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Corporate America Doesn’t Want to Talk Abortion, but It May Have To (Emma Goldberg, Alisha Haridasani Gupta and Lauren Hirsch / New York Times) ... "For some major companies that have been known to weigh in on political and social issues, this week has been unusually quiet. Walmart, Disney, Meta, PwC, Salesforce, JPMorgan Chase, ThirdLove, Patagonia, Kroger and Business Roundtable were among the companies and organizations that declined to comment or take a position, or did not respond to requests for comment about whether they plan to make public statements about their stance on abortion. Hobby Lobby, which in 2014 brought a suit to the Supreme Court challenging whether employer-provided health care had to include contraception, made no public statement and did not respond to a request for comment.
"Other companies did wade in. United Talent Agency said it would reimburse travel expenses for employees affected by abortion bans. Airbnb said it would ensure its employees 'have the resources they need to make choices about their reproductive rights.' Levi Strauss & Company, which has said its benefits plan will reimburse employees who have to travel out of state for health care services such as abortions, said abortion was a business issue.
“'Efforts to further restrict or criminalize that access would have far-reaching consequences for the American work force,' the company said in an email to The New York Times. 'It would jeopardize workplace gains women have made over the past 50 years.'"
After state abortion fights, corporate America braces for end of Roe (Todd Frankel, Taylor Telford and Danielle Abril / Washington Post) ... "Access to abortion is important to workers, according to a new poll from the Tara Health Foundation and Morning Consult. Working adults by a 2-to-1 margin said they would prefer to live in a state where abortion is legal and accessible, rather than illegal and inaccessible, according to the poll, conducted in March of a national sample of 2,210 adults. It also reported that 71 percent of respondents said a state’s social policies should be a factor in a decision to move there.
"As states have tightened abortion restrictions in recent years — including in Georgia, Missouri and Alabama — companies have faced increased pressure from shareholders on these topics, too.
"Already this year, shareholders have filed a record number of proposals asking companies to examine business risks from any restrictive abortion laws or to study how donations to 'anti-choice politicians' aligns with corporate commitments to inclusion.
…
"Some consumers and employees may be expecting companies to take a lead on this topic, said Richard Levick, chairman of public relations firm Levick.
“'They are looking to corporations as one of the last lines to defend democracy,' he said. 'That is a role corporations have not felt since World War II.'
"The unease that abortion causes companies is hard to miss, even among firms that appeared to have gone out of their way to help workers skirt the new limits.
"When Citigroup in March said it would help its Texas employees travel for out-of-state abortion services, abortion rights supporters applauded. And the finance giant seemingly shrugged off a threat by a state GOP representative to punish the company by blocking it from underwriting municipal bonds.
"But one month later, Citigroup chief executive Jane Fraser seemed to downplay the company’s actions.
“'I want to be clear that this benefit isn’t intended to be a statement about a very sensitive issue,' Fraser said at the company’s annual shareholders meeting, responding to audience questions on the abortion travel aid.
"She said Citigroup just wanted all workers to have the same health benefits.
“'We respect everyone’s view on this subject,' Fraser said.
"Corporate shareholders meetings provide a rare venue for putting the abortion question directly to company officials.
"TJX Companies, which owns T.J. Maxx clothing stores, is dealing with a shareholder proposal asking the firm to start reporting on the risk from restrictions on reproductive rights.
"The proposal came from Zevin — Pinilla’s firm — and Trillium Asset Management. The proposal noted that 40 percent of the company’s U.S. stores were located in states where abortion might become illegal if Roe v. Wade is overturned, due to 'trigger bills.'
“'Should that occur,' the proposal read, 'TJX may find it more difficult to recruit employees to locations where abortion is outlawed.'
"They also pointed out the potential harm to the company’s finances, brand and reputation.
"It was the business case — not a social or religious one — for why banning abortion might be a bad idea.
"TJX’s board of directors recommended its shareholders vote against the proposal. The company’s annual meeting is in June. The company declined to comment.
"Walmart faces a similar shareholder’s proposal ahead of its June annual meeting.
“'Should Roe v. Wade be weakened or overturned, as is widely anticipated, Walmart employees will face challenges accessing abortion care,' read the proposal from Clean Yield Asset Management, noting that 60 percent of Walmart’s U.S. stores are located in states with Roe v. Wade trigger bills.
"Walmart’s directors recommended voting against the proposal, too, writing, 'we believe our company is a great place to work for women, with benefits plans and programs that are competitive and that support the physical, emotional, and financial well-being of all our associates.'
"Walmart did not respond to a request for comment.
"Abortion-related shareholder proposals have become an increasingly popular tactic in the last three years, said Shelley Alpern of Rhia Ventures, a venture capital fund focused on reproductive and maternal health, who helped put together a recent proposal at Charter Communications.
"No abortion-related proposal has won over a majority of shareholders. One abortion risk proposal at Pfizer was approved by 47 percent of shareholders last year, she said."
Read more ...
What corporations are saying about the end of constitutional protections for abortion
Judd Legum / Popular Information - May 5
Anti-abortion lawmakers are getting help from major corporations
Ja'han Jones / MSNBC - May 4
Shareholder Activism Emerging as Path to Protect Abortion Rights
Erin Mulvaney / Bloomberg Law - May 4
Major companies, including Disney and Walmart, keep largely silent as leaked Supreme Court abortion draft sparks outrage
Melissa Repko and Lauren Feiner / CNBC - May 3
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