Why Boycotting the Top 20 Companies Matters
In today’s global economy, the gap between CEOs and their workers has reached staggering levels. The world’s top 20 corporations generate billions in profit while their executives receive salaries, stock options, and bonuses that amount to hundreds—sometimes thousands—of times what the average worker earns. Meanwhile, many of these same workers struggle with low wages, lack of benefits, and job insecurity.
This extreme wealth concentration at the top isn’t just unfair—it weakens communities, stifles economic mobility, and fuels a system where only a select few thrive while the majority barely get by. By continuing to support these corporations, we reinforce a broken system that prioritizes executive wealth over worker well-being.
Who do I Boycott?
Who Do I Support?
Which companies to boycott. Which companies to support. Here are lists of the highest ratios – the companies who pay their CEO’s hundreds or thousands times more than the median worker, and the lowest ratios – 1;1, or the same for the CEO as for the median worker, up to the ratio that existed in 1965, 21:1.
We can make a difference with our pocket books, our purchasing power. Let’s choose to spend our money at the companies that honor their employees by compensating them fairly,
Somebody said to me – well, give me an alternative. Where else can I buy what I need.
As well as the companies on the low ratio list, look to your local stores, which are often small businesses, maybe family owned, some may be minority owned or women owned. And that includes when you eat out. Before you go to a McDonalds or an Applebee’s, look around at the restaurants that are locally owned.
Finding Alternatives: A Path Toward Economic Justice
Amazon
Amazon is a unique company. It provides excellent service, often lower prices, can give small businesses a leg up because they don’t have to do their own marketing, they offer convenience for people who may already be working long hours in one or two jobs, plus taking care of children and maybe elderly parents. They also provide access to goods to people in more rural areas who might otherwise not be able to find what they need locally.
So while they are far from perfect in how they treat their employees, they do offer employment to many who otherwise might not find work.
But for now, we are not singling them out for a boycott because as you will note, Amazon is not on either of the lists. It is because their ratio is 37:1. Not the best, but not that bad either.
If you do however want to boycott them for other reasons, here’s how to shop for what you need:
Find the product you want – on Amazon or elsewhere
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Google the company name
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Order from the company’s website – you might even find a 10% discount coupon
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You will probably still get it in 2-8 days
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It only takes an extra couple of minutes.
Walmart
Walmart on the other hand, is on the list. Their CEO makes 976 times as much as the median worker. Many people, unfortunately, think they cannot afford to shop elsewhere because Walmart’s prices are low. If it is food you are buying from them here’s a list of supermarkets which offer low prices. Some are regional, others national.
These supermarkets are also a good alternative to Kroger (Ratio - 502:1)brand supermarkets:
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Aldi
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Market Basket
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Grocery Outlet
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Wegman’s
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Costco
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Winco Foods
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Trader Joe's
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Giant Eagle
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BJ's