Visa Named Among Leading Companies for Political Disclosures
Visa Listed as “Trendsetter” Within 2017 Index of Corporate Political Disclosure & Accountability
Visa’s commitment to transparency in political disclosures has led to the company being named a “Trendsetter” on the 2017 CPA-Zicklin Index of Corporate Political Disclosure and Accountability, one of the most comprehensive rankings of the political disclosures and accountability practices of leading public companies in the U.S.
“Visa is honored to be among the top companies on the 2017 CPA-Zicklin Index of Corporate Political Disclosure and Accountability for the second year in a row,” said Robert B. Thomson, III, Senior Vice President, Head of U.S. Government Relations at Visa Inc. “Visa’s approach to political disclosures is a reflection of the company’s commitment to operating responsibly. We are pleased to be recognized for our commitment to transparency in our political engagement activities.”
The Index evaluates leading companies on a variety of factors, including disclosures, oversight, and transparency of political spending. The data is compiled by The Center for Political Accountability (CPA), which scores each company across 24 indicators based solely on the information publicly available on the company’s website. The “Trendsetter” category highlights leaders in the S&P 500 scoring 90 percent or greater, with Visa scoring 94.3 percent.
"We applaud Visa for its robust political spending policy and its commitment to transparency and accountability," said CPA President Bruce Freed.
Visa’s Board of Directors, as well as the Government Relations team, oversees political contributions – all of which are disclosed via the company’s Annual Contributions Report on Visa’s website, here. To learn more about Visa’s political participation and commitment to transparency as part of a larger commitment to operating responsibly and helping “Everyone, Everywhere,” visit Visa’s 2016 Corporate Responsibility Report, here.
About Visa Inc.
Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is the world’s leader in digital payments. Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, reliable and secure payment network - enabling individuals, businesses and economies to thrive. Our advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world, and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. The company’s relentless focus on innovation is a catalyst for the rapid growth of connected commerce on any device, and a driving force behind the dream of a cashless future for everyone, everywhere. As the world moves from analog to digital, Visa is applying our brand, products, people, network and scale to reshape the future of commerce. For more information, visit usa.visa.com/aboutvisa, visacorporate.tumblr.com and @VisaNews.
About The Center for Political Accountability
The Center for Political Accountability (CPA) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization working to bring transparency and accountability to corporate political spending. It was formed to address the secrecy that cloaks much of the political activity engaged in by companies and the risks this poses to shareholder value. Collaborating with more than a dozen shareholder advocates, CPA is the only group directly engaging companies to improve disclosure and oversight of their election-related spending. This includes soft money contributions and payments to trade associations and other tax-exempt organizations that are used for political purposes. The Center aims to encourage responsible corporate political activity, protect shareholders, and strengthen the integrity of the political process. As a result of the efforts of the CPA and its partners, 160 leading public companies have adopted political disclosure and oversight.
About The Zicklin Center for Business Ethics at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
The Carol and Lawrence Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research was established in 1997. The mission of the Center is to sponsor and disseminate leading-edge research on critical topics in business ethics. It provides students, educators, business leaders, and policy makers with research to meet the ethical, governance, and compliance challenges that arise in complex business transactions. The Zicklin Center supports research that examines those organizational incentives and disincentives that promote ethical business practices, along with the firm-level features, processes, and decision-making associated with failures of governance, compliance, and integrity.
