets, not offering consumer lending or deposit services. Consequently, KPIs related to consumer credit products, fee structures, debt burden, and geographic access points are not applicable or lack relevant quantitative data. The CME Group Foundation has provided $3.5 million in scholarships for underrepresented groups to reduce economic disparities and supports financial literacy initiatives.

Additionally, CME Group established a Family Farmer and Rancher Protection Fund, which has paid out approximately $2 million to support farmers and ranchers utilizing its agricultural products. However, these initiatives do not provide the specific quantitative metrics required by the rubric for the company's core financial services or as a percentage of profit/customer base.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

CME Group's voluntary employee turnover rate was 5.6% in 2023, a decrease from 10.2% in 2022.

The company's employee engagement score from its 2023 Pulse Survey was 70%. In 2024, the CEO-to-median-employee pay ratio was 144:1. CME Group provides multiple medical plan designs, dental, vision, mental health support, and fertility benefits. The company's 2025 Code of Conduct applies to all employees and internal consultants, emphasizing a culture of respect, inclusion, and zero tolerance for harassment, bullying, and retaliation, with multiple reporting channels including an anonymous helpline. As of 2024, women hold 46% of management positions and constitute 31% of the overall workforce , with the proportion of women in senior management at 148.4% of the proportion of women in the overall workforce. CME Group meets four quality criteria for handling harassment and discrimination at the workplace, including an incident notification mechanism, retaliation safeguards, confidentiality mechanisms, and an anti-discrimination policy. The company announced a restructuring plan in 2024 involving a reduction of approximately 5% of its workforce. CME Group was recognized as an Equality 100 winner by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation Corporate Equality Index and received Workforce Well-Being Platinum Recognition from the American Heart Association , with its India office being Great Place to Work Certified™.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

CME Group spent $16.2 million on diverse suppliers in 2023, representing 1.6% of its total spend

. This is a decrease from 2022, when $18.5 million, or 2% of total spend, was directed to diverse suppliers . The number of diverse suppliers increased from 57 in 2022 to 64 in 2023 . Due to its business model as a financial derivatives exchange, CME Group does not procure or trade physical commodities, nor does it have a supply chain requiring welfare or sourcing audits, or exposure to upstream labour practices. Therefore, KPIs related to fair trade certifications, audit frequency, forced/child labour incidents, traceability, remediation speed, ethical sourcing clauses, and high-risk materials are not applicable.

Honest & Fair Business

CME Group is registered as a derivatives clearing organization (DCO) with the CFTC

and was designated a systemically important financial market utility (SIFMU) by the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) in July 2012. The company is subject to annual examinations by the CFTC and maintains open communication, providing daily, quarterly, annual, and event-specific reporting. CME Clearing complies with CFTC Regulation §39.37(b), updating its qualitative disclosure framework at least every two years. Its margin methodologies meet a 99% coverage standard in line with CFTC Regulation §39.13(g)(2)(iii), and rule filings are publicly available. CME Group's Market Regulation Department actively investigates potential trade violations. The company has taken disciplinary actions against member firms, including a $40,000 fine against SG Americas Securities LLC in February 2025 for rule violations. In October 2023, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC was fined $150,000 , and RBC Capital Markets, LLC and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. each faced $50,000 fines for reporting violations. In 2020, NYMEX, part of CME Group, fined EC (Proprietary Traders) Pte, Ltd. $200,000 for disruptive trading. A 2015 lawsuit against CME Group Inc. alleging manipulative conduct was dismissed. A 2013 CFTC complaint against NYMEX for confidential data breaches led to CME Group firing employees and reinforcing protocols. The company's 2023 ESG report highlighted a 190% increase in battery metals trading volumes from 2022.

Kind to Animals

CME Group, as a financial services company, does not have direct operations involving animal testing, animal-derived products, or animal agriculture facilities, rendering most KPIs not applicable. However, CME Group has engaged in public policy related to animal welfare by amending its Live Cattle Feeding Affidavit within its futures contract to ensure cattle are managed according to industry standards of animal husbandry

, aligning with a commitment to improving ethical farming practices and animal welfare. Additionally, CME Group partners with the National 4-H Council to support ethical farming education through the Commodity Carnival program.

No War, No Weapons

CME Group's core business is centered on financial instruments and data solutions, focusing on non-physical, non-lethal activities.

The company states it has no involvement in military contracting, controversial weapons, or small arms. It does not engage in the production, supply, or design of weapons or military-specific tools. This business model means CME Group has no defense or arms-related revenue, no dual-use products developed or sold, no defense assets to divest, no mineral inputs, and no procurement from conflict zones.

Planet-Friendly Business

CME Group's total Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 were 119,550 tCO₂e, representing a 26.3% reduction from 162,216 tCO₂e in 2022.

Additionally, 79% of the company's office space held green credentials in 2023.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

CME Group engaged 64 diverse suppliers in 2023.

The company's business model, which involves operating contract markets for futures and options, means several cultural and community impact metrics are not directly applicable. There are no reported cultural appropriation incidents. The company's operations do not typically impact cultural contexts that would require a formal cultural impact assessment protocol, Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes, cultural site protection measures, or a cultural incident response framework. The concept of a social license to operate is also not applicable to its business model.

Safe & Smart Tech

CME Group has not experienced any material data breaches requiring reporting under data privacy laws during 2024

, and historically has not deemed any cybersecurity incidents to be material . The company has a comprehensive Generative AI Policy, effective June 2025 , requiring human oversight , use of approved tools , and prohibiting manipulative techniques or exploitation of vulnerabilities . CME Group holds the ISO27001 information security certification . Unauthorized data use is explicitly prohibited by policy , and no material incidents have been reported . Users are granted comprehensive privacy rights, including access, rectification, erasure, and specific opt-out rights for California residents, as outlined in its December 2025 Privacy Notice . Two-factor authentication is required for all in-scope customer systems, including CME Direct and CME Group Login , with strong password policies mandating changes every 60 days and a minimum of eight characters . The company maintains an Information Governance and Privacy Program for compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including GDPR, CCPA, and PRC laws , and cooperates with international regulatory bodies .

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

CME Group implemented three waste reduction initiatives in 2020.

Its SEED program distributed durable beverage tumblers to employees to reduce single-use plastic. The company also decreased office space by approximately 56,000 square feet through global consolidations and reduced its Chicago headquarters office space by about 163,000 square feet through consolidation and renovation.