By Clara Hudson, February 27, 2023
Investors roll out abortion pitches, target over 30 companies
Resolutions also address political spending, workforce issues
Abortion rights are on the corporate ballot for the first time since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, and several activist investors are banding together to make sure companies pay attention.
Investors from the Educational Foundation of America, the Tara Health Foundation, Arjuna Capital and more have coordinated to file over 30 shareholder proposals at companies including Walt Disney Co., Meta Platforms Inc. and United Parcel Service Inc. following the Supreme Court’s decision last summer in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
The proposals are varied: Some point to the workforce risks of abortion restrictions, while others emphasize the importance of companies protecting abortion-related data, and still others question if companies give money to politicians who favor restricting abortion access.
But they also give the investors the opportunity to speak to companies directly about everything from healthcare coverage to maternity leave. The general theme: Shareholders want companies to do a better job disclosing how the abortion restrictions cropping up across the country will affect their employees and business, pointing in particular to research that women who aren’t able to access abortions are more likely to leave their jobs.
“Whether they want to or not, companies are directly involved in the health of their employees,” said David Stocks, executive director at the Educational Foundation of America, which has filed proposals at Disney, UnitedHealth Group Inc. and Lowe’s Cos Inc.
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