Who to support
Buycott · Values-Aligned Spending
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The boycott is only half the strategy. The other half is redirecting spending toward companies that are doing the right thing — publicly opposing authoritarianism, protecting workers, supporting civil liberties, and standing firm under political pressure. Every dollar redirected is leverage applied in both directions at once.
What a Buycott Is
A buycott is the active counterpart to a boycott. Where a boycott withdraws economic support from companies whose behavior causes harm, a buycott directs economic support toward companies whose behavior deserves it.
The logic is the same in both directions: corporations respond to where money flows. Consistent, coordinated consumer support sends a signal that values-aligned behavior is commercially rewarded — just as boycotts send a signal that harmful behavior is commercially costly.
Used together, boycotts and buycotts apply pressure from both ends of the market.
What to Look For
Not every company that avoids political controversy is worth supporting. The companies most worth directing spending toward are those that have taken active, documented, public positions — especially under pressure to stay silent or comply.
Look for companies that:
Have publicly opposed authoritarian policy, executive overreach, or democratic backsliding — in writing, on the record
Protect workers through fair wages, union recognition, safe conditions, and whistleblower protections
Fund or support civil liberties litigation, voting rights, or press freedom organizations
Have maintained DEI commitments under political pressure to abandon them
Have ended or refused government contracts that violate civil liberties or human rights
Source ethically and maintain supply chain accountability
Actions matter more than statements. A company that quietly maintains its commitments under pressure is more credible than one that makes loud declarations when it is easy.
How to Research a Company
Before directing spending based on reputation, verify it. Corporate positions change, and public statements do not always reflect internal behavior.
These tools help:
Goods Unite Us — shows which brands fund which political parties
Buycott — app for scanning products and checking company values alignment
DoneGood — marketplace for ethically sourced and values-aligned products
Ethical Consumer — ratings on company ethics, labor, and environmental impact
OpenSecrets — track corporate political donations and PAC activity
Fair World Project — advocacy for fair trade and worker-centered businesses
Local First / AMIBA — support and strengthen independent local businesses
The Independent and Local Option
For many categories of spending, the most values-aligned choice is also the most local one. Independent retailers, local grocers, community banks, credit unions, local hardware stores, independent restaurants, and locally owned service providers recirculate money in the community, are less likely to fund national political campaigns, and are far more responsive to community pressure.
When in doubt, buy local. It is almost always the right answer.
Categories Worth Redirecting
A few practical areas where redirecting spending has the most impact:
Banking and credit — Move accounts from large national banks with documented fossil fuel financing and corporate PAC activity to a local credit union or community development financial institution (CDFI).
Groceries — Local co-ops, independent grocers, farmers markets, and community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs over national chains with documented political influence.
Hardware and home — Local independent hardware stores over national chains with documented political donations.
Telecommunications — Smaller regional or cooperative carriers over the major national telecoms with documented surveillance infrastructure and political spending.
Media and news — Subscribe to independent journalism. Support local newspapers. Fund investigative reporting organizations that hold power accountable.
Clothing and goods — Look for certified B Corps, fair trade certified products, and worker-owned cooperatives.
This Page Will Grow
The Corporate Collaborators research in this library is built around documentation of harmful behavior. A parallel effort to document companies that are actively doing the right thing is underway. As that research develops, specific company recommendations with evidence will be added here.
In the meantime, the research tools above are the best starting point for making informed decisions about where spending goes.
→ Research tools | Boycott quick view | Get the full toolkit
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