In front of the big Christmas buying season come the reports on the nation’s most Christian-friendly businesses. So we set out to find out exactly what makes these companies faith-friendly.
It’s no surprise that Chick-fil-A (#1) tops the faith-friendly list, closely followed by Hobby Lobby (#2). This faithful duo consistently make news. When an Austin, Texas, Chick-fil-A store recently closed for renovations, the store owner continued to pay staff for the entire 5-month closure and also gave them each a $1 per hour raise. Hobby Lobby had the courage to invest in a lawsuit against having to pay for their employees’ birth control under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993. Last June, they won in a 5–4 decision.
Interstate Batteries (#3) is transparent about their faithfulness. Their chairman Norm Miller, a former alcoholic who by a single prayer in a time of agony overcame his addiction, writes about it on their website. They are a privately-held company.
Tyson Foods comes in #4 for their faith-friendly culture where “faith and spiritual commitments (in the workforce) are valued and respected”. They have over 115 chaplains to care for their team members and their families, no matter what their religious belief. Tyson Foods is a publicly traded company.
Cracker Barrel (#5) was widely crushed in the press and the courts for their stance against gay and lesbian employees for discriminatory practices against African American employees in the 90s. The company changed their policies and got involved in civic and minority communities. Today they support a range of charities and are outspoken about their commitments to faith-driven consumers. And if you’ve been living under a rock, they do sell Duck Dynasty paraphernalia.
Walmart (#6) was chosen for their respect for pro-life, pro-marriage views, but more so lately because of their refusal to publicly display sexually explicit or inappropriate magazine covers in their stores, an action that demonstrates a commitment to the faith community. However, Walmart’s online shopping experience is an open book for quite the opposite.
As always, if we can help you or a friend or colleague with your morally responsible investments, or if you have any questions about end of the year charitable giving, please give us a call.
After a little digging into Hobby Lobby’s 401(k) plan, Mother Jones,