Dow Chemical Co. and The PNC Financial Services Group have thrown their support behind this critical legislation that would update our state’s Human Relations Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, citing the legislation’s “critical importance to economic advancement and the fair treatment of our fellow Pennsylvanians.”
Jane Palmieri, business president of Dow Building and Construction, and Marsha Jones, PNC’s executive vice president and chief diversity officer, announced the companies’ decision in an op-ed in today’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Whether it is corporate human-resources managers trying to build effective workforces or small business owners managing the production and delivery of products or services, they can attest to their No. 1 priority — their employees. Without talented and dedicated employees, enterprises fail.
The Pennsylvania Fairness Act is also about ensuring Pennsylvania’s economic competitiveness in the global marketplace. It is about providing an environment in which Pennsylvania employees know that their basic human rights are valued. …
On behalf of hundreds of employers who represent thousands of employees, we call on Pennsylvanians to stand up for themselves and their colleagues by contacting their legislators to express support for the Pennsylvania Fairness Act. We also ask that the members of the General Assembly realize the importance of this legislation and pass House Bill 1510 and Senate Bill 974. Pennsylvania’s economic future depends on it.
Dow and PNC are members of a rapidly expanding coalition of nearly 1,000 employers, businesses and organizations across the state who support comprehensive LGBT non-discrimination protections. Their support comes on the heels of last week’s launch of Mayors for a Competitive Pennsylvania, a bi-partisan group of mayors from across Pennsylvania who are calling on the General Assembly to end discrimination by passing the Pennsylvania Fairness Act.
In fact, many Pennsylvania companies already have internal policies that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity and expression. These include all 18 of Pennsylvania’s Fortune 500 companies and more than 50% of the state’s largest employers, including UPMC, Aramark, Comcast, CONSOL, Hershey Foods, Mylan, PPL, Rite Aid, Sunoco, and UGI. To date, 21 other states have passed non-discrimination laws that level the playing field for employers and employees and help attract new companies and jobs. It’s time for Pennsylvania to be number 22. If you’re an employer and you agree, pledge your support for the Pennsylvania Fairness Act today.