Corporations for Human Rights

Usually when large multinational corporations are referred to in the area of human rights, it is mostly related to abuses of these rights (or rather businesses putting their immediate profits ahead of other issues). However, in this instance two companies have publicly come out in support of human rights in the matter of gay marriage in California, where a vote will be held together with the presidential elections on whether to amend the State Constitution to eliminate the right for same-sex couples to marry gay. On Friday Apple announced that: 

Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8.

Google had announced their opposition to the constitutional amendment last month. 

By conventional wisdom, it is usually a tricky thing for corporations to be involved in what may be perceived as political matters, as there is the worryl that potential customers may be put off by this. However, I think that this paradigm is changing and people want to consume products by companies that have a positive brand value. Apple and Google have generated a lot of good karma for themselves, hopefully more companies will follow suit and step up for what they think is right. In the long run it brings more loyal customers and therefore also profit.