Diversity and inclusion champion Medtronic joins further companies in taking a public stand for equity by signing Human Rights Campaign's (HRC) Business Statement on Anti-LGBTQ State Legislation.
Through signing the statement, Medtronic highlights its clear opposition to harmful legislation aimed at restricting the access of LGBTQ people in society.
This continues the company's ongoing support of LGBTQ employees, officially recognized by a perfect score on HRC's Corporate Equality Index for LGBTQ-inclusive workplace policies and practices.
The statement reads:
The companies joining this statement do business, create jobs, and serve customers throughout the United States. Our businesses strongly embrace diversity and inclusion because we want everyone who works for us or does business with us to feel included and welcomed as their true, authentic selves. Fairness, equal treatment, and opportunity are central to our corporate values because we care about our employees and the customers we serve. What’s more, these values also matter to our bottom lines. Inclusive business practices lead to more productive and engaged employees, increased customer satisfaction; and, ultimately, improved competitiveness and financial performance.
We are deeply concerned by the bills being introduced in state houses across the country that single out LGBTQ individuals - many specifically targeting transgender youth - for exclusion or differential treatment. Laws that would affect access to medical care for transgender people, parental rights, social and family services, student sports, or access to public facilities such as restrooms, unnecessarily and uncharitably single out already marginalized groups for additional disadvantage. They seek to put the authority of state government behind discrimination and promote mistreatment of a targeted LBGTQ population.
These bills would harm our team members and their families, stripping them of opportunities and making them feel unwelcome and at risk in their own communities. As such, it can be exceedingly difficult for us to recruit the most qualified candidates for jobs in states that pursue such laws, and these measures can place substantial burdens on the families of our employees who already reside in these states. Legislation promoting discrimination directly affects our businesses, whether or not it occurs in the workplace.
As we make complex decisions about where to invest and grow, these issues can influence our decisions. America’s business community has consistently communicated to lawmakers at every level that such laws have a negative effect on our employees, our customers, our competitiveness, and state and national economies.
As business leaders dedicated to equal treatment, respect, and opportunity for all - as well as to improving the financial and investment climate across the country - we call for public leaders to abandon or oppose efforts to enact this type of discriminatory legislation and ensure fairness for all Americans.
Join a company publicly fighting for equality
Through a culture of inclusion, Medtronic is fostering a vibrant, healthy and diverse employee community that truly reflects the world.
The company’s commitment to advance inclusion and diversity comes to life through: top-down leadership accountability and company-wide goals and metrics to drive progress, as well as recruiting and professional development programs that invest in the growth of diverse employees to help accelerate careers.
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Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.