Marc Benioff is the CEO of Salesforce, and he is mad about Indiana’s Religious Freedoms Law that recently passed – which would allow businesses to discriminate against LGBTQ people.
What happened, however, was that he is DOING something about it that speaks not just about his protest, but about his support for LGBTQ people. He:
– Threatened to scale back his company’s investments in Indiana
– Tweeted about it
– Connected with other CEOs and they got on board
– Has offered relocation packages to employees who want to leave the state as a result of the new law
Wow.
It’s feels rare these days to see someone stick their neck out for others so boldly and publicly.
Marc isn’t gay, but he is clearly an Ally.
And yes, he is a CEO, so he has power and privilege to back up his protests – and put his money where his mouth is, which helps.
But what amazes me most is that he isn’t just talking about it, he is taking tangible steps that have a real impact. He is making his voice heard and making it count. And it has made a difference.
Saying we disagree with something is one thing, but taking action to show that disagreement while also being an ally really says we get it and we care.
One could argue that it’s easy to do this when one has power and privilege behind them, which is true.
But clearly just because it’s easy, doesn’t mean people DO it.
Thank you Marc.
See more.
Copyright 2015 Annemarie Shrouder
Speaker and facilitator on issues of diversity and inclusion.
www.beeing.ca
www.annemarieshrouder.com
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