Lobbying & Public Policy Engagement Policy

Data Classification: Public

Posit Does Not Lobby

Posit does not lobby. We do not employ lobbyists, maintain a government affairs function, or engage, directly or through a paid intermediary acting on our specific instructions, in efforts to influence legislation, regulation, or government policy. We are a software company focused on building tools for data science, scientific research, and technical communication. Shaping policy outcomes has never been part of how we pursue that mission, and we don’t expect that to change.

We do, however, support organizations, through membership dues and donations, and some of these organizations may engage in policy advocacy as part of their broader missions. We think it’s worth being transparent about that relationship and clear about the standards we hold it to, even though it falls outside what we’d consider lobbying by Posit itself. That is what this policy sets out.

What This Policy Covers

Posit does not lobby, and this policy is, first and foremost, a public statement of that fact. It also addresses two related matters: the financial and in-kind support we provide to organizations that engage in policy advocacy on issues unrelated to our own commercial interests, and the standards we hold ourselves to in the unlikely event our posture on direct engagement were ever to change.

This policy does not cover ordinary commercial discussions with government agencies acting as customers of our software, or routine compliance communications with regulators about Posit’s own products. Those activities are governed by our standard commercial and compliance processes.

Our Approach if That Were Ever to Change

As a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation and Certified B Corp, we have made a commitment to consider the interests of all our stakeholders, not just our shareholders. If Posit were ever to engage directly in efforts to influence legislation or regulation, something we do not currently do, that commitment would apply with full force. We would only do so to contribute to a positive impact on society or the environment, never simply to advance our own commercial position at the public’s expense, and any position we took would need to be grounded in reliable evidence: credible research, established scientific or technical consensus, or our own genuine expertise in open-source software and data science.

We are setting this standard out now, rather than waiting until it becomes relevant, because we think a credible commitment is one that exists before it is tested.

Political Contributions and Donations to Organizations That Lobby

Posit does not make financial or in-kind political contributions to candidates, parties, ballot initiatives, or political action committees, whether in the United States or elsewhere. We believe our resources are better spent building tools that serve our mission than influencing elections.
Separately, Posit does provide financial support — through membership dues and other donations — to a number of organizations, including open-source foundations such as the Eclipse Foundation and the R Consortium, that engage in policy advocacy as part of their broader work. We support these organizations because of the value they provide to the open-source community, not because of their advocacy activity, and we do not direct, fund, or earmark any contribution for a specific lobbying purpose.

Before making or renewing a financial commitment to any organization that engages in policy advocacy, we consider whether that organization’s positions are consistent with this policy — in particular, whether its advocacy is oriented toward a positive societal or environmental outcome rather than a narrow commercial one. To date, our review has not identified any instance in which an organization we support has taken a position contrary to B Corp principles or to the standards in this policy.

If Posit’s approach to political contributions were ever to change, any proposed contribution would require advance approval from the Board of Directors and would be publicly disclosed, consistent with the transparency principles set out elsewhere in this policy.

Anti-Corruption and Bribery

osit has zero tolerance for bribery or corruption in any form. Associates must never offer, give, or accept anything of value to improperly influence a government official, regulator, or any other party, in order to gain an unfair advantage or affect a policy or business outcome. This standard applies equally to dealings with government officials and private commercial counterparts, and is consistent with our existing Code of Conduct, which requires all Associates to complete annual Anti-Bribery and Corruption training.

Where Posit provides financial support to an organization that engages with policymakers, that support must be given transparently, through legitimate channels, and never as a way to secure preferential treatment for Posit or to circumvent restrictions that would apply if Posit engaged in the activity directly.

Organizations We Support That Engage in Advocacy

Posit does not lobby, and we do not direct or fund lobbying through any organization. We do belong to and financially support several open-source foundations and trade associations, whose broader missions include engaging with regulators and legislators on issues affecting the open-source community. We support these organizations primarily for the technical and community value they provide, not for their advocacy activity.

Because that advocacy happens independently of any direction from Posit, but our financial support may help to sustain these organizations more broadly, we think it’s appropriate to hold ourselves to a standard of awareness and review, even though we are not the ones doing the lobbying. In practice, this means:

• We periodically review the public policy positions taken by the organizations we support to confirm they remain consistent with B Corp principles and with our own values.
• As of the adoption of this policy, that review has not identified any position taken by an organization we support that we consider contrary to B Corp principles or otherwise inconsistent with this policy.
• If we did identify such a position, we would raise the concern directly with the organization. Where a serious and unresolved conflict persisted, we would consider further action, which could include publicly noting our disagreement and/or reassessing our continued support.
• We do not earmark dues or donations for lobbying purposes, and we do not ask any organization we support to advocate on Posit’s behalf.

We recognize this is an area where our visibility is necessarily limited - we are one supporter among many, and we do not control these organizations’ advocacy agendas. Our commitment is to stay informed and to act if something we see is inconsistent with our values, not to assume that silence means alignment.

Governance, Ownership, and Review

This policy is approved by Posit’s Board of Directors and is reviewed at least annually, or sooner if our policy engagement activities or trade association memberships change materially.

The General Counsel is the executive accountable for this policy. This means the General Counsel is responsible for ensuring the policy reflects how we actually operate, for reviewing our trade association memberships against it, and for escalating any concerns to the Board. Day-to-day, this means the General Counsel is the point of contact for any decision involving a new association membership, a proposed political contribution, or any direct engagement with a legislator or regulator on behalf of Posit.

How We Put This Into Practice

This policy is not meant to live in a drawer. We embed it in practice by:

• Including our financial support of organizations that engage in policy advocacy in our annual human rights and B Corp review processes, so that this support is assessed alongside our other public benefit commitments rather than as a separate compliance exercise.
• Requiring General Counsel sign-off before Posit makes or renews a significant financial commitment to any organization whose mission includes policy advocacy or government engagement.
• Referencing this policy in our existing training, so that our Associates understand how our approach to ethical conduct extends to public policy matters.
• Publishing this policy on our public website, so our approach is visible to anyone who wants to understand it, including customers, employees, the open-source community, and the public at large.

Managing the Risk of Non-Compliance

The primary risk we manage under this policy is indirect: that an organization we financially support takes a position inconsistent with B Corp principles or our own values. We manage this risk by keeping the list of organizations we support current and reviewed, by requiring Legal involvement before any new or renewed financial commitment to a policy-adjacent organization, and by treating any report of inconsistent conduct, whether from an Associate, a member of the public, or media coverage of an organization we support, as something to be investigated, not dismissed.

The General Counsel evaluates compliance with this policy annually as part of the broader human rights and B Corp compliance review, and reports the results of that review to the Board.

Raising a Concern

If anyone, an Associate, a customer, a community member, or anyone else, believes Posit’s conduct, or that of an organization we financially support, is inconsistent with this policy or B Corp principles, we want to hear about it. Concerns can be raised through any of the channels described in our Human Rights Policy and Code of Conduct, including speaking with People Operations or Legal directly, or using our anonymous reporting tool. Retaliation against anyone who raises a concern in good faith is strictly prohibited.

This policy is a living document and may be updated as our community and regulatory environment evolve.

Last Update: 2026