Discover Financial (DFS)

Take Impact Assessment
Overall impact
C (55)

Commentary

Discover Financial is an average overall performer. With a 'C' rating of 55.4 for overall impact (53rd percentile compared to all companies), Discover Financial ranks 58th out of 131 industry peers, behind Everi, TD Holdings, China Lending and 54 others, and ahead of Synchrony Financial, Firstcash, Ezcorp and 70 others. On top material causes for Discover Financial's industry (Financial Services), Discover Financial performs well in Equal Pay and Opportunity (95.7 score), Arts and Culture Access (82.6), Quality Lifelong Education (95.8) and 2 other causes where it received an 'A' score and performs poorly in Accountable Institutions (9.0 score), Free, Secure Flow of Information (0.0), Terrestrial Biodiversity (34.7) and 4 other causes where it received a 'D' or 'F' score.
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Screens
Advertising
Alcohol
Alcohol - responsible marketing
Animal treatment
Anti-abortion support
Anti-personnel mines
Antisemitism
Arctic drilling
Banned pesticides and chemicals
Biological and chemical weapons
Cannabis
Carbon emissions intensity
Child safety
Cluster munitions
Coal
Contraceptives
Controversial weapons
Deforestation - financing
Deforestation - supply chain
Depleted uranium
Discrimination controversies
Electrical utility
Endangered wildlife
Environmental controversies
EU sanctions list
Factory farming
Fast food
Firearms
Food commodity derivatives
For-profit health care
Fossil fuel
Fur
Gambling
Genetic engineering
Health-related controversies
Human rights controversies
Human trafficking
ILO Conventions
Interest-based products
Interest-bearing debt
Interest-bearing securities
Iran
Land use and biodiversity
Military contracting
Misleading communication
Modern slavery
Music
Myanmar
Non-sustainable palm oil
Norges Bank exclusion list
Northern Ireland (Macbride)
North Korea
No SBTI commitment
Nuclear
OECD Guidelines
Oil and gas
Opioid controversies
Oppressive governments
Palestinian human rights
Pharma controversies
Pork
Pornography
Predatory lending
Prison involvement
Privacy breaches
Pro-life
Russia
Single-use plastic
Stem cell research
Sudan
Sugar
Syria
Tar sands
Thermal coal
Tobacco
Tobacco - GICS
UK sanctions list
Undermining US elections
UN Global Compact
UN Guiding Principles
US OFAC sanctions list
Weapons
Impact
Cause DFS
Peer rank
Overall impact

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Screens
Advertising
Alcohol
Alcohol - responsible marketing
Animal treatment
Anti-abortion support
Anti-personnel mines
Antisemitism
Arctic drilling
Banned pesticides and chemicals
Biological and chemical weapons
Cannabis
Carbon emissions intensity
Child safety
Cluster munitions
Coal
Contraceptives
Controversial weapons
Deforestation - financing
Deforestation - supply chain
Depleted uranium
Discrimination controversies
Electrical utility
Endangered wildlife
Environmental controversies
EU sanctions list
Factory farming
Fast food
Firearms
Food commodity derivatives
For-profit health care
Fossil fuel
Fur
Gambling
Genetic engineering
Health-related controversies
Human rights controversies
Human trafficking
ILO Conventions
Interest-based products
Interest-bearing debt
Interest-bearing securities
Iran
Land use and biodiversity
Military contracting
Misleading communication
Modern slavery
Music
Myanmar
Non-sustainable palm oil
Norges Bank exclusion list
Northern Ireland (Macbride)
North Korea
No SBTI commitment
Nuclear
OECD Guidelines
Oil and gas
Opioid controversies
Oppressive governments
Palestinian human rights
Pharma controversies
Pork
Pornography
Predatory lending
Prison involvement
Privacy breaches
Pro-life
Russia
Single-use plastic
Stem cell research
Sudan
Sugar
Syria
Tar sands
Thermal coal
Tobacco
Tobacco - GICS
UK sanctions list
Undermining US elections
UN Global Compact
UN Guiding Principles
US OFAC sanctions list
Weapons
Impact trend

Change in rating for overall impact

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Company
Founded
1985
Employees
21,000
Sector
Financials
Industry
Consumer Finance
Sub-industry
Consumer Finance
SASB industry
Mortgage Financing
Headquarters
Il, United States
Share classes
DFS
More info
https://www.discover.com
Mission
To be the leading direct bank and payments partner.
Description
Discover Financial Services, through its subsidiaries, provides digital banking products and services, and payment services in the United States. It operates in two segments, Digital Banking and Payment Services. The Digital Banking segment offers Discover-branded credit cards to individuals; personal loans, home loans, and deposit products; and direct-to-consumer deposit products comprising savings accounts, certificates of deposit, money market accounts, IRA certificates of deposit, IRA savings accounts and checking accounts, and sweep accounts. The Payment Services segment operates the PULSE to access automated teller machines (ATMs), debit, and electronic funds transfer network; Diners Club, a payments network; and Network Partners business, which provides payment transaction processing and settlement, merchant acquisition, ATM access, and related payments services in the global network. Discover Financial Services was incorporated in 1960 and is headquartered in Riverwoods, Illinois. As of May 18, 2025, Discover Financial Services operates as a subsidiary of Capital One Financial Corporation.
Material causes
Ethos considers the following causes material for Discover Financial, based on its industry sub-industry Consumer Finance. Learn more about material causes in our methodology overview.
Accountable institutions
Build accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Affordable, safe housing
Ensure access to affordable, safe housing and living conditions for all
Arts and culture access
Support arts and culture creation, preservation, and access everywhere
Decent, safe work opportunities
Promote full and productive employment for all, in safe work environments
Equal pay and opportunity
Achieve equal pay and opportunity for women everywhere
Fair labor practices
Ensure fair and humane labor practices everywhere
Free, secure flow of information
Ensure a free and open flow of information, with secure personal data and privacy
Healthy oceans
Support healthy oceans and marine biodiversity, including through reduced pollution
Improved mental health
Support awareness and access to mental health support for all
LGBTQ equality
Ensure equal rights for all lesbian, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people
No poverty
End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Quality lifelong education
Ensure access to quality secondary education and lifelong learning opportunities for all
Racial justice and civil rights
Eliminate racism and ensure justice for all
Reduced availability of weapons
Reduce and control access to violent weapons
Reduced green house gas emissions
Continually reduce green house gas emissions and other pollutants
Reduced inequality
Reduce inequality within and among countries
Reduced waste
Reduce waste and support re-usable materials
Sustainable use of natural resources
Ensure sustainable use of natural resources
Terrestrial biodiversity
Protect biodiversity and wildlife habitats on land, preserve forests and combat land degradation
Peace and justice
Promote peaceful and inclusive societies, provide access to justice for all
Inclusive economies
Create inclusive economies with no poverty, decent work for all, and affordable living conditions
Quality education
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Gender equality
Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Innovation
Innovate to foster economic growth and human development
Life on earth
Protect biodiversity and ensure sustainable use of ecosystems
Health and well-being
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Climate action
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Sustainable resource use
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

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This information may not be used for corporate financing purposes (including, without limitation, ESG-linked loans, credit facilities, securities or structured products), as a basis for any financial instruments or products (including, without limitation, passively managed funds and index-linked derivative securities) or other products or services, to verify or correct data in any other compilation of data or index, to create any derivative works, nor to create any other data or index (custom or otherwise), without Ethos' prior written permission.

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