Equitable Holdings, Inc. (EQH) — ESG & Values Scores

Environment story

Equitable Holdings discloses minimal direct environmental data in the 10-K filing examined. No Scope 1, 2, or 3 emissions disclosures are provided. No net-zero target date is stated. The company faces reputational and regulatory risk from evolving ESG scrutiny and climate regulation, as flagged in Risk Factors. No verified investments in decarbonization infrastructure are documented. The financial services sector's primary environmental footprint is indirect (financed emissions through asset management and insurance portfolios), which is not quantified. Absence of substantive environmental commitments or disclosures results in a low score reflecting both missing data and apparent lack of proactive environmental strategy.

Criticisms on file

Continued scrutiny and evolving expectations regarding ESG practices; legislators and regulators have imposed and may continue to impose ESG-related legislation and rules, which may conflict with one another and impose additional costs.
Source: EQH_10k.txt, Risk Factors section
State attorneys general and other state officials have spoken out against ESG-motivated investing by some investment managers and terminated contracts with managers based on their ESG strategies.
Source: EQH_10k.txt, Risk Factors section
Regulators have proposed, imposed and may continue to impose new requirements or issue new guidance aimed at addressing or mitigating climate change-related risks.
Source: EQH_10k.txt, Risk Factors - Legal and Regulatory Risks

Disclosed initiatives

ESG Integration in Asset Management (AllianceBernstein)

AB operates ESG-focused investment products and research, though specific emissions reduction or climate commitments are not detailed in the 10-K.

Social story

Equitable Holdings does not disclose CEO-to-median-worker pay ratio, workforce diversity percentages, gender pay gap, or union standing in the 10-K. The company reports challenges in attracting and retaining key employees and experienced financial professionals in a competitive market. No significant documented union-suppression activities or major strikes within 24 months are disclosed. Supply-chain ethics and human-rights audit data are absent. The company references misconduct risk by employees and financial professionals, with controls in place but no formal statement of union relationships, diversity targets, or supply-chain labor audits. Lack of transparency on key social metrics and absence of proactive diversity or labor commitments result in a moderate score reflecting incomplete disclosure.

Criticisms on file

Misconduct by employees or financial professionals could result in regulatory sanctions, reputational harm, or loss of ability to act as investment adviser or broker-dealer.
Source: EQH_10k.txt, Risk Factors section
Cost of living adjustment (COLA) and wage pressures in competitive labor market; ability to recruit, motivate and retain key employees is stated as material to business success.
Source: EQH_10k.txt, Risk Factors section

Disclosed initiatives

Employee Recruitment and Retention Programs

Company acknowledges dependence on recruiting and retaining highly skilled, technical, investment, managerial and executive personnel; notes intense competition among financial services companies for such talent.
Internal Controls and Compliance Monitoring

Company employs controls and procedures designed to monitor employees' and financial professionals' business decisions and prevent excessive or inappropriate risk-taking, including information security compliance.

Governance story

Equitable Holdings' 10-K does not explicitly disclose board independence percentage, though governance structures are mentioned (third amended and restated certificate of incorporation, seventh amended and restated by-laws, exclusive Delaware Chancery Court forum). No dual-class share structure is disclosed; common equity voting structure is standard. The company discloses significant lobbying and regulatory interaction, particularly around ESG, insurance regulation, and deregulation. Legal proceedings and regulatory actions are referenced but not quantified in detail; an SEC settlement is mentioned in the Retirement segment discussion (special payment to clients). Governance score reflects incomplete transparency on board composition and independence metrics, but no evidence of egregious structural failures or active regulatory censure in the 10-K narrative.

Criticisms on file

Exposure to regulatory proceedings and legal actions; company notes potential for unpredictable judgments and large damage awards in class action litigation.
Source: EQH_10k.txt, Risk Factors - Legal proceedings and regulatory actions
SEC settlement involving special payment to active clients; amount not fully detailed but disclosed as part of 2023 AV roll-forward.
Source: EQH_10k.txt, MD&A - Results of Operations by Segment - Retirement
Regulatory scrutiny of ESG practices and potential conflicts with evolving state and federal regulatory positions; state attorneys general have terminated contracts with investment managers based on ESG strategies.
Source: EQH_10k.txt, Risk Factors - Continued scrutiny and evolving expectations regarding ESG matters

Disclosed initiatives

Board Governance and Regulatory Oversight

Company maintains formal governance policies and oversight structures including board committees, risk management procedures, and compliance monitoring frameworks.
Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Risk Management

Company has implemented a formal, risk-based data security program including physical, technical, and administrative safeguards, with governance of cybersecurity risk management.

These are Missionomics' own editorial scores — directional signals built from disclosed facts under a published method, not certifications or definitive ratings of Equitable Holdings, Inc.. Coverage and confidence vary by data point, and figures can lag real-world changes. Read the full Methodology for sourcing, scoring, and correction details — or open Equitable Holdings, Inc. in the app for interactive charts and portfolio building.

More in Financial Services

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK-B) JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) Visa Inc. (V) Mastercard Incorporated (MA) Bank of America Corporation (BAC) Morgan Stanley (MS)