We predicted that the new extreme anti-abortion laws adopted in several states could lead to some shareholder proposals next year. Corporations are ahead of them — 187 CEOs have signed a strong letter objecting to these laws as “bad for business” and a “ban on equality.”

One hundred and eighty-seven companies have denounced states’ restrictions on abortion services and reproductive healthcare, saying that such laws are “bad for business” and would make it difficult for them to protect their employees.

Banks, tech firms, media companies, and fashion brands jointly signed a full-page ad in The New York Times, published Monday, that said: “Equality in the workplace is one of the most important business issues of our time.”

Signatories on the open letter — titled “Don’t Ban Equality” — included Bloomberg, Ben & Jerry’s, Postmates, H&M, Yelp, Atlantic Records & Warner Media Group, Tinder, and Slack.”

Restricting access to comprehensive reproductive care, including abortion, threatens the health, independence and economic stability of our employees and customers,” the companies said in the letter, adding they employ more than 108,000 workers.”Simply put, it goes against our values and is bad for business,” they said. “It impairs our ability to build diverse and inclusive workforce pipelines, recruit top talent across the states, and protect the well-being of all the people who keep our businesses thriving day in and out.”

Source: 187 companies criticize state abortion bans in New York Times ad – Business Insider