24 UK companies undermining US democracy 

UK corporations are helping bankroll US politicians accused of “undermining democracy”, according to a new report by Donations and Democracy.

The study names 24 UK-headquartered companies whose US subsidiaries financially supported members of Congress who voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election – which Trump lost – despite multiple court rulings that it was fairly run.

Donations and Democracy’s director Christopher Avery warns that these donations directly impact whether such Congress members get re-elected, “at a time when democratic institutions in the US are in need of support”.

None of the 24 companies named had responded to the report’s criticisms at the time of writing.

How the donations work

In the US, companies can’t directly donate corporate money to political candidates – but they can set up Political Action Committees (PACs). These company-backed funds are usually run by boards made up of senior executives and collect voluntary contributions from employees and shareholders. The PACs then channel this money to support specific political candidates chosen by its board.

While this is legal under US campaign finance rules, PACs are a well-established way for companies to exert political influence without technically using corporate funds.

Who are the 24 UK brands facing criticism?

Some of the UK’s most recognisable brands appear in the report.

PwC, British American Tobacco and Deloitte were linked to the largest number of Congress members who voted against ratifying the election results.

Together, these three companies’ US PACs donated to over 50 such politicians each – more than a third of the 147 Congress members who refused to certify the result. 

Number of Congress members donated to

The table below lists the number of Congress members who voted against certifying the election results, who have received donations from PACs of the named company’s subsidiaries.*

For companies operating in sectors that we have ethical shopping guides for, we’ve provided links so you can find alternatives and see how the company ranks if it’s featured in the guide. 

* Donations recorded on the US Federal Election Commission website as of 4 June 2025, made since the date of the certification votes (January 2021). 

Donations come from sectors with strong political agendas

The companies on this list are dominated by sectors with long track records of political influence, such as finance (Barclays, HSBC), fossil fuels (BP) and weapons manufacturers (BAE Systems, Ultra Electronics).

There’s significant public and political opposition to many of these sectors’ activities, so it matters to these sectors which politicians are in power – it could be the difference between having their corporate activities limited or given even greater free reign.

The fact that some of the UK’s most controversial industries are also those funding US politicians who undermined the 2020 election raises questions about the role of corporate power in eroding democratic norms abroad.

The list also features companies that are influential in shaping public opinion, such as three of the ‘Big Four’ auditors PwC, Ernst & Young and Deloitte, and the world’s largest advertising company WPP.

More companies are donating through trade associations

Several more UK multinationals and their subsidiaries are members of trade associations (lobby groups) which have donated to campaigns by Congress members who voted against ratifying the elections.

For example, one of Unilever’s subsidiaries reportedly is a member of the Council for Responsible Nutrition which has its own PAC. This committee has donated to a Congress member who voted against certifying the elections. 

Read Unilever’s response, and the full list of indirectly linked brands, in the report.