Major companies stay mum on abortion issue — for now
A leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion that would abolish a nationwide right to abortion has thrust major companies into what’s arguably the most divisive issue in American politics.
But while some are signaling support for legal abortion, many want to stay out of it for now.
Experts say it’s tough to navigate these waters. Companies are facing increasing pressure from social media and their own employees to speak out. And while some have weighed in on issues like LGBTQ rights, voting rights and gun control, the thorny issue of abortion could prove more challenging.
“This is the hottest of the hot potatoes,” said Allen Adamson, co-founder of marketing consultancy Metaforce. “While lots of issues are polarizing, this is ground zero for polarization. People are fanatically passionate one way or another.”
Despite the risks, major companies have waded into the abortion issue in the past. In 2019, more than 180 of them — including H&M, Slack and Glossier — signed an open letter that said restrictive abortion laws were against their values and “bad for business.”
A similar letter was signed by more than 60 companies last year in response to a Texas law banning abortions after roughly six weeks of pregnancy, forcing some women to travel out-ofstate to access the procedure. Among others, jeans maker Levi Strauss & Co., the online reviews site Yelp, banking giant Citigroup and ride-hailing company Lyft pledged to cover travel costs for employees who have to travel long distances to access an abortion.
When the report of the draft court opinion set off a political firestorm this week, a few companies issued statements supporting abortion rights but stopped short of taking further action.
“Overturning Roe v. Wade will jeopardize the human rights of millions of women who stand to lose the liberty to make decisions over their own bodies,” Yelp said in a statement. “Turning back the clock on the progress women have made over the past 50 years will have a seismic impact on our society.”
Many others have remained quiet. They include Netflix, PayPal, Microsoft, Patagonia, Target, Walmart and Apple, which is reportedly covering travel costs for its Texas workers through its medical insurance. Microsoft and the Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business federation, said it had no comment; the rest did not respond. The Business Roundtable, which represents some of the country’s most powerful companies, said it “does not have a position.”
Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg posted on her personal social media accounts Tuesday that the document represents a “scary day for women all across the country.”