In today’s economy, working people demand more accountability from their employers: better wages, benefits, transparency and alignment. The emphasis on shared values comes to the fore after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Rowe v. Wade, which removes federal abortion protections. States, local authorities and individuals are trying to respond to a decision that throws away 50 years of legal advantage.
As the nation arranges policies and future legal decisions around reproductive health, some companies are anticipating the problem by coming out publicly in support of abortion rights, commonly referred to as “reproductive justice” by activists and women’s rights activists. One of the most outspoken companies is Patagonia, which announced after the Supreme Court ruling that it would not only financially support people who choose to have an abortion, but will provide funds to pay bail for people facing legal costs while protest for reproductive justice.
A statement from Patagonia’s LinkedIn page read:
“Employee care extends beyond basic health insurance, so we take a more holistic approach to coverage and maintain the overall health to which everyone is entitled. This means offering employees the dignity of access to reproductive health. This means supporting employees’ choices if or when they have a child. That means giving parents the resources they need to work and raise children. “
As part of that commitment, Patagonia announced that all employees in the United States are covered by abortion care as part of their health coverage. “Where there are restrictions, travel, accommodation and food are covered.” This includes 100 percent of the cost of paying for mental health visits.
Importantly, Patagonia has shown why reproductive rights and health care are a truly holistic issue. In the same statement, Patagonia lists how it also supports those individuals and families who choose to have children, including by writing:
We support new parents with:
- Two types of paid leave: 4 weeks paid maternity leave and / or 12 weeks paid parental leave.
- Private feeding areas for babies.
- Alimony for raising children for parents during business trips.
- Subsidized, high quality child care on site.
- Scholarships for raising children for parents who do not live near one of our child care centers.
But this was a political component of Patagonia’s message, which went viral, with the company saying that all part-time and full-time employees would receive:
- Training and guarantee for those who peacefully protest for reproductive justice.
- Resources for making informed decisions in the urn.
- Voting time.
Educational voting resources and free voting time simply should not be a political issue. Our democracy and our policies would be stronger with greater participation and understanding of how our government works. This is a principle that proves values, no matter where one falls in the political spectrum. If you want to stand up and vote for more public funding, it’s obviously helpful to know which programs need more help and how to talk about it. Similarly, if you are a critic of government waste and believe that some issues are better addressed in the private sector, participating as an informed voter helps your cause.
But Patagonia’s desire to provide financial coverage for its employees, who are peacefully protesting in favor of reproductive justice, really sets the company apart. How many companies are willing to make that extra mile to enable their companies to be good citizens, not just good employees?
As a company here in Upworthy, we have always been proud of the work Patagonia is doing to protect our planet from the thread of climate change. Putting principles first is a great way for a company like Patagonia to show that they not only make a great product, but also use goodwill and trust that their brand has created to help make the world a better place to all. We would all like to see a world in which these principles have been restored to the highest order in the halls of our government, where elected officials do the work of the people for the people. But until we achieve this more perfect union, it is important to know that where we have spent our money outside of politics can go a long way toward protecting the values we value.
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