Large Companies Support Domestic Partnership as Good for Business

When Starbucks officially endorsed approval of Referendum 71 last week, it caused a slight flurry within the ranks of opponents, but many large employers have done so, including Google just yesterday. Fair-minded employers and smart money appreciate that treating people well is good for business. Fortune 500 companies have long recognized that the best companies need the best talent, and that extending common courtesies such as employer-provided benefits to the partners of all employees makes them more attractive, and more competitive in a global marketplace. Microsoft and Nike, Adidas and Boeing are not just competing for customers, but with international companies for the finest marketing and engineering minds in the world. The extension of benefits to domestic partners (whether straight, gay or lesbian) has been key to that for many years.

Back in September a number of these businesses joined to issue a statement, immediately after it was clear that Referendum 71 would be on the ballot. In this economy, Washington did not need the black eye of being seen as a bedroom for bigotry.

We are a group of businesses who stand united together by the commonality of our companies’ core values, which respect and support employees with diverse backgrounds. We are committed to supporting our employees and our customers and to ensuring the health of our communities. Accordingly, we support the campaign to Approve Referendum 71.

Approving this referendum will preserve Senate Bill 5688, a measure passed by the Legislature in 2009 to extend to state-registered domestic partnerships the benefits, obligations and responsibilities that apply to traditional marriages. The law does not sanction or encourage same-sex marriage. It simply recognizes that, regardless of their sexual orientation, people may enter into partnerships and create family units that deserve respect and equal treatment.
Overturning this law would undo years of equal rights progress made in Washington state. We do not believe that this step backward would be in the best interest for the future of our state.

As businesses, we strive to create workplaces where all employees can develop challenging careers with opportunities for growth, competitive rewards and a balance between work and home life. In a fast-paced, competitive environment, this is a shared responsibility between our companies and our employees. For this reason, our companies have adopted progressive policies that foster a diverse and inclusive work environment. Our employees know that they will be treated fairly, without being subject to prejudice or discrimination.

Unfortunately, not everyone enjoys these same basic protections in other aspects of their lives. The Legislature took an important step in that direction by passing SB 5688, and did so without placing any undue burden on the business environment or imposing excessive taxpayer cost. We believe that this action was consistent with our corporate principles in treating all employees with fairness and respect.

We embrace everyone’s fundamental right to be judged on their merits and contributions rather than factors such as their sexual orientation. Because rejecting the law would stem progress toward that goal, we urge a vote to approve Referendum 71.

The businesses issuing this statement were Boeing, Microsoft, Nike, Puget Sound Energy, RealNetworks and Vulcan. They were shortly followed by the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce and many other business groups, large and small, including most of the state's newspapers and editorial boards.

The basic fairness these companies have shown internally has become public with the need to approve Referendum 71 in defense of Washington's domestic partnership law. Microsoft backed up its support with hard cash, because it is a sound political and business decision.

Basic fairness and protection of domestic partnership rights in Washington is everyone's business. Please vote to approve Referendum 71.