Better Health for All

The company faces significant concerns regarding health data responsibility and transparency. A study found that 86% of healthcare websites collected sensitive health data without consent, with the company's tools involved in this practice

. Lawmakers have also expressed worries about adequate data protection regulations for its AI tools in healthcare . These issues represent significant health-harming externalities. However, the company has taken some mitigation steps, including automatically deleting Location History entries related to visits to sensitive health locations to protect user privacy . In a 2015 lawsuit concerning the transfer of patient data to its DeepMind unit, no misuse of private information was found . The company also made positive contributions to public health by partnering with the World Health Organization to combat medical misinformation online, enhancing search results and expanding Knowledge Panels for conditions like diabetes and malaria . This initiative included a commitment of over $320 million in Ad Grants, with an additional $50 million announced , demonstrating investment in health literacy and public health education, and contributing to global health crisis response.

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

Alphabet Inc.'s primary business activities are in internet search, advertising, cloud computing, software, and hardware, not direct consumer financial services. Consequently, the company does not directly offer lending or deposit services, consumer credit products, or operate financial service access points. It also does not provide direct debt products or financial education programs to consumers, nor does it generate or manage customer finance data in the context of lending/deposit services. However, Alphabet/Google actively supports economic opportunity for underserved communities through various initiatives. In July 2024

and 2022 , Google joined the Economic Opportunity Coalition to strengthen community finance and alleviate disparities. Alphabet pledged $100 million in January 2022 to Black-led venture capital firms and organizations assisting Black entrepreneurs. Google.org invested $14 million in May 2022 in the Goodwill Digital Career Accelerator for digital job pathways. In June 2020, Google launched a $125 million fund, expanded by $45 million in loans and $5 million in grants in 2021, to support small businesses in underserved and Black communities through CDFIs. Additionally, Alphabet issued $5.75 billion in sustainability bonds in August 2020, with proceeds allocated to affordable housing and Black business support , and Google launched a digital jobs program with $10 million in job training grants in July 2020.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

Google rolled back a policy requiring its U.S. suppliers to pay employees at least $15 an hour and provide benefits.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a complaint against Google, asserting it is a joint employer of contract workers and must negotiate with their union. U.S. House Democrats urged the NLRB to investigate claims that Google illegally laid off unionized workers. The Alphabet Workers Union filed a complaint against Google for allegedly blocking access to a spreadsheet detailing wages. The union also filed Unfair Labor Practice charges with the NLRB, highlighting alleged harassment and retaliation against contract workers in Google Data Centers. Additionally, approximately 40 subcontracted YouTube workers went on strike, citing a return-to-office policy as an attempt to undermine unionization efforts.

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

Alphabet reported that 99% of the 302 unique smelters in its supply chain for tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold (3TG) were conformant, active, or not sourcing from conflict-affected regions in its 2023 Conflict Minerals Report.

A U.S. federal appeals court dismissed a case alleging child labor liability against Alphabet in cobalt mining in March 2024, indicating zero substantiated child or forced labor findings against the company in the last three years. Based on the 99% conflict-free smelters for 3TG, approximately 1% of spend on these high-risk materials remains uncertified or from conflict regions. The company has a Conflict Minerals Program and a Supplier Code of Conduct.

Honest & Fair Business

Alphabet Inc. was fined $2.7 billion by the European Union's Court of Justice in September 2024 for violating antitrust rules by favoring its own services in search results.

The company faces multiple ongoing antitrust lawsuits, including one filed by the U.S. Department of Justice in January 2023 for allegedly monopolizing the digital advertising market, and a securities class action lawsuit alleging misleading statements about its business operations. In April 2024, Google agreed to delete billions of personal data records in a settlement addressing privacy concerns related to Chrome users. Ethical concerns also emerged in April 2023 regarding Google's AI chatbot, Bard, which reportedly provided inaccurate and potentially harmful information. Additionally, a March 2025 report criticized Google's tax practices, workers' rights issues, and environmental impact.

Kind to Animals

Google created or restored 67 acres of habitat and planted 4,500 native trees to support monarch butterflies and other pollinators, earning the 2023 Monarch Sustainer of the Year award.

The company also developed Wildlife Insights, an AI-powered cloud platform launched in 2019, which processes 3.6 million wildlife images per hour to assist conservation experts, including those involved in Australian bushfire recovery. Additionally, Google launched a 10-week accelerator program to support startups using AI to protect, manage, and restore nature. However, an employee group, GCat Rescue, provides cat-feeding stations on Google's campus, neuters, and releases cats, having placed 148 for adoption. This activity is near Shoreline Park, where 318 cat sightings were recorded in the last year. In 2015, half of the burrowing owls nesting in Shoreline Park died, and in 2017, no fledglings were observed for the first time in 20 years. Environmental groups criticized Google for being unhelpful on the cat issue, despite efforts for owls at Moffett Field. Google's Supplier Code of Conduct (updated March 2025) requires suppliers to minimize negative environmental impacts and reduce natural resource consumption through material substitution, and states Google may initiate audits to confirm compliance.

No War, No Weapons

Alphabet Inc. revised its AI principles in February 2025, removing prior commitments against developing AI for weapons or surveillance.

This change means the company no longer has codified ethical red lines against these activities and operates without stated ethical safeguards for AI systems with potential military uses. The company provides cloud and AI technologies to the Israeli government and military through Project Nimbus, enhancing their ability to conduct surveillance and analysis, with no public disclosures on this involvement. Additionally, Alphabet's Gemini for Government AI system was chosen by the US Defense Department to analyze video and imagery. Google won a contract of up to $200 million with the DoD to scale up advanced AI capabilities for national security challenges. These activities, including investments in AI satellite companies working on military contracts, demonstrate significant R&D and deployment in dual-use technologies for military applications. The $200 million DoD contract represents less than 1% of the company's total revenue.

Planet-Friendly Business

Alphabet's total Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions were 23,409,300 tCO2e in 2024, representing a 16.31% increase from 2023.

The company has goals to halve its Scope 1, 2, and absolute Scope 3 emissions, and its net-zero target year is 2030. In 2024, Alphabet powered 66% of its global operations with carbon-free energy. The company diverted 84% of its operational waste from disposal in 2024. Google was forced to halt plans for a data center in Chile due to concerns over its water-intensive cooling systems.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

Alphabet has faced multiple cultural appropriation incidents, including its Gemini AI generating culturally inappropriate images

and YouTube promoting white supremacist ideology and anti-Muslim propaganda. The company's response to these incidents has been problematic, characterized by reactive measures like temporarily disabling Gemini after public pressure , and criticism for retaliating against employees who point out discrimination and failing to enforce advertising rules against graphic ads. Alphabet reinvested approximately 0.00227% of its 2024 revenue in local community development and donated about 0.00227% of its revenue to cultural heritage organizations, both very low percentages. While Google published a summary of a third-party Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) in 2019 , its refusal to engage on a new HRIA proposal for AI-driven advertising indicates inconsistent protocol implementation. The company provides standard grievance mechanisms, such as helplines and reporting channels , but these are not specified as community-specific. Conversely, Google demonstrates world-leading language inclusivity, expanding support for thousands of languages , working to support over 1,000 languages , and partnering to enhance speech technology for Aboriginal English.

Safe & Smart Tech

Alphabet updated its AI principles in 2025, removing bans on developing technologies for weapons

. This action, coupled with an ongoing 2024 probe by the Irish Data Protection Commission into Google's AI compliance with EU privacy laws regarding data protection for AI training , indicates significant concerns regarding the company's AI ethics governance and regulatory compliance. The removal of the AI weapons ban also reflects negatively on its support for digital rights and ethical technology standards.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

Google achieved its goal of making all Pixel, Fitbit, and Nest device packaging 100% plastic-free ahead of its 2025 target, which also enhanced recyclability.

The company uses 100% recyclable and FSC-certified fiber for outer packaging cartons, with these cartons containing 70% recycled content. For its products, approximately 30% of all materials used in new products launched and manufactured in 2022 were recycled content.