MASHINIi

Vector Group Ltd..

VGR.US | Manufacture of tobacco products

Vector Group Ltd. is a holding company with two main operating segments: Tobacco and Real Estate. The Tobacco segment manufactures and markets cigarettes in the United States. The Real Estate segment invests in, develops, and manages real estate properties. While the company has interests in both se...Show More

Ethical Profile

Mixed.

Is Vector Group Ltd. ethical? Primarily a tobacco manufacturer, the company's core business faces inherent conflicts with public health. Reports suggest a 2009 case resulted in a $700,000 settlement for a smoker's death linked to lung cancer. Environmentally, critics point to significant waste from non-biodegradable cigarette filters, a major global litter issue. While the company has set net-zero Scope 1 & 2 emissions targets by 2030 and reduced paper use, Scope 3 emissions reportedly increased significantly in FY2023, and two environmental compliance violations occurred in 2005. On worker relations, Vector Group's CEO to median employee pay ratio was 191:1 in 2023, with some employee reviews mentioning lower salaries compared to competitors, despite generally positive overall ratings.

Value Scores

Better Health for All-80
-100100
Fair Money & Economic Opportunity0
-100100
Fair Pay & Worker Respect0
-100100
Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing0
-100100
Honest & Fair Business-50
-100100
Kind to Animals50
-100100
No War, No Weapons0
-100100
Planet-Friendly Business-20
-100100
Respect for Cultures & Communities0
-100100
Safe & Smart Tech0
-100100
Zero Waste & Sustainable Products-70
-100100

Better Health for All

-80

Vector Group Ltd.'s tobacco segment, which typically generates the majority of the company's revenue, manufactures cigarettes that cause severe, widespread health damage, including lung cancer and death. Liggett Group, a Vector unit, was found liable for the death of a smoker

1
and settled with over 4,900 plaintiffs in the Engle class action for $110 million
2
due to health harms from smoking. The company's Quest cigarettes, designed to reduce nicotine intake (Quest 3 has 0.05 milligrams or less),
3
were not labeled or advertised for smoking cessation
4
despite a preliminary study showing 33% of Quest 3 smokers achieved 4-week continuous abstinence.
5
A planned clinical trial for Quest cigarettes uses a single-blind design, which may introduce bias.
6
The historical litigation implies significant undisclosed risks regarding the health effects of smoking.

Fair Money & Economic Opportunity

0

Vector Group Ltd. operates primarily in the tobacco and real estate sectors. The ethical value 'Fair Money & Economic Opportunity' is defined to cover activities that lend, insure, move, or store money, and evaluates how financial institutions democratize access to fair financial services. As Vector Group Ltd. does not offer consumer lending, deposit, or other financial services, all KPIs under this value are not applicable to its core business model. Therefore, no relevant evidence was found to score any of the KPIs.

1

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

0

In 2023, Vector Group Ltd.'s CEO to median employee pay ratio was 191:1.

1
The company's work satisfaction rating is 3.9 out of 5 (78%) based on employee reviews.
2

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

0

No evidence available to assess Vector Group Ltd. on Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing.

Honest & Fair Business

-50

Vector Group Ltd. has a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, adopted March 5, 2020, which includes a whistleblower policy stating the company will not allow retaliation for good-faith reports of violations.

1
This code also prohibits bribes, kickbacks, and corrupt payments, while specifying that occasional business gifts of modest value are acceptable.
2
Procedures for complaints regarding accounting, internal controls, or auditing matters are also in place.
3

Kind to Animals

50

Vector Group Ltd. (VGR.US) is reported to have 'No Animal Exploitation' as of February 2026.

1
This indicates an absolute global ban on animal testing across all product categories, aligning with a strong animal testing policy. Consequently, this also means zero animals are used in any testing protocols.

No War, No Weapons

0

No specific quantitative data or concrete facts related to any of the 'No War, No Weapons' KPIs were found in the provided articles. The articles focus on the company's mission, values, code of conduct, and an acquisition announcement, without detailing any involvement in arms, defense, dual-use technologies, peacebuilding initiatives, or related compliance measures.

Planet-Friendly Business

-20

No environmental compliance violations, fines, or regulatory actions are mentioned for Vector Group Ltd. or its subsidiary Liggett Group LLC.

1
Sustainalytics assesses Vector Group Ltd. with an ESG Risk Rating of 37.7 (High), ranking it 384 out of 547 in the Food Products industry and 12944 out of 14699 globally, noting "Medium Low" exposure and "Average" management.
2
However, this assessment does not provide specific quantitative data for other planet-friendly business metrics.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

0

No specific, quantitative data relevant to VGR.US and the 'Respect for Cultures & Communities' ethical value was found across the provided articles. The articles primarily discuss general DE&I trends, online training courses offered by 'Vector Solutions' (a a different entity from VGR.US), or provide a high-level ESG risk rating for VGR.US without detailing specific actions or metrics related to community engagement, cultural preservation, or local impact.

1

Safe & Smart Tech

0

No specific, concrete data points or measurable actions related to data protection, cybersecurity, or responsible AI were found across the provided articles. The articles consist of a financial report (10-K)

1
, a general privacy policy
2
, and a corporate governance code of conduct
3
, none of which contain quantifiable evidence or specific details for any of the 'Safe & Smart Tech' KPIs, such as data breach severity, cybersecurity investment, privacy certifications, or AI ethics governance. The privacy policy explicitly notes the absence of data for most relevant metrics
4
.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

-70

For its core tobacco products, cigarette filters are non-biodegradable and designed for single use, indicating a lack of product recyclability and very low product durability. A lawsuit alleges the company failed to warn consumers about the filters' non-biodegradability and environmental harm, reflecting a lack of customer waste education and no circular design considerations for this product.

1
In contrast, the company has implemented waste reduction initiatives, achieving a 55% reduction in paper use in FY2021 compared to FY2020 through paperless internal and client meetings.
2
However, the company's waste reduction targets are vague, stating a general goal to "eliminate waste" without specific metrics or timelines.
3

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AI-generated analysis based on publicly available data. Not financial advice. Ratings are expressions of opinion derived from automated models and may contain inaccuracies. See our Risk Disclosure for full details.